Fuss about sick leave

Doctors against landlords: “Working sick is the wrong way!”

Doctors believe that working sick often does more harm than good: you make more mistakes and risk infecting others.

(Bild: Elnur Amikishiyev stock.adobe)

Vacation days instead of sick leave? Or even going to work sick? Carinthia's gastronomy spokesperson Stefan Sternad has set an avalanche in motion with his demand for new guidelines for employees - because now the Medical Association is also taking a stand against it: "Illness must not be punished!" It is also important to recover.

Anyone who is absent due to illness should take the first three days off or use up their time off in order to avoid burdening their employer: this "suggestion" by Carinthia's publicans' spokesperson Norbert Sternad continues to cause a stir. The Carinthian Medical Association is also up in arms against it: "The wrong approach! Illness must not be punished," says President Markus Opriessnig.

It has also been proven that a sick employee at work represents a greater financial loss than one who is recovering at home. "If you are ill, you make more mistakes," says Opriessnig. "You are less productive and often pose a greater risk of accidents." There is also the possibility that your own state of health will deteriorate even further, that convalescence will then take even longer - and that you will infect other colleagues or even customers.

Instead of discussing coercive measures in the labor market, there should be a discussion about how sick leave could be reduced through prevention. Which, by the way, Carinthia's doctors would handle very carefully, as the chamber assures us: Only those patients who are well known can be given a sick note by telephone. Of course there is abuse and faking, but a general suspicion that sick days are being faked is also wrong.

Controls during sick leave
And there are already control options for taking action in cases of suspicion: The chief physicians of the health insurance fund would check conspicuous accumulations of sick notes and inspectors would even make random home visits.