Abuse of sick leave

We also heard from Roger Brown – an attorney at Labour protect. We were talking about the abuse of sick leave. It is reported that the abuse of sick leave in South Africa is widespread, and is estimated to be as high as 33% of recorded sickness absence. According to Maureen Smith, a freelance writer - Sick leave is a necessary benefit for all employees. If an employer didn’t offer sick leave, they would accelerate health problems and the spread of illness, thereby lowering productivity and morale but in spite of the pressure for perfect attendance to improve customer service and efficiency, employees need equitable sick leave programs for security and overall high performance. However, some organizations suffer from sick leave abuse, and sick leave abuse translates into lost money. The South African Chamber of Commerce (SACOB) estimates that sickness absence directly costs South Africa 12 billion rand per year. Mr Brown explained more on some of the contributing factors and steps that employers can take in fighting this trend. For more information on Labour protect contact (021) 421 8631 or visit www.labourprotect.co.za