Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/307925 
Year of Publication: 
2024
Series/Report no.: 
GLO Discussion Paper No. 1542
Publisher: 
Global Labor Organization (GLO), Essen
Abstract: 
This study addresses the gender gap in workplace sick leave duration, focusing on the underlying economic and biological factors that contribute to this disparity. Using a novel methodological approach, we combine the stochastic frontier technique with an Oaxaca-Blinder-type decomposition to separate sick leave into medically justified and "opportunistic" days. Our analysis, based on detailed administrative data of workplace accidents in Spain, reveals that men and women recover at different rates for the same injuries, with biological differences explaining the majority of the observed gender gap. Additionally, we identify that men tend to use more sick leave days for reasons unrelated to health recovery. The findings offer valuable insights for policymakers and employers, providing an empirical foundation for targeted policies that reduce gender-based discrimination in the workplace and ensure fairer resource allocation. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of the gender gap in occupational health and offers implications for improving workplace equality.
Subjects: 
Gender Gap
Sick Leave Duration
Workplace Accidents
Stochastic Frontier Analysis
Occupational Health
JEL: 
I12
I13
J16
J28
C21
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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