Mandatory Sick Days in the Public Sector?

[HarshBuzz]

But then again the Independent likes to give every right wing crackpot a soapbox.

Like Bertie you mean , sure it was basically his personal newsheet for years

[Harmonica]

Typical of that O'Leary Idiot...Lets talk sh*te and the Irish Independent will print it.

His main point was the travel tax which is he correct on. The sick day thing was only mentioned on the end about unelected union leaders dictating policy which he also correct about.

He may talk a lot of rubbish but O'Leary is also correct a lot of the time. As the person running Irelands most successful company (5.9m passengers a month, double BA) he deserves a platform more than a lot of other people.

[Shane 71]

Hoping he is killed in a plane crash along with presumably 180 or so innocent victims is pretty sick.


Not wishing for innocents to die. Just think with their safety record and corner cutting a crash is inevitable. Hope he's on it.

[monodrone]

mandatory? where does this nonsense come from?

i'm in a local authority and we're allowed 8 days uncertified sick leave (USLs) a year. Used to be a culture amongst some sections that considered it extra leave but that phenomenon is hardly a public sector exclusive.

There has been a constant review of all USLs for about four years now with anyone taking over 5 a year being called in for a chat about it. People who are suspected of abusing the system have been taken off it.
(For example 7 or 8 for two years running with some fridays and mondays.)

[Conor]

I am sure mandatory os not correct.

However it is true that public sector employees take more uncertified sick days than private sector. It is particularly high for prison officers at 20+ days a year. Teachers also seem to be high given they work 8-9 months a year.

Do you have a source for that?
I've read before that the number of sick days taken is higher in the public sector than private, but I've never seen a comparison of uncertified sick days. 20 uncertified days seems very extreme as an average.

[Benz]

This is not true. The use of the word 'mandatory' would suggest that employees are required to take them, this is not true either.

Also, I have a feeling that no response will alter your 'seething' mindframe.

untrue. If the assertion is inaccurate, as would appear to be the case, then my anger has abated.

[Keith-M]

It's tosh. I agree with most of the rest of his rant, however (and I work for a semistate). If you on sick leave for more than two days you are required to produce a cert. If you take more than 5 uncertified days per year you could be in trouble.

How many public servants have been sacked for taking more than 5 sick days? Do we have the comparitive rates of sick days for the public and private sectors?

The number of days you can be sick without producing a cert. should be reduced to one as it is in many private sector companies.

[Harmonica]

Do you have a source for that?
I've read before that the number of sick days taken is higher in the public sector than private, but I've never seen a comparison of uncertified sick days. 20 uncertified days seems very extreme as an average.

Click

Speaking in the Dail, Justice Minister, Michael McDowell, said prison officers each took an average of 23.88 sick days last year - that equates to the loss of 75,268 man-days in the Irish prison service during that period.

I believe numbers may have reduced since. Not clear if certified or uncertified but seems like might be both.

I know we (private sector) are allowed 7 uncertified days a year but would really be looked on poorly if got near or exceeded that number. The only person I know who exceeded (unpaid) does not work here any more.

[Sailor]

Hoping he is killed in a plane crash along with presumably 180 or so innocent victims is pretty sick.


Not wishing for innocents to die. Just think with their safety record and corner cutting a crash is inevitable. Hope he's on it.

If you know the slightest thing about FR you would know that they do not cut corners with safety - everything else yes .. but not safety !

[The OD]

Michael is great at running airlines, dont know why he doesnt stick at what he is good at?

I have never heard of anyone in the public service being made to take sickdays - one of my best friends has worked in the civil service for years and only due to breaking his wrist did he have any sick time taken at all, giving the lie to what O'Leary is saying.