What you should know about employee sick leave

Employees appreciate the benefit of sick leave. Sick leave is defined as paid time off that occurs when an employee is ill or hurt, and is unable to perform the duties of their job. While many businesses do not offer sick leave, the reality is that many employees come to work sick, feeling that they cannot afford to take an unpaid day off. This in turn puts all other employees at risk of getting sick. When all of the employees are exposed to illness, the risk of production and profits going down, are very real. For some businesses a widespread illness through their staff, can even put the very survival of the business at stake. This is why it is important that businesses acquaint themselves with the benefits of having sick leave. Here is what you should know about employee sick leave-

- Why should you offer sick leave? The general consensus is that businesses that offer sick leave attract better candidates, for their jobs. The reality is that your employees are going to get sick at one time or another. Giving them this time off, will help them to recover quicker and return to work faster. This will cut down on the amount of money that you have to pay in medical costs, reduced production and even temporary workers, to help while the employee is out sick. In addition, studies have shown that employees who work for a company that offers sick leave, have higher job satisfaction and tend to stay longer in their position. This means that a business that offers sick leave will also pay less in recruiting, hiring and training costs, since they will have lower turnover.
- Is sick leave mandatory? Offering sick leave may be mandatory, depending on what state you live in. You need to check with your state's labor laws to determine if your business must offer sick leave. Keep in mind that while you must offer certain unpaid leave for family obligations (known as Family and Medical Leave Act), the amount of sick leave you will offer will be based on your state's laws and the number of hours that your employee works. The sick leave policy at each business can vary widely. Some employees are given additional sick time, for each year that they work, while some businesses allow you to "bank" your sick leave, other businesses offer a "use it or lose it" sick leave policy that expires at the end of the year. Each business will need to determine what they can afford and what fits the guidelines of the state that they do business in.
- Know the ins and out of sick leave-It is important that businesses make an educated decision when it comes to offering sick leave. Many businesses buy into the myth that sick leave is overused and abused. While there are instances of this happening if you have the right amount of trust with your employees, this will not happen. In addition, if you suspect that sick leave abuse has happened, you can request a doctor's note, before paying, for sick leave that was taken. Before making any offering of sick leave, it can also be helpful to research what is being offered by other businesses in your market. You want to make sure that your sick leave policy is comparable to your competition, or you may find your employees leaving, for businesses that they perceive to be more employee friendly. In addition, you should make sure that whatever sick leave you are offering is within the guidelines of the state that you are doing business in.