Sick leave decreased

The number of sick days per employee during the sick pay period decreased during the first quarter compared to the same quarter 2009. In total the number of sick days per employee during the sick pay period was 1.31 compared to 1.44 in 2009.

The number of sick days per employee for the private sector decreased by 0.13 days compared to the first quarter of 2009. In the public sector men in municipal positions had the largest change with a decrease by 0.15 days to 1.32 days per employee. During the first quarter, total sick pay was given as an average of 1.05 days per employee.

Sick days per employee by sector and sex

Sector	Sex	First quarter
		2010	2009
Private	Women	1.28	1.42
	Men	1.02	1.16
	Total	1.12	1.25
Municipality	Women	1.99	2.09
	Men	1.32	1.47
	Total	1.85	1.97
County council	Women	1.95	1.99
	Men	1.25	1.28
	Total	1.81	1.85
Central government	Women	1.54	1.63
	Men	0.82	0.9
	Total	1.19	1.26
Total	Women	1.59	1.71
	Men	1.04	1.17
	Total	1.31	1.44

The number of sick periods decreased

Compared to the first quarter of 2009, the number of sick periods per employee in the first quarter of 2010 decreased by 0.02 periods to 0.33. In the private sector the number of sick periods per employee was 0.28 and also in the central government sector the number amounted to 0.28. In municipalities and county councils the number of sick periods per employee was 0.45 and 0.47, respectively.

Definitions and explanations

Sick pay period is the period when an employee is absent from work due to sickness and is eligible for sick pay.

Sick days are all calendar days in the sick period, regardless of whether the employee is reimbursed for all days with sick pay or not.

Sick period is each time an employee begins a sick period and a new period is generated, regardless of how many sick days the period consists of. The survey presents periods that were completed during the quarter.

The survey is published quarterly. The surveys for 2002-2005 have been published on the website of the Swedish Social Insurance Agency.