New research suggests that physical health is not the only factor in sick leave utilisation
A new research has underscored the need for a "fair and effective" sick leave system in the wake of major imbalances in how Australian workers access and use sick leave.
The study, led by the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), found that whether a worker takes a sick day is shaped less by how unwell they are and more by their job security, pay, and gender.
Nancy Kong, senior research fellow at the UTS Centre for Health Economics Research & Evaluation and lead author of the study, said the findings should prompt employers and policymakers to rethink how sick leave is treated.
"A fair and effective sick leave system should support productivity while ensuring workers do not have to choose between protecting their health and protecting their income," Kong said.
Uneven sick leave access
Drawing on data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey, the analysis uncovered a wide gap in sick leave utilisation based on employment status.
Workers in casual or fixed-term roles used roughly one sick day annually, versus about four for those in permanent positions.
That gap held at around three days even once the researchers adjusted for differences in occupation, job satisfaction, household setup, education level and location.
But this does not necessarily mean that casual and fixed-term workers are healthier than permanent staff, according to Kong.
"A more likely explanation is that taking time off is riskier when work is insecure," she said.
"Non-permanent workers may have less access to paid sick leave. They may also worry that saying no to work, even when ill, could affect future hours or their chances of keeping their job."
Economic conditions impacting sick leave use
Local job market conditions also factored into the results.
The report found that a slight increase in an area's unemployment rate corresponded with reduced sick leave uptake, indicating that workers might be more reluctant to take time off when they perceive their position as replaceable.
"They may worry that being absent could make them seem less reliable or increase the risk of losing work," Kong said.
Income wasn't a strong predictor of leave-taking behaviour, according to the report, but it noted that among those already in poor health, better-paid workers were more likely to take leave.
"Higher-paid workers generally have workplace support and leave entitlements that mean they are supported to take time off when they are unwell without fear of a potential financial penalty," Kong said.
Gender gap in sick leave use
The clearest pattern in the data was a gender split: men used about half a day less sick leave annually than women, a 23% gap that persisted even when health status and job type were held constant.
"This may reflect differences in health needs, caring responsibilities or how likely people are to seek medical care," Kong said.
"But it also points to workplace cultures and gender expectations about 'toughness,' reliability and working through illness."
Kong said the findings indicate that low absenteeism should not automatically be read as a workplace success, as it may instead signal a culture of fear around taking leave.
"Workplace cultures should not reward people for attending when unwell or treat legitimate sick leave as a lack of commitment," she said.
"Reducing stigma is also particularly important in addressing the gender gap."
The study covered more than 15,000 Australians between 2005 and 2016, with the research team deliberately excluding the COVID-19 period to avoid distorting the data with pandemic-related shifts in workplace practices and leave policies.
