Work Disability and Labour Supply

Work Disability and Labour Supply

Period: 15.07.2022 – 31.07.2027

This project empirically and theoretically evaluates social insurance systems for work disability. Almost all OECD countries provide universal coverage for short-term, long-term and permanent work disability. However, the design and generosity of these social insurance systems differ from country to country. Typically, they intend to maintain a balance between work incentive effects and providing a social safety net through wage replacements. In the wake of covid-19, the question of how to incentivize employees to not come to work sick and spread contagious diseases has gained new relevance. The project focuses on the United States and Germany. While Germany has provided paid sick leave since Bismarck, the United States only recently introduced state-level mandates for short-term sick leave and medical leave. These natural experiments provide unique opportunities to evaluate the impact of mandated sick pay on coverage, utilization, the spread of diseases as well as unintended labor market consequences.

Project members

Nicolas R. Ziebarth

Nicolas R. Ziebarth

Project Coordinator
Head

To the profile
Björn Fischer-Weckemann

Björn Fischer-Weckemann

Advanced Researcher

To the profile
Cooperation partner
University of Groningen, Groningen, NL // Temple University, Philadelphia, US // University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, US // University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, US

Selected Publications

Positive Health Externalities of Mandating Paid Sick Leave

Pichler, S., K. Wen and Nicolas R. Ziebarth (2021), Positive Health Externalities of Mandating Paid Sick Leave, Journal of Policy Analysis and Management 40(3) , 715-743

Awareness and Use of (Emergency) Sick Leave: US employees’ Unaddressed Sick Leave Needs in a Global Pandemic

Jelliffe, E., P. Pangburn, S. Pichler and Nicolas R. Ziebarth (2021), Awareness and Use of (Emergency) Sick Leave: US employees’ Unaddressed Sick Leave Needs in a Global Pandemic, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 118 (29) , e2107670118

COVID-19 Emergency Sick Leave Has Helped to Flatten the Curve

Pichler, S., K. Wen and Nicolas R. Ziebarth (2020), COVID-19 Emergency Sick Leave Has Helped to Flatten the Curve, Health Affairs 39(12) , 2197-2204

The Pros and Cons of Sick Pay Schemes: Testing for Contagious Presenteeism and Noncontagious Absenteeism Behavior

Pichler, S. and Nicolas R. Ziebarth (2017), The Pros and Cons of Sick Pay Schemes: Testing for Contagious Presenteeism and Noncontagious Absenteeism Behavior, Journal of Public Economics 156 , 14-33

Protecting Working-Age People with Disabilities: Experiences of Four Industrialized Nations

Burkhauser, R. V., M. C. Daly and Nicolas R. Ziebarth (2016), Protecting Working-Age People with Disabilities: Experiences of Four Industrialized Nations, Journal for Labour Market Research 49(4) , 367-386

Profiling the US Sick Leave Landscape: Presenteeism among Females

Susser, P. and Nicolas R. Ziebarth (2016), Profiling the US Sick Leave Landscape: Presenteeism among Females, Health Services Research 51(6) , 2305-2317

Assessing the Effectiveness of Health Care Cost Containment Measures: Evidence from the Market for Rehabilitation Care

Ziebarth, Nicolas R. (2014), Assessing the Effectiveness of Health Care Cost Containment Measures: Evidence from the Market for Rehabilitation Care, International Journal of Health Care Finance & Economics 14(1) , 41-67

The Effects of Expanding the Generosity of the Statutory Sickness Absence Insurance

Ziebarth, Nicolas R. and M. Karlsson (2014), The Effects of Expanding the Generosity of the Statutory Sickness Absence Insurance, Journal of Applied Econometrics 29(2) , 208-230

Long-Term Absenteeism and Moral Hazard – Evidence from a Natural Experiment

Ziebarth, Nicolas R. (2013), Long-Term Absenteeism and Moral Hazard – Evidence from a Natural Experiment, Labour Economics 42 , 277-292

Add-On Premiums Increase Price Transparency—More Policy Holders Switch Health Plans

Eibich, P., H. Schmitz and Nicolas R. Ziebarth (2012), Add-On Premiums Increase Price Transparency—More Policy Holders Switch Health Plans, DIW Economic Bulletin 2(2) , 15-24

A Natural Experiment on Sick Pay Cuts, Sickness Absence, and Labor Costs

Ziebarth, Nicolas R. and M. Karlsson (2010), A Natural Experiment on Sick Pay Cuts, Sickness Absence, and Labor Costs, Journal of Public Economics 94(11-12) , 1108-1122

Estimating Price Elasticities of Convalescent Care Programmes

Ziebarth, Nicolas R. (2010), Estimating Price Elasticities of Convalescent Care Programmes, Economic Journal 120(545) , 816-844

Contact