Work Disability and Labor Force Status in Europe and the US

Both self-reports of work disability and the fraction of workers drawing some form of disability benefit vary enormously across countries with similar levels of economic development. Program parameter variation likely explains a major part of the variation in DI benefit receipt. To be able to investigate which part of the variation in program participation is due to true underlying variation in work disability, we will correct for differences in response scales across countries using anchoring vignettes. We will use data from eight European countries and the U.S. to explain both differences in self-reports of workdisability and labor force status.