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Paid sick leave saves money in the long run, study says

08.15.2012

Some people have argued that businesses can't afford paid sick leave for employees in these difficult economic times. However, new findings from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicate that if sick workers don't feel obligated to come to work, they're less likely to be injured on the job and require costly emergency medicine.

Culling National Health Interview Survey information from 2005 through 2008 based on 38,000 employed individuals, scientists found that paid sick leave resulted in a 28 percent reduced chance of onsite injury. This holds especially true for what the study's abstract describes as "high-risk sectors and occupations."

"Many workers may feel pressured to work while they are sick out of fear of losing their income. If fewer people work while they are sick, this could lead to safer operations and fewer injuries in the workplace," said study author Abay Asfaw, quoted by the Huffington Post.

According to the CDC, over 48 million American workers are denied any paid sick leave. Working for a large company, seniority and having a managerial position all increase the odds of an individual having access to paid sick days. The CDC's study shows a correlation between paid sick leave and the chances that an individual will seek out potentially life-saving medical services on their own. Survey participants with sick leave benefits were almost 10 percent more likely to have gone to the doctor for any reason within the last year, had a 5 percent better chance of having been screened for colorectal cancer or breast cancer and there was a 3 percent higher probability that they had been checked for cervical cancer.

Categories: Health and Wellness