Do You Take Sick Days When You Aren't Sick to Use Unused Sick Leave?

smit0847 on 12/07/2017 - 18:19

I rarely get legitimately sick. Probably one week-day every 2 years. I receive 10 sick days per year in my job so only need 5% of my sick leave and the other 95% would go unused. Some of my colleagues take most, if not all of their sick days, especially those with kids as they will take it as carers leave when their kids are sick.

I usually take 2 or 3 extra days per year as sick days even when I am not sick. This is usually in quiet periods, mid-week and only for 1 day at a time and I do very little during that time – might organise a tradesman to visit, or just lie on the couch watching movies. This means in total, I don’t even use half my allocated days and I’m happy for the other half to go unused.

Thoughts? Do you think they are there to be used or am I selfish for taking the odd one when I’m not sick? I have friends who work in public service that think their full quota of sick days is their god-given right to take and systematically plan them just like annual leave. They ensure they use every single day up and only give the reason of ‘I am entitled to take it’.

Poll Options

  • 36
    I use all or most of my sick leave for legitimate illness
  • 125
    I don’t use all or most of my sick leave so take some additional days when I am not ill
  • 183
    I don’t use all or most of my sick leave but do not take any extra
Education & Work

Comments

  • Kail on 12/07/2017 - 18:31
    +22

    Sick leave accrues, doesn't it?
    If you get really sick in the future or have an accident with a lot of recovery time needed, you may need to use more than 10 sick days one year.
    From that perspective there is a benefit to only using your sick leave when you need it.

    • sparkling on 12/07/2017 - 19:34

      Unless you have income protection insurance, which is definitely recommended. Can mean the difference between recovering and bankruptcy. If you're seriously sick for a time.

      • DarwinBoy on 13/07/2017 - 20:36
        +1

        Income protection can sometimes take weeks to kick in so work sick days would be useful to fill in that gap.

        • MementoMori on 14/07/2017 - 10:02
          +1

          Agreed - it's 30/60/90 days with 30 being being much more expensive. Most people would have 60/90

    • purplelady on 12/07/2017 - 20:15

      Not in every company.

    • vicosads on 13/07/2017 - 20:52

      Yeah ive got 300 odd hours

      • melbstheburn on 14/07/2017 - 11:03
        +1

        I have 60 days of sick leave built up :D

      • raspudala on 14/07/2017 - 13:45
        +1

        I've 800 hours..

    • Baghern on 14/07/2017 - 16:03

      depends on the company, most don't some do.

      My mate was made redundant a couple of years back, got over 20 days of accrued sick leave not taken in his payout.

      • swen83 on 14/07/2017 - 16:25
        +5

        He did well. Pretty much the standard that sick leave isn't paid out.

        A few companies still provide incentives not to take it unnecessarily, but it certainly isn't the norm.

  • modsec802 on 12/07/2017 - 18:32
    +11

    Sick leave is an insurance benefit not an entitlement - you shouldn't try to 'use it up'

    Saying that, I've pretty much used all mine as I have three young kids and kids are sick all the time and need caring

    • Diji1 on 12/07/2017 - 19:39
      -2

      an insurance benefit not an entitlement

      You got that arse backwards. It's an entitlement as legislated by the gummints. No idea where you think insurance comes into the picture.

      • modsec802 on 12/07/2017 - 19:43
        +6

        If it's an entitlement then why don't you get it paid out when quit then? Surely you're entitled to it…

        • airal3rt on 12/07/2017 - 20:35
          +10

          You get screwed out of a lot of things you should be entitled to. Being so naive as to think the government and your employer have your best interests at heart will lead to you being taken advantage of, such as leaving sick days behind.

        • airzone on 14/07/2017 - 08:45

          I've worked in companies where they do.

      • saintmagician0 on 13/07/2017 - 22:00
        +4

        https://www.fairwork.gov.au/leave/sick-and-carers-leave

        The entitlement is that you can take the sick leave for particular reasons. It's not an entitlement to take your sick leave for any reason you want…

  • trustnoone on 12/07/2017 - 18:59
    +2

    I only use it when I'm actually sick, even when I'm sick I usually try to go to work if I can. But I hear there is a push for having sick days count for "mental health day, or personal day" which I guess sounds like what you're talking about? Days you take off just for yourself?

    Back in my internship I used to take a sick day (not actually sick sick though) at least once a month partly because I wasn't getting paid so its not like they could fire me lol, but also because without it I reckon it would start to impede on my work (I wouldn't be working anywhere near as well if I didn't). So I wouldn't call you selfish over it, especially if you arn't taking advantage of the system.

