Women's absenteeism in the popular press: Evidence for a gender-specific absence culture

Abstract

This study explores the societal expectations surrounding women's absenteeism from work by means of a content analysis of newspaper articles that have appeared in the New York Times over the last 100 years. The results suggest that a distinct absence culture exists for women that might legitimize their absenteeism, but might also perpetuate gender stereotypes and lead to gender discrimination. © 2007 The Tavistock Institute ® SAGE Publications.