January 28, 2003 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

Farm jobs and managerial positions have lowest absence rate

Workers in farming, forestry, and fishing occupations and in managerial and professional specialty positions had the lowest absence rates in 2002.

[Chart data—TXT]

Among full-time workers with either farm jobs or managerial positions, the absence rate was 3.0 percent, well below the average of 3.6 percent for all occupations. Precision production, craft, and repairs also had a low absence rate. 3.1 percent. 

Service occupations and technical, sales, and administrative support occupations had the highest absence rate, both at 4.1 percent. Operators, fabricators, and laborers had a 3.8 percent absence rate.

These data are a product of the Current Population Survey. More information on absence rates in 2002 can be found in Table 43 of the January 2003 Employment and Earnings. The absence rate is the ratio of workers with absences to total full-time wage and salary employment. Absences are defined as instances in which persons who usually work 35 or more hours per week worked less than 35 hours during the reference week for one of the following reasons: own illness, injury, or medical problems; child-care problems; other family or personal obligations; civic or military duty; and maternity or paternity leave.

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