NSW: Women take more sickies: survey

AAP General News (Australia)
12-11-2000
NSW: Women take more sickies: survey

SYDNEY, Dec 11 AAP - Female workers take more sick days than men, with workers aged
25-34 recording the highest rate and employees aged over 55 the lowest, according to new
research.

Recruitment agency Morgan & Banks found 57 per cent of female workers had taken a sick
day in the past year, compared to 47 per cent of men.

Of workers aged 25-34, 62.2 per cent claimed they had taken a sick day in the past
year while only 26.1 per cent of those aged over 55 claimed the same.

Sick leave costs the Australian business community $2.56 billon per year according
to Jason Johnson of Morgan Banks.

"A whopping 12.4 per cent of respondents ... admitted none of their sickies were genuine,"

he added.

Monday is by far the favoured day for a "sickie", followed by Friday, respondents saying
it gave them the chance for an extended weekend.

The most popular reasons given were the flu, stomach upsets, migraines, diarrhoea and
food poisoning, Mr Johnson said.

AAP aa/ij/jnb

KEYWORD: SICKIES

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