Slight decline in absence due to sickness
Sick leave in Norway fell to 6.3 per cent in the second quarter. Seasonal and influenza-adjusted figures from Statistics Norway reveal this. Women are ill twice as often than men.
– The decline from the first quarter is 0.6 per cent, but Nav believes the figures indicate that the absence is stable. Although absence due to sickness has decreased since the previous quarter, the change is so small that it must be said to be stable, says Nav Director Sigrun Vågeng.
The absence numbers constitute 6.8 per cent for women and 3.8 per cent for men.
Finnmark has highest absence
Finnmark is the county with the highest proportion of absence in the second quarter, with 7.4 per cent of the work force. Nordland follows close behind at 7.2 per cent.
The absence is lowest in Oslo and Sogn og Fjordane, with 5.1 and 5.4 per cent respectively. Sogn og Fjordane also has the largest decline in absence, by 0.5 per cent.
These are the total numbers, consisting of both certified and self-reported sick leave. The reported doctor certified absence is 5.4 per cent, decreasing by 0.4 per cent points from the first quarter, while the self-reported sick leave decreased 1.6 per cent points to 0.9 per cent, shows seasonal and influenza-adjusted figures from Statistics Norway (SSB).
38 days
The average length of a sickness absence case is 38 days in the second quarter of this year. This is an increase of half a day compared to the same period last year.
Compared with the second quarter of 2001, when the first IA agreement was concluded, total seasonal and influenza-adjusted sick leave has decreased by 11.4 per cent.
The IA Agreement is a letter of intent on a more inclusive working life between the Government and the main organizations in the workplace, and is valid until 2018. The goal of the agreement is a 20 per cent reduction.
© NTB Scanpix / Norway Today
