Report on Absences From Work in 2011. Illness- and Accident-caused Absences in Austria

Similar to earlier WIFO reports, the 2011 report on absences from work provides a broad overview of the sick leave situation in Austria. Dependently employed Austrians were on sick leave for an average of 12.9 days in 2010, which corresponds to a sickness ratio of 3.5 percent. For the first time, the ratio for men was slightly lower than that for women (3.5 percent vs. 3.6 percent). The report concentrates on investigating the link between sick leave and early retirement due to illness. Individuals granted an invalidity pension had previously taken above-average days of sick leave across a mid- to long-term period of observation. The health gap to workers who do not receive an invalidity pension gradually widens over time and bursts open in the year before they take retirement. The sick leave situation is a useful early warning sign for the risk of invalidity borne by a worker; this applies in particular for long spells of sick leave and those caused by mental illnesses.