Being on Sick Leave: Possible Explanations for Differences of Sick-leave Days Across Countries

International variation in absence from work attributed to musculoskeletal illness: findings from the CUPID study

“…By contrast with findings from several earlier studies,3 16 17 19 22 we found no indication that provision of sick pay was associated with a higher frequency of absence for musculoskeletal pain. This may be because our definition of prolonged absence which could have included some individuals with repeated short episodes of absence, as well as those who were absent for longer continuous periods, differed from the outcome measures used in other investigations.…”

Burden of Diabetes on the Ability to Work

“…Differences in absenteeism could be attributed to differences in social security coverage modalities that vary across countries in terms of granting sick leave or other employment benefits (36). However, despite differences between social security models, results are generally consistent and attest to the negative consequences of diabetes on ability to work.…”

Sickness presenteeism in Norway and Sweden

“…At the same time, sickness benefits are much more generous in Norway than they are in Sweden: a sick-listed person in Norway receives full compensation from the first day for a maximum of 364 days, whilst in Sweden the employees themselves pay for the starting day and receive 80 per cent compensation for a maximum of 364 days within a frame of 450 days (Ministry of labour and social inclusion, 2011;Government proposition no.136, 2008). It is argued that generous insurance schemes tend to increase the level of SA (Osterkamp & Röhn, 2007), and the statistics on SA in Norway and Sweden echo this position: in the last decade, the mean rate of doctor-certified sickness absence in Norway was more than six per cent, but less than four per cent in Sweden (Statistics Norway 2011;Statistics Sweden 2011). Moreover, a survey in the Nordic countries five years ago has indicated profound differences in attitudes towards SA: the countries with the most restrictive benefits schemes are those with the most restrictive attitudes towards absenteeism due to sickness (Dahl et al, 2007).…”