Unless you’re exceptionally lucky, everyone’s got to deal with sick leave every once in a while.
It’s that time when your body decides that - whether you like it or not - it needs a break.
But the process can come with a lot of uncertainty and worry, especially if you’re unsure of your company’s policy.
Whilst we can’t comment on what goes on at your specific job, we can at least guide you through how the process usually works!
And, we’ll show you how Timetastic can make everything a whole lot easier.
Let's dive in!
What is sick leave?
Let’s start with the basics.
Sick leave happens when you take time off work due to an illness or injury. It’s not just taking a day off because you’ve got a bit of a cough - it’s a requirement for employers to give people time off for serious illness under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).
In the US, there’s no federal law or entitlement to paid sick leave. Some employers might include it in their contracts, but it’s not a legal requirement.
In reality, we all get sick sometimes. We’re only human, after all. Having a system in place that accounts for that is a huge help. What we’re trying to say here is that understanding sick leave isn’t just nice, it’s necessary!
What can sick leave be used for?
There's no one-size-fits-all rule when it comes to taking sick leave in the US. Think of it like this:
Limited federal protections: The federal government gives you the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), which is great for protecting your job if you need a longer chunk of time off for serious medical stuff, but it doesn't guarantee you'll get paid while you're out. It’s more about job security than income protection when you've gotta take time off.
State-by-state basis: A lot of states and cities have jumped in and made their own rules about paid sick leave. So, whether you get any, and how much you’d get, really depends on where you live and work.
Your boss might be cool: A lot of companies, even if they don't have to, offer sick leave as a perk. It’s really important that you know your company’s policies. .
As for what you can use it for, it's usually pretty sensible stuff:
- Obviously, if you're actually sick or hurt.
- Going to the doctor or dentist.
- Taking care of a sick child or parent.
- Taking a mental health day, or getting mental health care.
- In some places, even dealing with serious issues like domestic violence - though this is often called ‘Safe leave’ rather than ‘Sick leave’.
Basically, it's all about being able to take time off when you need it without losing your job. But, like we mentioned, the details can be a bit all over the place. So, your best bet is always to check your company's handbook or look up your local laws.
What are the different types of sick leave?
Sick leave in the US isn’t one and the same - there are variations of it across the country. Let’s have a look at the different types of sick leave and learn a bit more about them.
Paid sick leave
This is pretty much the golden ticket. Paid sick leave essentially means that you can take time off and still get your regular pay.
The specifics can change depending on where you live and your company's policies. Some places have laws that mandate a certain amount of sick leave, like Arizona, California or Colorado. Others, like Alabama, Florida or Montana, leave it up to employers. It’s a good idea to check your contract or employee handbook to see what the deal is with your company.
You could think of paid sick leave as a safety net. Let’s say you wake up with a fever, a blocked nose, or sore throat; you shouldn’t have to choose between your health and your rent! Paid sick leave takes that pressure off.
Unpaid sick leave
This one’s not quite as fun. Unpaid sick leave means you can take time off, but you won’t get paid for it. It’s often used when you’ve run out of your paid sick leave days or if your company doesn’t offer paid sick leave. It’s not ideal, but it’s still better than having to work while you’re feeling sick.
You’ll find that unpaid sick leave is more often used for longer periods of sickness or if someone’s new to a company.
Long-term sick leave
This can sometimes overlap with unpaid sick leave, making it a bit trickier to differentiate. Basically, long-term sick leave will come into play when you’re dealing with a serious injury or illness and you need more time to recover than usual. This could be anything from major surgeries to chronic conditions.
Long-term sick leave can also be tricky to manage. It’s important to try and provide any medical documentation that you’re able to, as well as staying in contact with your employer as often as you can, just so that they know what’s going on.
Dependent sick leave
Sometimes, our loved ones need us, too. Dependent sick leave allows you to take time off to care for loved ones who need extra support and assistance. This could be a sick child, an elderly parent or any other family member who’s dependent on you.
