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Caseworkers’ Attitudes – Do They Matter?
Nina Granqvist
, Pathric Hägglund
‡
, and Stina Simonsson
March 3, 2015
Abstract: The caseworkers in public insurance systems possess
considerable discretion in terms of making decisions. This creates scope
for preferences and attitudes to reflect on initiatives taken during the sick
leave and on individuals' return to work. This paper utilizes a unique
caseworker-individual dataset in the public sickness insurance (SI) in
Sweden to analyze the impact of caseworkers´ attitudes towards SI rules
and rehabilitation programs promoting individuals´ return to work. We
find that a positive attitude towards SI rules increased return to work by
3 percent, or 3.5 days, after comparing the 25 percent most positive
caseworkers with the 25 percent least positive. Also, a positive attitude
towards existing rehabilitation methods reduced return to work by about
2.5 percent, or 3 days.
JEL Classification: C31, H51, I18, J68
Keywords: Public sickness insurance, treatment effects
The paper has benefited from comments by Daniel Hallberg, Per Johansson, Per Molander and
Stefan Eriksson.
The Swedish Social Insurance Inspectorate (ISF),
nina.granqvist@inspsf.se.
‡
The Swedish Social Insurance Inspectorate (ISF) and the Swedish Institute for Social Research,
pathric.hagglund@inspsf.se.
The Swedish Social Insurance Inspectorate (ISF),
stina.simonsson@inspsf.se.