As this blog recently discussed, when an employee begins to take too many absences from work, it has the potential to be detrimental to the business, especially when a worker is a part of a team project and their physical presence is needed to ensure the work gets done.
While repeated absences have the potential to become a significant issue, it is worth noting that in the event that an employee has fallen ill, missing work may be necessary. Does your company have a policy in place to effectively deal with this issue?
The issue of paid sick leave has been making headlines as workers in New Jersey are taking action to make it mandatory across the state, the New York Times reports. Not all businesses offer paid sick leave, and this can create stress for workers as they may not feel they can take the rest needed to recover and must work through an illness.
As the article details, this issue may be put to a vote in East Orange, New Jersey, and if it goes through, it could mean that employers are required to provide paid sick time. Whether these types of measures are enacted through local ordinances or broader legal actions, it is critical for HR to stay on top of the details and ensure their policies are in line with current laws in the area.
Not only can this make a stressful situation for employees worrying about having to take unpaid time off, but if they decide to come into work when sick, the illness can easily spread to co-workers and their families.
In many regions it will be up to the individual company to decide these types of policies. Giving employees the time to care for personal needs can present advantages to the business as well as the worker. An HR system can help keep track of the details that go along with maintaining records of paid and unpaid absences.