Sick pay period, 4th quarter 2020

Sickness absence rate increased in the fourth quarter 2020

Statistical news from Statistics Sweden 2021-03-09 9.30

The number of sick days per employee in a sick pay period increased in the fourth quarter of 2020, compared with the corresponding quarter of 2019. The average number of sick days in a sick pay period was 2.38 days per employee.

Among women, the number of sick days per employee increased by 0.88 days and among men, sick days increased by 0.55 days, compared with the corresponding quarter of 2019.

The large increases in the fourth quarter 2020 are mostly due to the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Sick days per employee and sick pay period, by sector and sex, fourth quarter

Sector	Sex	Fourth quarter
		2020	2019	Change	Percentage change
Business sector	Women	2.28	1.69	0.59	35.2
	Men	1.82	1.33	0.48	36.4
	Total	1.99	1.47	0.52	35.7
Municipality	Women	4.10	2.61	1.49	56.9
	Men	3.11	1.88	1.23	65.1
	Total	3.87	2.45	1.42	58.1
Regions	Women	3.38	2.19	1.19	54.7
	Men	2.42	1.43	0.99	69.3
	Total	3.17	2.02	1.15	56.8
Central government	Women	1.98	1.82	0.16	8.8
	Men	1.32	1.05	0.28	26.3
	Total	1.67	1.45	0.22	15.0
Non-profit institutions serving households	Women	1.96	1.56	0.40	25.8
	Men	1.40	1.07	0.33	30.4
	Total	1.74	1.37	0.37	27.2
Total	Women	2.88	2.00	0.88	43.8
	Men	1.91	1.36	0.55	40.2
	Total	2.38	1.67	0.71	42.2

Number of sick periods increased

The number of sick periods per employee increased in the fourth quarter of 2020 compared with the corresponding quarter of 2019. There were 0.48 sick periods per employee. In the business sector, there were 0.41 sick periods per employee, while in the central government sector there were 0.34 sick periods per employee. In the municipalities and regions , there were 0.77 and 0.69 sick periods per employee, respectively.

Definitions and explanations

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

Sick days All calendar days in a sick period, regardless of whether or not the employee is reimbursed with sick pay.

Sick period Each time an employee falls ill, a new sick period is generated, regardless of the number of sick days in the sick period. The survey shows periods that were completed during the quarter.

All changes are calculated from unrounded data.

This survey is published quarterly.

Next publishing will be

2021-06-08 at 09:30.

Statistical Database

More information is available in the Statistical Database

Feel free to use the facts from this statistical news but remember to state Source: Statistics Sweden.