# Workforce composition explains little of Norway’s rise in certified sick leave

> Statistics Norway found that legally certified sick leave increased by 0.7 percentage points from 2015 to 2025. Its decomposition analysis indicates that changes in sick leave within worker groups, rather than shifts in workforce composition across the dimensions studied, drove most of the increase.

- Canonical URL: https://newsverum.com/en/news/norway-doctor-certified-sick-leave-composition-change-2015-2025
- Publisher: Newsverum
- Section: Health
- Country: Norway
- Published: 2026-10-16T08:19:51+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-16T08:19:51+00:00
- Event / data period: 2025
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Statistics Norway found that doctor-certified sick leave increased by 0.7 percentage points from 2015 to 2025. Its decomposition analysis indicates that changes in sick leave within worker groups, rather than shifts in workforce composition across the dimensions studied, drove most of the increase.

The analysis covers six separate dimensions—education, sex, full- or part-time work, industry, immigrant category and age—and uses administrative data for resident employees aged 16–69. It covers doctor-certified absence, not self-certified leave. The decomposition describes contributions to the trend; it does not establish medical causes.

## Data

### Statistics reported by the source

SSB decomposes the 2015–2025 rise in doctor-certified absence into workforce-composition and within-group changes.

Methodology: The measure covers doctor-certified sick leave among resident employees aged 16–69. The decomposition treats six worker characteristics separately; it shows statistical contributions, not causation.

| label | value | unit | period | basis | period_start | value_qualifier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Change in doctor-certified sick-leave rate, 2015–2025 | 0.7 | percentage points | 2025 | observed | 2015 | exact |

Sources: <https://www.ssb.no/arbeid-og-lonn/arbeidsmiljo-sykefravaer-og-arbeidskonflikter/artikler/endringer-i-arbeidsstyrken-forklarer-lite-av-okningen-i-sykefravaeret> · Download data: [JSON](https://newsverum.com/api/v1/articles/norway-doctor-certified-sick-leave-composition-change-2015-2025/data/reported-statistics?lang=en&format=json) · [CSV](https://newsverum.com/api/v1/articles/norway-doctor-certified-sick-leave-composition-change-2015-2025/data/reported-statistics?lang=en&format=csv)

## Sources

- [Statistics Norway (SSB)](<https://www.ssb.no/arbeid-og-lonn/arbeidsmiljo-sykefravaer-og-arbeidskonflikter/artikler/endringer-i-arbeidsstyrken-forklarer-lite-av-okningen-i-sykefravaeret>) (Source checked: 2026-10-16; Published: 2026-10-16)

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