Did you know that under most awards sick leave is cumulative?
This is a hidden cost for business and could cost so be prepared by providing for such an outcome.
For example –
Jim an employee truck driver with your firm from 2004 takes a fall at home and injures his back.
He then gets a medical certificate for 10 weeks off work.
Jim is a good employee and has only taken 15 days sick leave from 2004 to now
He was entitled to about 65 day’s sick leave over his term of employment – therefore under his award he is entitled to 50 days (65-15) sick leave in order convalesce fix his current ailment.
The employer in this case could have to pay him up to 10 weeks sick leave at his award rate of pay while at the same time employing someone else to do his job in his absence.
As you can see this could be a very costly exercise so you should research and establish if this is the case for your industry.
