TY - JOUR
T1 - Attending work while sick
T2 - Implication of flexible sick leave policies
AU - Rousculp, Matthew D.
AU - Johnston, Stephen S.
AU - Palmer, Liisa A.
AU - Chu, Bong Chul
AU - Mahadevia, Parthiv J.
AU - Nichol, Kristin L.
N1 - Funding Information:
This study was supported by MedImmune LLC.
PY - 2010/10
Y1 - 2010/10
N2 - Objective: To examine the impact of various flexible sick leave policies (FSLPs) on workplace attendance of employees with self-reported "severe" influenza-like-illness (ILI) symptoms. Methods: This is a prospective study of employees from three US employers, which involved collection of information on employees' access to FSLPs and monthly experience with ILI and workplace attendance from November 2007 to April 2008. Multivariate analyses were used to estimate the impact of FSLPs on employees' workplace attendance while they were experiencing severe ILI symptoms. Results: Among 793 employees with ILI, the average duration of severe ILI symptoms was 3.0 days. Most employees (71.9%) attended work with severe ILI symptoms, for an average of 1.3 days. Employees who could telework had a 29.7% lower rate of attending work with severe ILI symptoms (P = 0.026). Conclusions: Employers that implement teleworking policies may be able to reduce employee-to-employee transmission of respiratory illness, including seasonal and pandemic influenza.
AB - Objective: To examine the impact of various flexible sick leave policies (FSLPs) on workplace attendance of employees with self-reported "severe" influenza-like-illness (ILI) symptoms. Methods: This is a prospective study of employees from three US employers, which involved collection of information on employees' access to FSLPs and monthly experience with ILI and workplace attendance from November 2007 to April 2008. Multivariate analyses were used to estimate the impact of FSLPs on employees' workplace attendance while they were experiencing severe ILI symptoms. Results: Among 793 employees with ILI, the average duration of severe ILI symptoms was 3.0 days. Most employees (71.9%) attended work with severe ILI symptoms, for an average of 1.3 days. Employees who could telework had a 29.7% lower rate of attending work with severe ILI symptoms (P = 0.026). Conclusions: Employers that implement teleworking policies may be able to reduce employee-to-employee transmission of respiratory illness, including seasonal and pandemic influenza.
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U2 - 10.1097/JOM.0b013e3181f43844
DO - 10.1097/JOM.0b013e3181f43844
M3 - Article
C2 - 20881626
AN - SCOPUS:77958007436
SN - 1076-2752
VL - 52
SP - 1009
EP - 1013
JO - Journal of occupational and environmental medicine
JF - Journal of occupational and environmental medicine
IS - 10
ER -
