Variation in presenteeism by generosity of statutory sick pay: a multilevel analysis in 35 European countries.

Attending work despite illness (sickness presenteeism) is common in many workplaces. While most research has focused on individual and workplace determinants, less is known about country-level factors. This study examines (i) the association between national sick pay policies and presenteeism, (ii)...

Descripción completa

Detalles Bibliográficos
Publicado en:European Journal of Public Health Vol. 36; no. 4; pp. 1 - 9
Autores principales: Reuter, Marvin, Gau, Tabea, Meyer, Sophie-Charlotte, Ruhle, Sascha A
Formato: pictorial research tables/charts Journal Article
Publicado: Oxford University Press / USA Aug2026
Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
fields @attributes:
  recordID: 1
pdfLink:
plink: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ccm&AN=196002926&site=ehost-live
header:
  @attributes:
    shortDbName: ccm
    uiTerm: 196002926
    longDbName: CINAHL Complete
    uiTag: AN
  controlInfo:
    bkinfo:
    dissinfo:
    jinfo:
      jid:
        11011262
        BHW
      jtl: European Journal of Public Health
      issn: 11011262
      maglogo: N
    pubinfo:
      dt: Aug2026
      vid: 36
      iid: 4
      pid: 622
      pub: Oxford University Press / USA
    artinfo:
      ui:
        196002926
        196002926
        196002926
        10.1093/eurpub/ckag093
        196002926
      ppf: 1
      ppct: 8
      formats:
        fmt:
          – @attributes:
              type: T
          – @attributes:
              type: P
      tig:
        atl: Variation in presenteeism by generosity of statutory sick pay: a multilevel analysis in 35 European countries.
      aug:
        au:
          Reuter, Marvin
          Gau, Tabea
          Meyer, Sophie-Charlotte
          Ruhle, Sascha A
        affil: Junior Professorship for Sociology, esp. Work and Health, Department of Sociology, University of Bamberg, Bamberg, Germany
      sug:
        subj:
          Presenteeism
          Disease
          Sick Leave Economics
          Health Policy Europe
          Occupational Health
          Age Factors
          Economic Factors
          Job Characteristics
          Human
          Europe
          Multicenter Studies
          Employees
          Descriptive Statistics
          Sociodemographic Factors
          Income
      ab: Attending work despite illness (sickness presenteeism) is common in many workplaces. While most research has focused on individual and workplace determinants, less is known about country-level factors. This study examines (i) the association between national sick pay policies and presenteeism, (ii) the extent to which these policies contribute to cross-country variation in presenteeism, and (iii) whether associations differ by sociodemographic and occupational characteristics. We used data on 19 657 employees in 35 countries from the 2015 European Working Conditions Survey combined with country-level information on sick pay regulations. Countries were classified as offering 'generous' sick pay if they compensated from the first day of illness with ≥80% wage replacement for at least 2 weeks (43% of the countries met this criterion). Presenteeism was measured by the fraction of days worked while ill out of all illness days in the past 12 months (presenteeism propensity). We estimated multilevel models that controlled for individual characteristics (sociodemographics, job characteristics, health) and country features (unemployment, gross domestic product, and population density). Generous sick pay was associated with an 8-percentage-point lower presenteeism propensity (average marginal effect: −0.08; SE: 0.04; P  < .05), explaining 12.4% of the between-country variance in presenteeism propensity. The association appeared more pronounced among older workers, low-income employees, routine occupations, and those in industry or public administration. National sick pay regulations may shape presenteeism, particularly among groups where financial motives are central. Adequate sick pay may help prevent workers from engaging in presenteeism and mitigate its consequences.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype:
        pictorial
        research
        tables/charts
        Journal Article
      ougenre: Article
    language: English
    refInfo:
    holdings:
      @attributes:
        islocal: N