A comparative analysis of paid leave for the health needs of workers and their families around the world

Abstract:
The ability of workers to take time off work when they are ill, and when their children or adult family members are ill, is critical to the health of workers and their families. In this study, we examine labor codes and labor-related legislation for 178 countries available from the International Labor Organization, and 160 individual country reports in Social Security Programs Throughout the World to determine the availability of paid sick leave globally and explore whether there is a correlation with four measures of macro-economic status (unemployment, productivity, GDP, competitiveness). We find that 145 nations from around the globe provide paid sick leave for working adults, 33 for care of children and 16 for care of adult family members' needs, and find no evidence of a negative relationship between paid leave for personal or family health needs and macro-economic status.