Sick leave

dar100

Hey,

Quick question!! I've been offered new job!! Was told I won't be entitled to any sick leave for one year, as the organisation was having problems with staff abusing it!!

So instead of showing good leadership, the management penalise new employees instead of addressing it with those that are there and still abusing it!!

Anyway my understanding is that a company has no obligation to provide sick leave, yes?

have I any recourse?

Help!!!!

You either want the job or not. If you go back to them & say you must have sick pay they will not give you the job. If your not one that gets sick too often or takes the piss it shouldnt matter to you. You still get holidays, you can still take a day off sick, you just wont be paid for it

CeilingFly

Many private companies don't pay people when they are off sick - and in those companies the level of sick leave is very small.

When sick leave is paid for such as in the public sector, its amazing how suddenly the level of sickness increases.

Example. Bus Eireann - average is over two weeks "sickness" per employee. Seems many employees take it becasue they are "entitled" to it.

An independent Coach Company - Average sick leave is less than 3 days per employee. (comes from a director of the company - they do look at it on a case by case basis and will provide assistance to workers where its warranted. Normal in form of payment and then made up by way of overtime owed)

So many companies now follow the "no entitlement in writing" rule and make an exgratia payment in genuine cases.

Saves a fortune.

micks

CeilingFly wrote: »

Many private companies don't pay people when they are off sick - and in those companies the level of sick leave is very small.

When sick leave is paid for such as in the public sector, its amazing how suddenly the level of sickness increases.

Example. Bus Eireann - average is over two weeks "sickness" per employee. Seems many employees take it becasue they are "entitled" to it.

An independent Coach Company - Average sick leave is less than 3 days per employee. (comes from a director of the company - they do look at it on a case by case basis and will provide assistance to workers where its warranted. Normal in form of payment and then made up by way of overtime owed)

So many companies now follow the "no entitlement in writing" rule and make an exgratia payment in genuine cases.

Saves a fortune.

or the sick employee goes in to work and does very little all day and passes on whatever they have to others so that after a day or two you have 5-10 of a company doing very little all day because they are sick............

jimmycrackcorm

dar100 wrote:

Quick question!! I've been offered new job!! Was told I won't be entitled to any sick leave for one year, as the organisation was having problems with staff abusing it!!

When you mean no sick leave entitlement, I presume you are referring to pay and not actual leave.

You're entitled to social welfare sick payments and many companies actually take this into account when calculating sick pay. It's also common for a probation period to have restrictions in sick pay.

NRR

dar100 wrote: »

Hey,

Quick question!! I've been offered new job!! Was told I won't be entitled to any sick leave for one year, as the organisation was having problems with staff abusing it!!

So instead of showing good leadership, the management penalise new employees instead of addressing it with those that are there and still abusing it!!

Anyway my understanding is that a company has no obligation to provide sick leave, yes?

have I any recourse?

Not really, there's no obligation there.

While you can still take "sick days" and they shouldn't be able to take recourse against you for it (i.e. couldn't unjustly penalize you for being truly sick), they don't have to pay you for it.

It's common practice in many companies I've seen to not grant any paid sick days during a probationary period, which is sometimes as long as 6, 9, or 12 months.

dar100

Ok folks, relax there s bit!' Firstly I don't need the job, I already have one !!

Secondly even when I actually have paid SL I still more times than not go in sick

Thirdly it's a non-profit sector job, and this is very iunusual for this sector!! Especially for a management position as this is

My problem is as a manager I won't to treat people well and give good contracts, this stinks of a lack of leadership not dealing with those who are the actual ones abusing the leave and punishing new and better qualified and trained workers!! Therefore impacting on hiring people

davo10

dar100 wrote: »

Ok folks, relax there s bit!' Firstly I don't need the job, I already have one !!

Secondly even when I actually have paid SL I still more times than not go in sick

Thirdly it's a non-profit sector job, and this is very iunusual for this sector!! Especially for a management position as this is

My problem is as a manager I won't to treat people well and give good contracts, this stinks of a lack of leadership not dealing with those who are the actual ones abusing the leave and punishing new and better qualified and trained workers!! Therefore impacting on hiring people

How do you deal with someone who abuses sick leave? Have you a good idea of the hurdles that have to be crossed?

Help!!!!

davo10 wrote: »

How do you deal with someone who abuses sick leave? Have you a good idea of the hurdles that have to be crossed?

Have a doctor that the company deals with, any employee who is constantly sick & getting doctors notes would be sent for a second opinion

dar100

I'm well aware how to deal with it!! That's not what I asked nor started this thread for!!

I suspected there was no obligation on the employer to give sick leave and this thread confirmed it!! Thanks folks

jamesthepeach

Help!!!! wrote: »

Have a doctor that the company deals with, any employee who is constantly sick & getting doctors notes would be sent for a second opinion

My company did that to a guy who had a trapped nerve in his back. Company told him to go to their doctor because they didn't believe his, so he did.
Company doctor told him to come back into work.
He came back in and two days later did his back in even worse. Now seeing a consultant and the consultant asked him why on earth he went back to work in that state.
Company now sh1tting themselves in case he takes it further.

davo10

Help!!!! wrote: »

Have a doctor that the company deals with, any employee who is constantly sick & getting doctors notes would be sent for a second opinion

They are not sent for a second opinion, you cannot force an employee to attend a Doctor for this reason. A company Dr can only confirm that an employee has a valid reason for absence due to illness. I work in the health profession and I can assure you that no company GP would risk giving an alternative diagnosis to that given by the employees own GP or consultant, the implications for the company if the employee suffered as a result would be enormous.