Sick days are going DOWN during the coronavirus pandemic as workers opt for 'doona days' over personal leave
Australian workers are saving their sick leave by working from home while ill during the coronavirus pandemic, latest figures show.
Australian Bureau of Statistics absenteeism figures show the amount of sick leave taken fell dramatically from April through to August.
In April, absenteeism fell by 30 per cent compared with the same month last year.
People are not using their sick leave as they just keep on working when unwell from the comfort of their couches, new figures suggest
This was when people had begun working from home in earnest, and pubs, clubs, cafes and restaurants were shut during the first round of coronavirus closures.
The drop continued through May when 37 per cent fewer personal leave days were taken than the previous year.
The trend continued through June, with a 32 per cent fall, July down 21 per cent and August down 19 per cent.
Australia's Public Service Commission revealed on Friday that sick leave has fallen from 3.2 days per worker to 2.3 days from April to June.
Physical blue-collar workers have been showing up at levels above those in previous years, possibly because the threat of joblessness makes them concerned for their employment.
Sick leave management company Direct Health Solutions' Paul Dundon said he had seen a large fall in sick leave when the pandemic began.
'In times of crisis, people turn up,' he says. 'It's very engaging for people. If you have a hurricane, everyone shows up,' he told The Weekend Australian's magazine, The Deal.
A uSwitch survey of 2000 Britons in May found where people are most likely to work from when working from home. Australia's sick leave numbers have fallen dramatically
Workers were more likely to call in sick last year when they physically had to go to their offices
Some of the fall can be accounted for by loss of jobs due to the pandemic, with Australia's official unemployed numbers rising above the one million mark for the first time ever in August.
Australia's unemployment rate of 6.8 per cent is deceptively low as the Australian Bureau of Statistics labour force figures classify someone as employed if they work at least one hour a week.
National Australia Bank chief economist Alan Oster said last month that about 18 per cent of the workforce either doesn't have a job or wants more hours.
Another portion of the fall can be attributed to some employees being forced onto annual leave or unpaid leave due to the pandemic.
The fall may also reflect a drop in other infectious illnesses such as the flu, which have not spread as fast this year due to the social distancing measures taken to stop the coronavirus.
However the drop also reflects workers opting to stay on the job from under their doonas when they are feeling under the weather, answering their emails and not calling in sick.
How are the support payments changing from September?
JOBKEEPER
* The $1,500 fortnightly wage subsidy will continue until September 27 - covering 3.5million workers
* From the end of September to December 31, JobKeeper will be reduced to $1,200 for full-time workers and $750 for people working 20 hours or less - with 1.4million workers eligible
* From January to March, the full-time rate will be $1,000 and part-time will reduce to $650 - with the scheme covering 1million workers
* Businesses turning over less than $1billion will have to show a 30 per cent drop in revenue in the previous quarter
* Businesses with more than $1billion in turnover have to demonstrate a 50 per cent fall
JOBSEEKER
* The elevated unemployment benefit will remain at $1,100 a fortnight until September 24
* From that date until the end of the year the $550 coronavirus supplement will be cut by $300 to make the overall fortnightly payment $800
* People will be able to earn up to $300 without having their payment reduced
* The mutual obligation rules requiring people to search for four jobs a month will restart on August 4
* Penalties for people refusing a job offer will be reintroduced
* Job search requirements will increase in September when the assets test will also return