Graded Return-To-Work as a Stepping Stone to Full Work Resumption

Lieke Kools (l.kools@law.leidenuniv.nl) and Pierre Koning
Additional contact information
Lieke Kools: University of Leiden

No 11471, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)

Abstract: There is increasing evidence that graded return-to-work is an effective tool for the rehabilitation of sick-listed workers. Still, little is known on the optimal timing and level of grading in return-to-work trajectories, as well as the allocation of trajectories across worker types. To fill this gap, we analyze whether the effectiveness of graded return-to-work depends on the starting moment of the trajectory and the initial level of graded work resumption. We use administrative data from a Dutch private workplace reintegration provider. In order to correct for the selection bias inherent to the evaluation of activation strategies, we exploit the discretionary room of the case managers in setting up treatment plans. In correspondence with previous literature we find that graded return-to-work reduces sick spells with eighteen weeks within the first two years after reporting sick. However, the probability of work resumption after two years remains unchanged. Work resumption can be achieved faster when graded return-to-work is started earlier or at a higher rate of initial work resumption. These findings how- ever do not hold for individuals who have problems related to mental health.

Keywords: graded return-to-work; long-term sickness absence; activation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C26 I18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 58 pages
Date: 2018-04
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-hea and nep-lma
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

Published - published in: Journal of Health Economics, 2018, 65, 189-209

Downloads: (external link)
https://docs.iza.org/dp11471.pdf (application/pdf)

Related works:
Journal Article: Graded return-to-work as a stepping stone to full work resumption (2019)
Working Paper: Graded Return-to-Work as a Stepping Stone to Full Work Resumption (2018)
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:iza:izadps:dp11471

Ordering information: This working paper can be ordered from
IZA, Margard Ody, P.O. Box 7240, D-53072 Bonn, Germany
library@iza.org

Access Statistics for this paper

More papers in IZA Discussion Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA) IZA, P.O. Box 7240, D-53072 Bonn, Germany. Contact information at EDIRC.
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Holger Hinte (hinte@iza.org).