The matter in summary Sweden’s LO leader Johan Lindholm warns Norway against introducing retirement days to reduce the high level of sickness absence. Karen’s day, which was introduced in Sweden in 1993, is a deduction from sick pay equivalent to 20 per cent of what you earn in a week. In 2023, sickness absence in Norway was 6.7 per cent, while in Sweden it was around 4 per cent. Economist and head of the Frisch Centre, Simen Markussen, believes that the generous sick pay scheme in Norway may be a reason for the high sickness absence. Sick leave caused Norway to lose 40 million man-years of work last year, according to Nav. The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAi. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. – Norway does not want to backtrack into the future and introduce an unfair and unfashionable reform, asks the Swedish LO leader Johan Lindholm. The Swedish trade union boss has received hotel owner Petter Stordalen’s settlement with Norwegian sickness absence, which he pointed out is significantly higher than the Swedish rate. – The short-term absence is a challenge we must solve. The Swedes have a Valentine’s Day, we don’t. They have significantly lower sickness absence than us, Stordalen told news on Tuesday. POINTS TO SWEDEN: Petter Stordalen questions why Sweden has significantly lower sickness absence than Norway. Photo: William Jobling / news Sweden’s former Prime Minister Göran Persson told news that the retirement age is a very reasonable measure. The union leader Lindholm wants to scrap what he sees as an anti-social scheme. He warns against Norway considering the scheme at all. – Those who work at the head office in Strawberry can work from home if they are slightly ill. But the hotel employees, or those who pick up the crap after them at the head office, have to choose between working sick or losing a fifth of their weekly salary, thunders Lindholm. – You don’t want it like that in Norway. The world’s highest sickness absence Karen’s Day was introduced in Sweden in 1993 and adjusted in 2019. Now the scheme is called retirement allowance, but is still often referred to as Karen’s Day. The retirement allowance is a deduction from sick pay equivalent to 20 per cent of what you earn in a week. Both LO leader Peggy Hessen Følsvik and NHO director Ole Erik Almlid have been asked by news whether a qualifying day should be introduced. Both answered no. NO: LO leader Peggy Hessen Følsvik and NHO director Ole Erik Almlid reject the retirement age. Photo: Heiko Junge / NTB Norway reigns supreme in sickness absence In 2023, sickness absence in Norway was 6.7 per cent, according to Statistics Norway. In Sweden, it was around 4 per cent in the same period, according to the Arbetsgivarverket. How concerned should one be? A different system – Sweden has a slightly different system for reporting sick, says Simen Markussen, who is an economist and head of the Frisch Centre. – The requirements for receiving sick pay become increasingly strict when the sick leave lasts longer. In order to be on sick leave for more than 180 days, you must basically be unable to perform any job, and therefore not just the job you have, but there are some exceptions. The differences in regulations therefore make direct comparison of the level of sickness absence between the countries somewhat difficult. DIFFERENCES: Economist Simen Markussen says it is important to take account of institutional differences when comparing countries. Photo: Frida Skauvik Aune / news Markussen also points out that high employment and many older people in work can contribute to increasing sickness absence. But compared to similar countries such as Denmark and Sweden, sickness absence is still relatively high. – I think it is difficult to ignore that it has something to do with the generous sick pay scheme. But strictly speaking, nobody knows, because there have been no changes to sick pay since it was introduced in 1978, says Markussen. Two effects When it comes to retirement age, he envisages that the measure can have two effects. – It will be more expensive for the employee to take out sick leave. Then one would expect that fewer would choose to take out a sick leave. – Given that you have taken out sick leave, you can imagine that it is a kind of risk to go back to work, because imagine if you get sick again. You must then take out a new sick leave and a new qualifying day. Overall, it is therefore not entirely clear whether a retirement day will reduce absenteeism or not. Sickness absence caused Norway to lose 40 million man-years of work last year, according to Nav. DON’T GIVE UP AT THE DOORS: LO leader Johan Lindholm. Photo: Clara Dagh / LO The Swedish LO leader Johan Lindholm believes that the possible savings with retirement age are small money in the big picture. – There are no big sacrifices. This has a class device that means it has to go. Published 14.08.2024, at 18.28
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Swedish trade union summit warns Norway against introducing retirement age – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