    • airzone on 14/07/2017 - 08:51
      +8

      Mental health is as important as physical health.. But really, if you're spending all your sick leave because your job is too stressful, then perhaps you need to be finding a different job.

      • mooseymoose on 14/07/2017 - 12:56
        +2

        I agree with the last part, but mental health days don't need to relate to job stress. In saying that I don't think the employee needs to stipulate whether it is a physical illness vs a mental illness when claiming sick leave.

  • xoom on 12/07/2017 - 19:08
    +23

    i have no problem with parents using their leave to look after sick family members.

    what im against are those who think sick leave is an entitlement and use it up so they can watch the footy or the soccer. or pad out their annual leave. then get sick and rock up to work coughing up half a lung infecting their colleagues because they dont have anymore sick leave.

    • elusive on 14/07/2017 - 14:13
      +2

      i have no problem with parents using their leave to look after sick family members.

      Well, yea, that's practically the definition of carer's leave isn't it?

    • Baghern on 14/07/2017 - 16:05

      was in a company that 'had' allowed 20 days sick leave… yeah there were those who took it all up… no need for a certificate as it was always 1 day

  • Fiximol on 12/07/2017 - 19:11
    +2

    This seems relevant

  • ms_caz on 12/07/2017 - 19:11

    I have taken sick days before when I'm not physically sick. I use them to stay at home and complete work from home. It's quiet and uninterrupted and I can actually achieve things that it would be impossible to do from my workplace.

    Any time I am "sick" whether with a genuine illness that means I must stay away from the workplace, or through a "sickie" where I complete work at home, I need to prepare and set work for those who will cover my absence. I would and have never had a sick day where I have left my colleagues in the lurch. I never take a day to go play golf or go shopping or due to a hangover from the night before, and I don't have kids so I'm not popping in and out with carer's leave.

    Conditions in my workplace are that some of the sick leave is cumulative, some of it is not, so most people do take at least some of their non certificate days (the ones that don't accumulate).

    • poporange630 on 14/07/2017 - 16:49

      Might be better if your company have a 'work from home' policy which will allow you to do so without taking any leave.

      • ms_caz on 14/07/2017 - 17:12

        would be wonderful - but it is not going to happen because the majority of my work (apart from admin work) is actually done face to face with clients and I am scheduled for face to face sessions for the majority of each day of the week.

  • Wystri Warrick on 12/07/2017 - 19:13
    +6

    Well I'm a student, I'll always avoid sick leave at school, unless I'm absolutely miserably sick sick.
    I hate being at home alone it's boring and depressing, school is always my best days, it's where I'm happiest :).

    I didn't vote as I'm a student.

    • stonkered on 14/07/2017 - 07:40
      +8

      Great, so you rock in to school spreading your germs cos that's where you're happiest.

        • stonkered on 14/07/2017 - 10:29
          +7

          If you are sick and you are out and about touching things and interacting with others you will pass the virus on, it's silly to think you've never done that, especially when in a classroom environment, biologically you are the same as the rest of us.

          I don't like sitting at home bored and sick either, I have kids anyway so that never happens, but it really is very inconsiderate to go in anyway and risk making others sick. No one wants your sickness!

          :)

        • EnALup on 14/07/2017 - 10:54
          +3

          "So far I have never passed the bug on to anyone"

          Well, Are you sure about that? You might have already done it when you are in train touching seats, step railings, etc. You cant stop breathing and passing germs.

        • Wystri Warrick on 14/07/2017 - 13:54
          +3

          @stonkered: sorry, yes you right stonkered and Gaggy definitely right :).

          After re-reading my post out I definitely was stupid.
          I hardly if ever ever get sick.
          If my throat or nose has just a little tingle, I'm not sick enough to require sick leave, but if truely sick I'll stay at home.
          I ride my bicycle everywhere if I'm sick it's most definitely not fun and I'll stay at home.

          I have OCD.
          I really am a germaphobe, a pathetically massive one (even stuff like from the BBT, Sheldon sometimes makes me uncomfortable :(,hehe) I've been unable to sleep for 3 days cause of of my OCD :(.

          I can have my post removed don't want to be giving anyone the wrong ideas on health :)?

        • Wystri Warrick on 14/07/2017 - 15:03
          +2

          @Gaggy: yes definitely 1+ :)

        • Wystri Warrick on 14/07/2017 - 15:04
          +2

          @stonkered: yes definitely 1+ :)

        • stonkered on 14/07/2017 - 20:54
          +3

          @Wystri Warrick:

          Don't worry about removing your post. lol. all good.

