"Social realities behind employment rates are diverse. It makes their direct comparison rather risky. Reflecting social policies, counting rules concerning absent workers have a decisive impact on those rates. Sweden presents a particularly high absence rate among women. Second statement : Swedish female's time availability exerts a structuring effect on the nature and conditions of their occupation, linked in particular to the conventions prevailing to the construction of social times. Finally, the accumulation of a domestic burden which endures in spite of being shared and of a damaged professional environment explains the extent of sickness absence among female workers. Decommodification of the Swedish working life is a process not yet successfully completed."

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