The Sick Pay Trap
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Forfattere:
Fevang, Elisabeth, Simen Markussen og Knut Røed
År:
2011
Referanse:
Andre skrifter
IZA Discussion paper no 5655
Sammendrag (engelsk)
In most countries, employers are financially responsible for sick pay during an initial period of a worker’s absence spell, after which the public insurance system covers the bill. Based on a quasi-natural experiment in Norway, where pay liability was removed for pregnancy-related absences, we show that firms’ absence costs significantly affect employees’ absence behavior. However, by restricting pay liability to the initial period of the absence spell, firms are discouraged from letting long-term sick workers back into work, since they then face the financial risk associated with subsequent relapses. We show that this disincentive effect is statistically and economically significant.
Nøkkelord:
absenteeism, social insurance, experience rating, multivariate hazard rate models
JEL:
C14, C41, H55, I18, J23
Prosjekt info:
Oppdragsgiver: Norges forskningsrådOppdragsgivers prosjektnr.: 187924
Frisch prosjekt: 4132 - Sykefravær i Norge - Årsaker, konsekvenser og politikkimplikasjoner