          If you are talking about real OCD, the actual anxiety disorder, then you should get some help for that, or at least do some research so you understand how it works. If you don't understand it, you'll play right in to it's hands and it can get quite nasty.

          Ocdla.com has some good articles like this one : https://ocdla.com/obsessivecompulsivecycle for a start, there are other good tips and techniques that can help you manage anxiety and symptoms of OCD.

          :)

        • Savas on 14/07/2017 - 21:42
          +4

          @Wystri Warrick: Omg same!! Never get sick and if i feel something coming will have a tablespoon of vinegar.

        • Wystri Warrick on 15/07/2017 - 23:52
          +2

          @stonkered: yeah I got OCD really really bad, I see a psychologists and apsychiatrists (and for a bunch of other probs) and I'm on meds :(.

          Thanks for that article :).

          I'm a germaphobe really bad, I try to hide it by pretending I don't care about germs and not even recognize they even exist, truth I have difficult leaving home don't even asks how many/long showers I take and wash my hands, I bet my home is cleaner than any hospital lol :P.
          I get panic attacks (have meds for that), even just a sneeze can set me off :(.
          In the BBT watching Sheldon how messy he can be and how unclean he can be actually increases me anxiety :(, I have to be careful with what a watch cause of anxiety :(, it's a miserable life.
          On the positive side I have Ozbargain and recently now have some really good friends :D.

          Thanks for the reply :)

        • Wystri Warrick on 15/07/2017 - 23:56
          +1

          @Savas: haha, yeah once I feel a little I take those chemist warehouy $0.65 paracetamol and get in to bed with tracks blankets to I sweat it out haha lol.

        • stonkered on 16/07/2017 - 11:45
          +2

          @Wystri Warrick:

          Good luck with your treatment, not sure how long you have suffered this demon or how old you are, but just do what your therapists say, and have faith in the process (are you doing CBT?).

          You can reduce the symptoms enough to have a good life so there is real hope.

          I have had it for 20 years and it's a real nasty little bugger, I'm basically OK now with some spikes here and there but took me a while to get here. You can't control the beast, the more you try, the tighter it's grip! All the best.

          :)

        • Wystri Warrick on 17/07/2017 - 10:25
          +2

          @stonkered: yeah I'm doing CBT.
          Thanks for the positive words, and encouragement (stonkered](https://www.ozbargain.com.au/user/13202) it really helps :), take care.

        • stonkered on 17/07/2017 - 14:38
          +1

          @Wystri Warrick:

          You too! :)

  • asiandragon on 12/07/2017 - 19:23
    +1

    At my work people try empty all sick leave they have,because if something happen like,you Quick job or company kick you out job, them pay you annual leave only, company dont pay you sick leave,but now my company them change new EBA to stop people do that,from now we got 10 day in year before we can take straight away 10 day,but now 10 day much share for 12 month so that mean now we can take only 1 day sick leave in month,if take more than 2 day in months they will pay only 1 and another without pay.them say dont wants people finish all sick leave then quick job.sorry about my English cheers

    • BensonP on 12/07/2017 - 19:40
      +7

      so that mean now we can take only 1 day sick leave in month,if take more than 2 day in months they will pay only 1 and another without pay

      That does not sound legal. I would contact Fair Work and see what they have to say about it.

      If you have a valid Medical Certificate, or Statutory Deceleration, they cannot withhold pay.

      Are you part of a Union?

      • asiandragon on 12/07/2017 - 19:59

        I am not Union members but people they have some time,people call Union come meting at work if they have problems with big boss, when we sign new EBA ,Union help us deals with company,so That mean any policy at my work Union they know,cheers

      • stonkered on 14/07/2017 - 08:02

        Do workplaces have to accept stat decs in lieu of a medical certificate? We can provide either but I'm wondering if my workplace is being generous with their policy or if it's legally required.

  • dylanando on 12/07/2017 - 19:27
    +1

    Ive never taken a sick day, However I have only been working for the past 7 years. I still find the impressive and sad :P. I just like OP hardly get sick and when I do it's on my holidays, In which i don't seem to take those as well.

    • original15 on 12/07/2017 - 20:06
      +1

      Thoughts on people coming back from their annual leave/overseas trips with a medical certificate confirming they were ill to a point that would have prevented them working, and converting their used annual leave, back to sick leave, and keeping many of the leave days they took?

