Dealing with employees that abuse sick leave

Many industries find that when paid sick leave time is provided that abuse of that benefit exists. This article will feature attitudes that cause abuse, how the abuse harms other co-workers and the business, and steps that can be taken to help prevent sick leave abuse from happening.

When dealing with sick leave abuse, one of the first and important steps that you can take is examine the attitudes and reasons why the abuse may be happening. Are there issues of poor moral? Are there conflicts between management and the work force? Are there other employee benefit programs in place to help employees with situations in which leave in emergent or necessary? Some of the most common reasons for abuse are an evident lack of consequence that follows. Employees have an attitude of "So What" if they feel as if they are not valued within the system. If there are issues, especially between management and poor moral within the workplace, there is a high correlation of sick leave abuse. Take some time to evaluate if any of these types of problems exist and find a way to correct them.

Abuse of sick leave time can hurt your business in several ways. First it hurts your cost sheet simply because you end up paying two individuals for the same job (time period). Secondly, it means you have to make sure you have enough employees available to cover shifts just in case. It puts a burden upon those that are constantly called in to cover other individuals. Customers may suffer due to delays or shortcomings in service because of sick leave abuse.

Here are several ideas and methods to helping eliminate sick leave abuse:

Supportive management: You need to make sure that you have the support of all your management individuals. You can't allow some to rule with an iron fist and others to rule lacksidaisical. Everyone has to be on board and supportive of the rules and consequences of abusing sick leave time. Everyone needs to follow through with the guidelines and punitive measures outlined in your policies. You need to have sound policies that are clearly communicated to all employees.

Create a check list, or hold seminars or training sessions to verify that all employees have adequately been informed and understand the procedures for and consequences of abusing sick leave time. You need to make sure that every employee knows exactly how to report their absences, what situations are considered legitimate for sick leave time, what happens if abuse of that benefit takes place. Most of the time employees are handed a packet of info and left to figure it all out on their own by reading the ambiguous legal jargon contained within. Take the time to really spell it out in easy language so that everyone understands the rules and consequences associated with them.

Create, publicize and support Employee Benefit Assistance programs that help for situations which might cause an abuse of sick leave time. These might include maternity leave, family medical leave, etc.

Make sure you have good public relations within your own company. Most companies can handle the world outside their building, but when it comes to helping preserve relationships within the four walls of the business - most companies falter. A positive working environment is key to helping to eliminate sick leave abuse.

Offer reward systems for those employees who don't abuse or wish to cash-in their accrued sick leave. By providing an incentive to hold onto those days unless absolutely necessary you also help to eliminate sick leave abuse.

If you follow these simple guidelines it will help your company eliminate the deliberate abuses of paid sick leave time.

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Employee Health and Fitness

Dealing with employees that abuse sick leave