February 14, 2005 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

Absence rates and occupation, 2004

Workers in natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations and in management, professional, and related occupations had the lowest absence rates in 2004.

[Chart data—TXT]

Full-time workers in natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations had an absence rate of 2.7 percent while those in management, professional, and related occupations had an absence rate of 2.8 percent. Both were well below the average of 3.2 percent for all occupations.

Sales and office occupations had the highest absence rate at 3.7 percent. Production, transportation, and material moving occupations had an absence rate of 3.5 percent followed closely by service occupations at 3.4 percent.

These data are a product of the Current Population Survey. More information on absence rates in 2004 can be found in Table 47 (PDF) of the January 2005 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.