      • dylanando on 12/07/2017 - 20:34

        Ive never had enough money to travel anywhere and my sickness is a cold that only lasts a few days. But to answer your question, You'd be silly not to.

        • original15 on 13/07/2017 - 18:57

          Know a lady that's done it a few times. Multiple times is getting a bit suss but can imagine it would suck to take leave and then actually get sick so dunno

        • dylanando on 13/07/2017 - 19:55
          +2

          @original15: Some people ride the system a bit too much. But by going off the fact I only ever get sick on my holidays it could be legit lol. I'm just to lazy to get a doctors certificate.
          I have 5 weeks off at the end of August, I should come down with something major next month haha.

    • peterpeterpumpkin on 13/07/2017 - 20:44
      +1

      I also tend to get sick during holiday periods (often referred to these days as "leisure sickness"). In my case it was most noticeable right after stressful uni exams, so it seems the so-called "let-down effect" may have some merit (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/let-down-effect-sickness…).

  • Clear on 12/07/2017 - 19:35
    +1

    Haven't had one in 6 years. I suppose it's time for change.

    • Kangal on 12/07/2017 - 20:40
      -5

      I've been working for my current employers for 3 years now.

      In that time, I have taken 1-2 days sick leave.
      I've still come to work when I have been sick with cold, or flu, or diarrhoea.
      And last week I had my first annual leave in 3 years, and it was for 1 week.

      Can't wait for the next 3 years

      • John Kimble on 12/07/2017 - 21:10
        +10

        Unless you are super vigilant, have you ever thought you may infect your colleagues, subsequently reducing productivity for you company when they get sick?

        • Kangal on 12/07/2017 - 21:14

          Yeah, that thought comes to mind, but even working slowly is better than none for the team.

          But do note that, my small team all had to do (unpaid) overtime last week because I was away.
          Yeah, management are now looking into hiring 3 extra staff.

        • BestofOZB on 14/07/2017 - 06:50
          +4

          @Kangal: If your employer doesn't pay for overtime you shouldn't be so "loyal". Stay away when you are sick. Find another employer ifyou can.

        • bobbified on 14/07/2017 - 09:58
          +1

          @BestofOZB:

          If your employer doesn't pay for overtime you shouldn't be so "loyal".

          I wish it worked like that in reality. The more senior you are in a company, the harder it is to avoid the additional non-paid time.

          The expectation that you complete your work is there but there's no written rule. So if you don't get your work done as expected, then there's no promotions and eventually you'll get pushed out.

        • Kangal on 14/07/2017 - 14:20
          +1

          @bobbified:
          Also depends a lot on which industry your working and your general attitude. If there's a lot competition to simply get that single position you'd be surprised with what you'd put up with.

          I don't care if I'm the fastest worker, with the least lunch breaks, that arrives the soonest and leaves last.

          Because I can take it.
          In the future if/when I'm married and/or have kids you bet my attitude will change, as my time would be much more precious.

        • bobbified on 14/07/2017 - 14:56

          @Kangal:

          I totally agree with you! I'm still single so I'm doing what I need to go to get as high up the chain as I can now while I still can. When the time comes to have my own family, I have no doubt my priorities will change.

          The way I look at it - if it's my responsibility, I'm going to do what I need to do to get it sorted. That kind of attitude is both good and bad at the same time.

  • BensonP on 12/07/2017 - 19:38
    +8

    I only take them when I need to.

    When I had surgery for a tumour, I needed 8 weeks off and ended up with -17 sick days.

    Yep, that's NEGATIVE 17 DAYS.

    I've only just gotten back into the positive a few weeks ago!

    • Kangal on 12/07/2017 - 20:40

      Negative 17 days?

      Does that mean for 17 days you have to be super healthy and work at double the pace?

      • BensonP on 12/07/2017 - 21:08
        +1

        Haha I kept acruing sick leave, until my negative was paid back. Then I started accruing as normal.

    • CheapskateQueen on 12/07/2017 - 21:40
      +6

      That's awesome they let you go negative with sick leave. And hope you're all fixed up now!

      • BensonP on 13/07/2017 - 20:52

        Yep all good now !

        And have a whole 4 days of sick leave ;)

    • DarwinBoy on 13/07/2017 - 20:41

      Thats actually pretty good. My work place uses your anual leave after your sick finihes and then you dont get paid when you have no leave.

    • Cluster on 14/07/2017 - 14:37

      This is something people don't seem to understand. Sick leave is meant to be used when you're sick. If you don't abuse it and life hits you in the face with something as cruel as a tumour, sick leave is there to help you out.

