Employer support for return-to-work after a prolonged sick-leave: evidence for Europe

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Abstract

Aim
Employers play an important role in facilitating the return-to-work (RTW) of employees after a prolonged sick leave. However, the extent of employer involvement in RTW efforts is largely unexplored in an international comparative context. This study provides evidence on the diffusion of procedures to facilitate RTW after sick leave in workplaces across European countries and welfare regimes.
Subject and methods
Workplace practices are examined using microdata from the three waves of the European Survey on New and Emerging Risks (ESENER), collected in 2009, 2014 and 2019. The analysis is carried out using logistic models, accounting for economic structure and establishment size.
Results
Using the Continental countries as reference, the odds ratio for RTW support corresponds to 3.6 (95% CI 2.77–4.79) in Liberal welfare states and to 3.1 (95% CI 2.45–3.88) in Nordic welfare states. In Southern and Eastern Europe, the odds ratios are 0.3 (95% CI 0.25–0.36) and 0.2 (95% CI 0.16–0.26), respectively. Countries with high levels of RTW support display different combinations of legal obligations and/or incentives for employers to support RTW. While support increases consistently with firm size, no clear association across industries could be found. The observed patterns are stable over time.
Conclusion
Employer support for RTW varies greatly among countries and welfare state regimes, indicating that institutional settings and policies are key determinants of employer participation in RTW, particularly in smaller workplaces. The findings clearly indicate that there is substantial scope for policy learning and for expanding the support for sick-listed workers in Europe.
Original languageEnglish
JournalJournal of Public Health (Germany)
DOIs
Publication statusAccepted/In press - 2024

Keywords

  • Policy
  • Return-to-work
  • Sick leave
  • Workplace

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