Employment

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Employees 'going to work when sick'

19 September 2008

Almost three-quarters of people in the UK have gone into work despite being so ill they had good reason to stay at home, new research has shown.

The study by AXA found that in the past six months, two-thirds of people have gone into work when they ought to have stayed home.

According to the firm, 24 per cent said they came into work because they had too much work to do, while a further 15 per cent were concerned that their sick leave records may be "used against them" if their employer is considering redundancies.

Dudley Lusted, from AXA, said employers should not subject their workers to "over-zealous absence management methods" such as having to report to an occupational nurse.

"Smart employers will make sure their managers are properly trained and supported to manage attendance positively," he explained.

A recent survey by Bupa found that over half of people in the UK believe their employers ought to take a greater responsibility for their health and wellbeing needs, such as offering private medical insurance.