      People should look at unexploited sick leave as something really good. An excellent thing to have. You're not using up the days? Great, that means you're healthy.

  • bobbified on 12/07/2017 - 20:00
    +2

    I haven't seen it called "sick leave" for a while.

    The contracts generally say "Personal Leave" now and that includes things like Carer's Leave, Sick Leave, compassionate Leave and things like that - all wrapped up in one. So you don't need to be "sick" to take a day off.

    I went for almost five years and took one or two sick days (nothing to brag about really - we just had a lot of flexibility so I never needed to pull a shifty), then I got sick and took almost three months off.

  • chumlee on 12/07/2017 - 20:01
    +4

    I prefer to go to work sick and breath all over the CEO's desk and mistress

    • Fiximol on 13/07/2017 - 10:31

      The person most likely to breath over the CEO's desk and mistress would be the CEO. So if that's you then you can do whatever you want in your company :D

  • airal3rt on 12/07/2017 - 20:31
    +4

    OP if you only get sick for a single day every two years and recover from the common cold within a 24 hour timespan, contact some medical authorities so they can sequence your DNA or something to find a cure/vaccine for the cold. Seriously, if that's not hyperbole you could actually be sitting on a solution to one of the most vexing problems in medical history.

    • Hardlyworkin on 13/07/2017 - 20:26
      +5

      Avoid kids and public transport, eat well, exercise and get plenty of sleep = very little sick leave.

      • DarwinBoy on 13/07/2017 - 20:43

        Any tricks for plane flights? Im almost tempted to wear a mask these days.
        Always get some sort of cough or runny nose and then your on holidays trying to deal with it.

      • xoom on 13/07/2017 - 20:45

        i am always amongst kids (school kids) whenever i catch public transport. dont have the healthiest of diets. hardly exercise. unless you count the walk to the train or bus. sleep is enough. still very little sick leave used.

    • dbun1 on 14/07/2017 - 09:16

      It's hardly a medical mystery - I rarely, if ever, get sick and I know heaps of people that are the same too.

      When the flu does the rounds at work I never come down with it, despite sitting in the same meeting room as people coughing and spluttering away.

      I travel heaps for work and never catch anything from the plane.

    • psylence on 14/07/2017 - 14:49

      Its not that uncommon, I'm sure some people's immune system just has better defenses and common viruses. I haven't had a cold in the last 5 years and i work at a hospital! Although i do take NAC daily only thing i could find which has descent evidence/literature about preventing a cold.

      • airal3rt on 14/07/2017 - 16:53

        Oh I've gone several years between colds myself, it's this miraculous 24 hour recovery that needs to be investigated.

  • pikapika on 12/07/2017 - 20:34

    Nope.

  • Nutrino on 12/07/2017 - 20:45
    -6

    Mind your own business.

  • chartparker on 12/07/2017 - 20:58
    +1

    No, but I'm one of those people who feel guilty for taking a day off even when I'm genuinely sick. I'm currently sitting on 291 hours of accrued sick leave

    • MrTweek on 14/07/2017 - 14:24

      You shouldn't feel guilty for something that's not in your control. If you are sick, then you are sick, period.
      You don't get sick leave out of generosity, it's a requirement. Shouldn't feel more guilty than you do for not working on weekends.

      • chartparker on 15/07/2017 - 20:33
        +1

        Oh I agree wholeheartedly. If any of my team is feeling unwell I just tell them to go straight home rather than risk infecting the rest of the workforce. Besides that fact they're also probably not even operating very efficiently anyway and I'd rather have them rested up and back to 100% sooner instead of 50% for a longer period of time.

        Unfortunately my Chief Engineer has this… gift… for making me feel like I'm just being a wuss. Apparently he's just really good at taking spoonfuls of concrete.

        Also my wife never gets viruses (I've only ever seen her properly sick once in our 5 years together) but she takes more sick days than I do.

  • John Kimble on 12/07/2017 - 21:05
    +2

    A similar discussion took place recently.

    https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/287197

    I had 60 days of sick leave at one stage, didn't take/need one in 6 years. Then I met my now wife took a few to look after her when she was sick. Still had over 50 odd left when I quit…poof, into thin air. :/

  • CheapskateQueen on 12/07/2017 - 21:53
    +2

    I do tend to get a cold and get really beaten up for a week every year or two.

    Over the years I've taken days off when I'm not feeling the best; less sick and more cos i need a break. Guess you can call it a mental health day.

