Synonyms
Absence from work; Absence from workplace
Definition
Absenteeism is a general term for habitual absence
from a duty or obligation. In occupational health, it
refers to nonattendance when expected to work, for any reason at all, medical or otherwise. Absence from work
is not really a medical phenomenon. It can be viewed
as a “social” disease of workers that is symptomatic of
underlying faults in their working environments, and
it falls within the realm of occupational health. Sickness
absence is a convenient term for absence from
work attributed to sickness or injury and accepted as
such by the employer or social security system. Sickness
absence is a complex phenomenon and is not necessarily
the same as the health status of the individual
or sickness in a society. Some sickness absence and
some absenteeism for other reasons may be regarded
as objectively necessary and, therefore, acceptable and
normal. Absenteeism becomes abnormal – in medical
terms, “pathological” – when it is excessive. This may
refer to workday loss or frequency of absence.
Tags: absence from work, absenteeism, faults, health status, medical phenomenon, medical terms, obligation, occupational health, sickness absence, social security, social security system, synonyms, work absence, workday, working environments
