I NOTE

the matter of “sickies” is getting some exposure again.

Many years ago in the 1990s, in my capacity as a director of Allamanda Private Hospital, I stumbled on a group of four or five nurses having a discussion on the ward floor as to whose turn it was to take a sickie on the following Monday.

Now sickies to me are no more than robbing from your employer. Stealing as a servant is to me a serious offence. Biting the hand that feeds you.

Under the particular award an employee was entitled to sick pay and only was required to provide a medical certificate if the period of absence was two or more days.

I decided to introduce a rule in our workplace that would require an employee to complete a Statutory Declaration to state the reason for a one day absence. Of course to knowingly complete a false declaration would amount to an offence so one would expect to be told the truth.

Well needless to say this did not get off the ground. Murmurings about union action killed the idea off.

So it was back to the drawing board – or more precisely having to put up with the sickie mentality.

It seems that times and attitudes have not changed. GERALD MOSES OAM, CLEAR ISLAND WATERS