WORRIED SICK? WORKER RESPONSES TO ORGANIZATIONAL TURMOIL

Espen Bratberg () and Karin Monstad ()
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Karin Monstad: HEB-Uni Rokkansenteret, Postal: HEB-Uni Rokkansenteret, Nygårdsgaten 5, N-5015 Bergen, NORWAY, ,, http://heb.rokkan.uib.no/

No 08/12, Working Papers in Economics from University of Bergen, Department of Economics

Abstract: Sickness absence has risen over the past years in Norway. One explanation put forward is that a tougher labor market represents a health hazard, while a competing hypothesis predicts that loss of job security works as a disciplinary device. In this analysis we aim to trace a causal impact of organizational turmoil or job insecurity on sickness absence, applying a difference-in-difference approach. Utilizing a negative financial shock that hit specific employers and workplaces, we find that sickness absence decreased considerably in the following year. The decrease is substantially larger among male than among female employees, and stronger for days of sickness absence than for its incidence. Acknowledgements: The paper has benefited from comments at the 2011 Norwegian Social Insurance Research Meeting in Lillehammer and the 2012 HEB/HERO workshop in Geilo. We are also grateful for information from Ingvar Linde, Jan G. Myrvang, and chief executives of the eight municipalities impacted by the financial shock. Remaining errors are the authors’ sole responsibility. Financial support from the Norwegian Research Council (Grant 187912) is gratefully acknowledged.

Keywords: Worker absenteeism; sickness absence; organizational schange; job security; difference-in-differences (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: H53 I18 J22 J28 J45 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 31 pages
Date: 2012-04-30
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-bec, nep-hea, nep-hrm, nep-ias and nep-lab
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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