Sick Leave Policies Essay

Sick Leave and Abuse

Is sick leave a privilege or a right of an employee? Policies are usually written to give employees a definition of sick leave and supervisors a way to monitor sick leave and to deal with those that abuse sick leave. Sick leave is time that an employer gives an employee off, with pay, for doctor’s appointments and illnesses. The actual amount of time varies from company to company. Some employers have strict rules about its use, and then there are those that do not offer sick leave at all. Smith (2001) states, “Sick leave is a necessary benefit for all employees. If an employer did not offer sick leave, then they would accelerate health problems and the spread of illnesses, thereby lowering productivity and morale” (1). However, there are some people that work and do not receive sick leave, most of which are employees at small businesses. There are generally two views about sick leave: 1) that it is a benefit that is offered so that your paycheck isn’t short when you catch the flu and need time to rest, or for doctor appointments for your immediate family or yourself, to be used only if you need it or 2) that it is time you earned and it is yours and you can use it for whatever purposes you want. (Smith, 2001). Many organizations have come up with policies regarding sick leave. Having a policy for everyone to refer to and follow will make it easier for management and supervisors to govern their staff. It will make it easier for employees to know when they are expected to come to work and what is okay to use sick leave for. A policy should also give managers and supervisors a way to deal with those that abuse sick leave. “Nationally, the average full-time worker at a private company gets 14 days of paid time off each year, according to Ryan Johnson, public affairs manager of the nonprofit research organization World at Work, which surveyed 822 private companies of all sizes, across all industries, with union and nonunion workers. Those 14 days include sick leave, vacation, personal leave and all other forms of paid time off. (“Marked Absent, A major expose by the Eagle-Tribune Publishing Company”, 2003. 9). Most of us are going to deal with sick leave in some way, by supervising over it, using it, or having a family member or co-worker use it.
The financial costs of the abuses of sick leave are great. If it is absolutely necessary that someone be there, one must find a replacement for the sick employee for the day. That can cost the business in overtime pay for another employee, or the business may choose to hire a temp, which is generally more expensive than paying the employee. “Schools in 17 North Boston (MA) districts surveyed by the Eagle-Tribune Publishing Co. newspapers spent more than $8 million on fill-in teachers during the 2001-2002 school year, or an average of $104.88 per student.” (Eagle Tribune Publishing Company, 2003) That is a large amount of money that the company could use elsewhere.
Not only are the consequences of sick leave abuse felt throughout the nation’s schools, but it is also felt in many other companies, organizations and businesses, and even in the fire service. Most people, at one point, have been given another employee’s work to do, when that employee calls in sick. That leaves the work to be done by one’s coworker(s) who must somehow squeeze in another person’s day of work into their own. Ultimately, the manager is still responsible for that work getting done, whether the employee is out or not. This creates resentment between coworkers and management if this behavior is allowed to become a habit.
Policies are the best way to protect the company and give management and other supervisors a guideline to follow. A policy is defined in by Griffin (2003) as “A standing plan that specifies the organization’s general response to a designated problem or situation.” (81) Or in other words, the way the company wants you to handle a

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