Absences refer to any time an employee is not present at work, measured in days, when attendance is required under collective bargaining agreements, a works agreement, or the employment contract. These absences can be categorized into three types: absenteeism, sick leave, and other absences.
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Absenteeism: This refers to absences due to a lack of motivation, often linked to low engagement or other personal reasons.
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Sick Leave: Absences caused by illness or injury that prevent the employee from working.
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Other Absences: These include absences for reasons such as further training, military service, health spas, special leave, or additional leave mandated by law or collective agreements.
It is important to distinguish these types of absences from public holidays, which do not count as absences.
The terms absenteeism and absenteeism are sometimes used interchangeably in everyday language and literature, but this can be misleading. Such usage obscures the need for a proper causal analysis. While there is no clear-cut boundary between absenteeism and absenteeism, this “gray area” involves employees who, although they might have certain functional or anatomical conditions, are not necessarily required to take sick leave. The ambiguity in defining illness, especially in the case of psychosomatic illnesses, contributes to this broad gray area.
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