Worker Absenteeism and Working Conditions

In this paper absence behavior in relation to working environment is studied. A theoretical model is built in order to separate the e¤ects on voluntary absence and absence related to ill health where health e¤ects are assumed to be tied to working conditions. The model also gives a testable hypothesis of compensating wage di¤erentials. A panel of quarterly ...rm level data from 1990-1998 is utilized and the theoretical model is supported by the empirical ...ndings. Workers are not fully compensated when experiencing high level of noise in the work area, or when the job involves high degrees of monotonous work, heavy or frequent lifting or bad work postures. Ill health, and thus increased long term absence, is not highly related to economic variables. However, long term absence is relatively higher if the ...rm are troubled with many accidents or near misses. Also those disamenities the workers are not fully compensated for, will cause ill health and increased long term absence.