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Objectives: We explore sickness absenteeism variations within the public sector and in particular the role of mental illness. Distinctively, the public sector is segmented into vocational and nonvocational sector, assuming that vocation leads to a different degree of job attachment and alter sickness leave decision. Methods: Using British Household Panel Survey, random-effects logit models are applied to estimate the odds ratio of sickness absence with alternative measures of vocational employment. The association between mental illness and sickness absence is also explored. Results: Absenteeism and the effect of mental illness on absenteeism rates vary within the public sector after controlling for socioeconomic factors. The public vocational sector had the largest sickness absence odds ratios. Conclusion: Differences between absenteeism rates across sectors may be more about the nature of the job and less about the nature of the sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]