I posted earlier ... "imagine the lift to national productivity if sick leave could somehow exclude the "aussie sickie" ... it could fund a bewildering array of social services"
You replied ... "Productivity gains are hardly about to be returned to the community to "fund a bewildering array of social services". I've paid attention over the past 20 yrs and one thing I've noticed is that our overlords have little interest in your trickle-down effect. What you are really talking about is a further weakening of employee conditions with resultant profit increases just another way to funnel wealth away from ordinary Australians."
As it stands, every "sickie" (as in non genuine sick day) taken by an aussie employee does several things, namely:
# it dumps on work mates who have to pick up the unexpected slack
# it often results in the need for one or more work mates to work overtime (thats pay in adition to that being paid to the worker taking a "sickie"
# when it is habitual in even a small proportion of a work place it drains the life out of an otherwise good work place culture and team spirit
# when it is habitual, employees taking obvious "sickies" do their careers and progression in a work place absolutely no favours ... contrary to the beliefs of such workers, employers are not stupid and they can see through it and they will bide their time
An employer who offers to cash in a portion unpaid sick leave every year or so avoid most of the damage and collateral damage associated with the first three points above ... it makes sense and it achieves prouctivity gains before any distribution of actual wages saved by public and private sector employers.
The government could by choice reduce sick days from 10 to 8 or 7 or 5 per year to improve national productivity if it was serious.
