Or could it be that in the private sector, people go to work when they shouldn't? And spread their colds, flu, or whatever to the rest of us?

I know that my wife feels it necessary to drag herself into work at times when it would be in everybody's best interests that she didn't.

Is it really that federal government employees get sick more often, or is it that because they do have funded sick days they stay home when they have an illness that most of us are forced to work through? I absolutely hate it when co-workers come to work coughing and sniffling. When told they should have stayed home to avoid infecting everyone else they always respond that they can't afford to take time off. I think it is great that federal employees can take this time. Now if your comments were really a rant on the number of days they are given for sick days that is really another issue isn't it?

Yes, change is a fact of life. However change just to give the appearance the politicians are doing something to protect your tax dollars is a civil servants daily work environment and then these same politicians turn around and blow through tax dollars as it is their god given right on their personal whims. When you work for politicians that know very little other than how to lie and their opinion is the only one that matters and managers whose only question of these political masters is how high to jump and would throw all their staff out on the street if it protected their job and made themselves look good to the politicians. Then turn around and start hiring again to justify their management postions. This is why stress is so high in the civil service.

I agree that if you are sick stay home, do not bring what you have to your co-workers BUT-I do not agree that if you are sick you should be paid to stay home, maybe then and only then these govt employees will drag their sorry asses out of bed and bring them into work on lazy days (not sick days)...not to mention saving over 1 billion dollars a year its costing for them to stay home for days/weeks/months on end and do what? If you dont like your job, move over and let someone that WANTS to work in there.

You've got to be kidding me--15 PAID sick days per year---what a scam!! They have some pretty powerful unions. As a teacher with kids coughing all over you/dirty hands etc.(spreading colds) I had 7 paid s.d. which died when I retired-no monetary value at all. The system is badly in need of a change.

i WORKED FOR 35 YRS IN A GOVERNMENT ENVIRONMENT. DESK AND SERVICE TYPE JOBS WORKING TWO OR MORE IN THE SAME CUBICLE DO SPREAD DESEASE MORE REDILY THAN EVEN IN A CLASS ROOM SETTING. SEASONAL ILLNESS BROUGHT INTO THE WORK PLACE CREATE A RIPPLE EFFECT WHICH THEN COST MORE WORK LOSS THAN THE ORIGINAL FOREGONE SICKDAY.

CUSTOMERS DO NOT WISH TO BE IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO A SERVICE PERSON WHO IS CAUGHING AND SNEEZING, EVEN IF THEY ATTEMPT TO COVER MOUTH AND NOSE. DO YOU WANT TO DEAL WITH A BANK TELLER wHO IS CAUGHING OR SNEEZIN ON YOUR MONEY THAT YOU WILL CONTINUE TO HANDLE???

DO YOU WANT A PERSONAL CARE WORKER IN A NURSING HOME COUINGG AND SEEZING GIVING YOUR ELDERLY PARANT ANOTHER VIRUS!

This system is being abused to the fullest! I know lots of Federal workers who phone in "sick" on a regular basis to have a fun day(s) off work to do whatever they like while being paid handsomely to do it. They are not sick at all - they just know they can abuse these benefits to the hilt and they will not be punished for it. They are no more stressed than those working in the private sector, who go to work and do their jobs, sometimes even when they shouldn't because of illness. Billions of dollars wasted that could be much better spent for the benefit of ALL Canadians!

I think you will find that most people do not abuse their sick days. If you look at the number of days people can accumulate there can be over a hundred. These people are definately not 'slackards'. Perhaps if the government didn't waste money (e.g. E-healt or Ornge air ambulances. More people could have sick days.

It's a sign of the times -- poor work ethic. One of my co-workers conveniently became sick during one of the Stanley Cup playoff games. No doctor's note, of course. You do the math.

More Gov't propoganda to justify them cutting 60,000 jobs! Maybe if they didn't keep using a wage freeze every time contract renewals come up, then employees would be less stressed!

You know I am really tired of those out there in every other job other than the public service who think we Public Servants live this golden life and that they are paying for it all. The thousands of Public Servants work hard and we pay our share of taxes just like everyone else so stop using us as your whipping post for ever grievance you have against your own work life, employer, or whatever other beef you have against anyone who you believe has more than you think you are entilted too. Walk a mile in my shoes first before you make a judgement. Jessssshhh!

before retiring from the Ontario Prov.Gov't. I used to get 5 full sick days per yeaer, & any unused ones @ 31-Dec. were cancelled & then on 1-Jan. I got another 5, there was no such thing as banking any sick days. If one of the largest Gov't. in Canada can do this, why can't Fed. Govt. employees do the same. Or is this asking too much.

