Doubling in sick leave for workers over the age of 67

NAV office, where unemployed and job seekers goes for support.NAV. Photo: Norway Today Media

Numbers from Nav indicate that sick leave among the 67 to 69 year old age group has doubled during the past eleven years. The increase is due to changes in Nav’s regulations.

The number of paid sick days per employee aged between 67 and 69 years increased from 1.3 in 2004, to 2.5 in 2015.
‘The increase is largely due to more liberal rules for receiving sickness benefits after 67 years of age, and is a modest cost, as there are many more in this age group,’ said Section Leader, Ole Christian Lien.
He indicated that sick leave among the 67 to 69 year old age group is still less than a quarter of sickness absence levels for workers in general.
The number of people employed from this part of the population has also increased from 21% to 28% during the stated period. Thus, many more are at work, even if you account for the increase in sick leave.
In the age group covering workers aged between 62 to 66, sickness benefit payouts have generally been stable.
‘This may indicate that some who’d otherwise have been on sickness benefits, have instead chosen to retire’, said Lien.

 

Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today