Sickness absence of more than three days, Q2 2002

Finnmark and Sør-Trøndelag had no change in the sickness absence rate from the second quarter 2001 to the second quarter 2002, while Troms and Nordland had an increase of 0.1 percentage points. Nevertheless the northernmost counties had the highest level of sickness absence together with Østfold. Oslo had the strongest increase, 0.5 percentage points. However, Oslo still had a lower level than the country average.

Strongest increase among employees under 40

The age group 20-40 years had a stronger increase than the average. In the age group 40 plus everybody except employees between 65-67 years had a smaller increase than the average. Some groups, however, had a decrease in their sickness absence. In the age groups under 40 the increase was strongest among women.

The sickness absence has evened out among the age groups but absence is still lowest among the youngest and highest among the oldest employees. In the second quarter 2002 the age group 20-24 had a sickness absence rate of 5.3, while the group 65-66 had 10.4. The last year's trend reinforces the tendency that women in their 30s have a higher absence rate than women in their 40s.

Decrease in Financial intermediation and Insurance

The sickness absence rate for the industries Financial intermediation and Insurance decreased from 4.4 to 4.3 from the second quarter 2001 to the second quarter 2001. Public administration and Education both had an increase of 0.1 percentage points and Health and social work had an increase of 0.2.

Statistics also for self-certified absence

On 20 September Statistics Norway will publish the results from a new survey that includes self- certification of sickness. These statistics are based on information from a selection of enterprises and will give figures including the ones from the first quarter 2002. This will give us a picture of the level and development of the total sickness absence for the first time.

Tables

Published tables