Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/47345 
Year of Publication: 
2009
Series/Report no.: 
Memorandum No. 2009,19
Publisher: 
University of Oslo, Department of Economics, Oslo
Abstract: 
This paper exploits a Norwegian physician directed reform aimed to reduce sick-leave. Physicians were required to consider part-time sick-leave as the default treatment and - in the case of long lasting full-time sick-leave - to file a report documenting why the worker was unable to perform any work related activities. The reform had a large impact, reducing sick-leave by 18.8 percent. The main effect came from reduced spell duration - which can be directly linked to the extended documentation requirement laid on physicians within the first 8 weeks of a sick-leave spell. Physician-directed policies may be an (cost-) effective way of reducing sick-leave.
Subjects: 
Labor market policies
sick-leave
physicians' gate keeping
JEL: 
H53
I18
J28
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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