Sickie days fall but still cost £13bn

by John Higginson, The Metro

The number of sickies thrown by workers in Britain has dropped to it's lowest level in almost 20 years.

However, a culture of absenteeism still exists in many workplaces, figures show.

The number of of sick days taken by workers fell by 4million to 164million last year. Costing the economy more than 13billion.

But absence levels are a third higher in the public sector than in private firms .

Only 5 per cent of people said they had been caught out by their bosses, but computer software has now been developed that allows employer's to spot suspicious sick-leave patterns.

Britain's may be partial to taking a sickie this month, but a survey by the trade union congress last week found that more than five million people put in unpaid overtime that amounted to an extra day a week of work.

Time Attendance News