This can be a major help for parents or anyone looking after a family member. It recognizes that we all have a life outside of work. Again, the rules around dependent sick leave can vary, so it’s always a good idea to check your company’s sick leave policy.
How does sick leave work in practice?
Now that we understand what sick leave is and that there are a few different types of sick leave, let’s chat about how it works and how it’s actually tracked.
Sick leave policies
Think of a sick leave policy as a roadmap. It should lay out all the rules and procedures, so everyone knows what to expect.
A solid policy should cover things like how to report sick leave, what documentation is needed and how much sick leave an employee’s entitled to.
If you don’t have a clear policy, there can be a lot of confusion in the future. As an employer, you might find yourself spending a few hours each week answering the same questions, like “Who should I tell that I am off sick today?” or “Do I need to get a doctor's note?”.
Here are some ideas to consider when drafting your sick leave policy:
- Eligibility: Who gets sick leave.
- Accrual: How sick leave is earned.
- Notification: How to report an absence.
- Documentation: When proof is needed.
- Pay: How sick leave is compensated.
- Compliance: Following legal requirements.
How should you let someone know you’re going to be off sick?
That leads us quite nicely to the next point, which is reporting procedures.
When someone’s not feeling well, the last thing they want to do is go through a convoluted process to report that they’re taking a day off. Luckily, most companies have simple processes in place, like phoning in, emailing, or completing an online absence form.
If you need to take a day off, letting your manager know as soon as possible is important. This is going to give them time to adjust schedules, make sure that everyone’s aware that you’re off, and help provide cover for the time you’re away.
Something else to consider is documentation. Sometimes, when you return from sick leave you’ll be required to hand in some form of documentation as a way to prove that you’ve actually been ill.
The most common documentation is a doctor's note. This is usually for longer periods of sick leave, but your employer might ask you to bring in a note ASAP.
Effectively tracking employee sick leave
Keeping track of sick leave can be a real headache, especially for larger companies. Making use of manual methods, like spreadsheets, can feel like trying to thread a needle with boxing gloves on. Clunky, uncoordinated, and stressful..Manual methods usually have a much higher risk of errors. Sometimes we might miss an entry or use the wrong calculation. Not to mention that having to stay on top of manual tracking and constantly updating your sheets is just a pain.
That’s why more and more companies are switching to dedicated leave management systems. These systems pretty much automate the whole process, making it easier to track sick leave, manage approval processes - and spare your sanity.
What’re the benefits of using dedicated leave management systems?
Glad you asked! There are many benefits to using employee leave tracking software, really.
Automation
Firstly, the whole automation thing is great! It saves you a lot of time because you don’t have to do tedious tasks like updating leave balances, go through long winded approval processes, or notifying employees whether or not their leave has been approved.
Reporting and analytics
Most good leave management systems will also give you access to reports and analytics. This way, you can get a handy overview of who’s been off and when. You can use this data to pick up on trends and patterns which you otherwise might’ve missed.
For example, if you start to notice some weird trends, like the same person taking Mondays off, you could have a friendly chat with them to see if there is anything you could do to help.
Or if there’s a time of year where a lot more people take sick leave, it could help you to prepare for those times and make sure you’ve got enough people on hand to hold things down.
Compliance
Most systems will also help you stay compliant legally, too. You're basically ticking all the boxes by providing accurate records and making sure that everyone’s playing by the rules.
Do you need help managing sick leave?
So, there you have it, the ins and outs of sick leave!
It’s an essential, unavoidable part of any workplace, and having a clear understanding of what it is and how it works will only benefit everyone involved.
And if you’re looking for a way to simplify your sick leave management, why not give Timetastic a try? We offer user friendly and efficient solutions to tracking not just sick leave, but leave in general! If that sounds good, try out our FREE 30 day trial to see how much easier life can be with a dedicated leave management system.