When I worked as a professional in a large company we were expected to stay home when sick and we were expected to work when not sick, we didnt have sick days that we could accumulate. The employer did not dock your salary. The system was based on trust between the employee and the employer and access to medical services were available and encouraged. Long term disability occured after a set period.

Given this current economy, the government should do away with allowing government employees to bank sick days.
If the sick day was for some time within a given year and hasn't been used, it should be lost at the end of that year. Paid sick days are unheard of in the private sector unless your employment agreement allows for this. If the government wants to save some money, doing away with unused sick day benefits would be one option.

Long term disability in the Federal Govt also only begins after a set period. It might be better to dock the MP's and Senators when they don't show up for work as they make a whole lot more than any public service employees. I also agree with what was said about the govt and the public always using the ordinary public service people to dump public anger on. Harper has be steadfastly undermining all unions public and private - pretty soon no one will have paid sick leave, maternity leave, or a right to negotiate.

I worked in one industry for 30+ years and only had 7 sicks days during this period.
I was sick or had a cold on occasions but still went to work because I had work to do and had an obligation to the Co and other employees.
Sick leave is a joke and paid sick leave is more of a joke and employees take advantage.

Most government employees I know consider their sick days as extra days off and they take them whenever they want extra personal time. A day here, a week there. But, there's no consequence for calling in sick. The unionized environment breeds a poor work ethic. Come on, we are aren't talking about taking time off when you have a cold and shouldn't be sniffing and sneezing around everyone else. Everyone agrees with that. But, does any government employee seriously believe that they can convince anyone to believe that FIFTEEN sick days a year is warranted. If they think they can, that's an even bigger issue.

This is a one-sided criticism. It is not a scientific, peer-reviewed research. If people are so stressed that they need the sick time then they should be allowed to take it! There is a sense of entitlement for conservative types to jump to conclusions & be harshly judgemental! Such callous disregard for fellow humans mental & physical health is disturbing.

Wow! What a lot of crap from some of these posters. Most employees are responsible.The others are protected by unions that exist only to harass any Mgmt. at any time.Not only sick time but frivilous grievances at every turn. I have a hangnail and its your fault. Fire them all , hire the ones who want to do something usefull. Oh, I,m aware of the crap from the pro-union Liberal idiots thats coming after this post. Don't fall for it.

Well, how about limiting their sick days to 5 a year with no ability to bank them? They should not be allowed to bank sick leave. It's time that public sector employees get the same pay and benefits as the private sector.

This is just the tip of the iceburg that the boat hit years ago and has been sinking ever since. Employers have been packing their bags and heading elsewhere as this way of thinking is now engrained in Canadians. Taxes are too high because Gov't workers get paid way too much and their are far too many of them, and any expenses relating to the gov't (eg WSIB) are criminal in the way they are charging employers. 20 more years of this and all Canadians will either work for the gov't or they will work in a retail store selling foreign made products.

Paid sick leave or accumulated paid sick leave is a *&^%$##!@_?<" JOKE and started by the _+)(*&&^%$#@
UNIONS.THey are a_(**&% JOKE.
Ronald Regan cured that when the Air Traffic Controllers went on strike in the USA.He told them go on strike and tie up this county and I will fire you all and he did.That is some thirty years ago and their have not been a strike their since.I wonder how many sick days are now recorded now that Soccer is been played.

I don't agree with punishing people for using sick days, but people shouldn't be allowed to bank sick days and then take 6 months off before retiring. That is clearly defrauding the system.

Sick days from work is a really sore spot for me because everyone is different and some people get sick mroe than others. Last year I was off sick for 10 days through the year. This year my company has cut it down to 6 days. I have already used all of these since I had an eye infection and the flu this year. I guess I will be bringing in my illness to work if I get sick again this year.

Of course you want people to take their sick days. Gov't employee's come into contact with hundreds of people during one work week, can you imagine the germs they come into contact with?

If you're sick, stay home! Anyone who works with patients should definately stay home. Passing the flu onto an immuno compromised elderly patient can mean their DEATH. It is very important to stay home when you are infectious.

To all the people hating on government employee's, you really should stop and think for a moment, who exactly do you think pushed for this to be published, perhaps the government who wants you to turn against your fellow man, because the gov't doesn't want to treat people like humans?