Work Ability as Determinant of Termination of Employment: To Resign or Be Dismissed ?

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether work ability plays a role in termination of employment (resignation or dismissal) in the short-to-medium run.

METHODS: Four-year cohort study with 1,060 Brazilian hospital workers. The outcome was final employment status (active, resignation or dismissal). Multinomial models were fit.

RESULTS: At the end of follow-up 14.3% of the workers had resigned and 34.0% were dismissed. Impaired work ability was a risk factor for dismissal (RRR = 1.39) but not for resignation. Also job strain, age and sex, family income, nutritional status and work shift were associated with employment termination.

CONCLUSIONS: Impaired work ability was a risk factor for dismissal but not for resignation in the short-to-medium-run. Individual and occupational characteristics also contributed to employment termination. Improvement of work ability and working conditions are recommended to prevent quitting the job.