The impact of temporary employment and job tenure on sickness absence

Previous studies have suggested that temporary employment and job tenure are associated with work-related health risk exposures and the ability to take a sickness absence, but these studies have not considered the nature of the employment contract in a longitudinal framework. This study investigates the impact of temporary employment on work-related and all-cause sickness absences of one week or more with a focus on how these outcomes are moderated by factors related to social protection (job tenure, union membership and firm size). Longitudinal data from a Canadian labour market survey is used to conduct a duration analysis of the time from the start of a job to the first sickness absence.