    But let me tell you, you don't really appreciate accrued sick leave until you really need it.

    Couple years back I had a spine injury and then a surgery. Between the time off for the initial injury, 5 weeks surgery recovery and graduated return to work, i needed every day of sick leave i could get. Think i used a week of annual as well.

    Fast forward to this year and it's been a bit of a nightmare. Had another neck injury and used up another 28 days sick leave. All out now. On top of that I'm having surgery for something else and that's taking me out for 5-6 weeks. Was going to have to use annual leave which i was accruing for a rainy day/2 month holiday depending on where my luck lay haha thankfully i just got workers comp approved so i get my 28 days back.

    But the moral of the story is that if you have a crapload of sick leave up your sleeve, 1) consider it a sign that you're a relatively healthy person and 2) consider it a safety net if something does go wrong and you need to use it.

    By all means take a mental health/personal day on the occasion but don't go wasting it on binge watching Netflix and counting your Eneloops

  • xoom on 12/07/2017 - 22:09
    -2

    we get free flu shots at work every winter to lessen sick leaves due to people coming down with the flu. i never get the flu shots. i get sick like once every 2 or 3 years. last i remember i got the flu was maybe 4 years ago. lasted maybe 3 days. i guess thats what happens when i had to fight a deadly disease when i was younger. you get a far stronger immune system than most.

    • Emli on 13/07/2017 - 11:05
      +6

      Another person who needs their DNA system analysed. If you got the flu and it only lasted three days, it wasn't the flu.

      • xoom on 13/07/2017 - 12:53

        Another person who needs their DNA system analysed.

        You are just going to have to take my word for it that what i have gone through and still going through (aftermath) to have the immune system i have you dont ever want to go through.

        It involves a deadly disease that im just glad had been erradicated according to the world heath organisation.

        • airzone on 14/07/2017 - 09:04
          -1

          Don't worry, it'll make a comeback.. Pretty soon you'll hear about polio and small pox parties so that parents can help their kids build a "natural immunity".

    • [Deactivated] on 15/07/2017 - 15:49

      It's shameful that you go on suggesting that having a vaccination results in a lower immune system.
      Can you walk properly? Are you alive?
      That's because you were vaccinated against polio, measles, mumps and rubella at some stage in your life. Maybe you should've informed your guardians of your natural immunity preferences upon birth.

      • xoom on 15/07/2017 - 16:02

        It's shameful that you go on suggesting that having a vaccination results in a lower immune system.

        where did i say that having vaccination results in a lower immune system?

        what i said was i attribute my immune system the way it is as a result of fighting off a deadly disease when i was young. we are talking months old.

        everyone develops their immune system based on lots of factors. like getting immunised or not (yes there parents still opposing immunising their kid), getting sick. getting exposed to certain environments.

  • altomic on 12/07/2017 - 22:35
    +14

    whenever I ride my BMX to work then it's always a totally sick day.

    • UFO on 13/07/2017 - 21:19
      +1

      does your bmx have 'tuffs' ?

      because then "totally sick" turns into "fully sick"… like BMX Bandits fully sick! :)

  • Wystri Warrick on 13/07/2017 - 00:05
    +1

    Waiting for jv.

  • BleedingFingers on 13/07/2017 - 08:26

    Our Personal/Carer's leave accrues, so I don't waste it… Keep it for if I'm really sick and have to take extended leave.

    I have definitely used it, but mostly as carer's, not usually for myself…

  • danielkcheung on 13/07/2017 - 09:44

    When I knew I was going to leave the company, yes. I started using it all up :P
    I think I had taken no more than 2 days of sick leave in the 2.5 years I was there.

    • lainey13 on 14/07/2017 - 11:24

      This! If you don't use it you lose it. So save it for when you know you want to move on. I find people who take the most sick leave are those that really hate their jobs anyway.

      • John Kimble on 14/07/2017 - 11:40
        +1

        I find people who take the most sick leave are those that really hate their jobs anyway.

        I didn't think "sick of work" was a valid reason haha

  • Brendanonymous on 13/07/2017 - 10:15
    +2

    I've never taken a sick day when I haven't been sick, but it seems quite topical with that viral story this week about an employee taking sick days to benefit her mental health.

    Personally I'd rather accrue my sick leave for a rainy day - my partner tore his ACL and fractured his tibia in a sport accident last year and was off work for 8 weeks - not long enough for his income protection to kick in. Thankfully he had accrued enough sick leave over his 7 years of employment to cover the lot.

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