A recent Statista survey found that around 58 percent of those aged 18 to 30 years took up to five sick days in the previous year. The United States does not require businesses to provide employees with paid sick leave, however bigger businesses must offer unpaid leave for medical issues. Laws regarding sick leave do vary by state.
Paid sick leave in the U.S.
Among civilian workers in the United States who did have access to paid sick leave, the most common form of provision is being offered a fixed number of paid sick leave days per year. Just 4 percent of civilian workers with paid sick leave can take such leave as needed. It is estimated that only around 22 percent of workers in the U.S. use all or most of their paid sick days.
Health in the workplace
One danger of only offering a fixed number of sick days to employees is that sick employees will come to work even though they are sick. A survey from Statista found that 40 percent of adults in the U.S. stated they had gone to work when they were sick within the past year. In recent years companies have placed greater interest and investment in employee health and have begun offering more health benefits to employees. Such benefits are meant to improve employee health, decrease sick days, increase productivity and lead to an all around better working environment. Health benefits and offerings from companies can include employee health screenings, health education, discounts to gyms, and standing desks.
Number of sick leave days U.S. adults took last year as of 2017, by age
Original question: How many days were you on sick leave last year? Please give your best guess if you are not sure. Leave the field blank if you prefer not to answer?
All respondents were full-time employees.
Respondents could choose whether to answer the open question or not.
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Statista Survey. (February 28, 2017). Number of sick leave days U.S. adults took last year as of 2017, by age [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved October 15, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/682924/sick-leave-days-among-adults-us-by-age/
Statista Survey. "Number of sick leave days U.S. adults took last year as of 2017, by age." Chart. February 28, 2017. Statista. Accessed October 15, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/682924/sick-leave-days-among-adults-us-by-age/
Statista Survey. (2017). Number of sick leave days U.S. adults took last year as of 2017, by age. Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: October 15, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/682924/sick-leave-days-among-adults-us-by-age/
Statista Survey. "Number of Sick Leave Days U.S. Adults Took Last Year as of 2017, by Age." Statista, Statista Inc., 28 Feb 2017, https://www.statista.com/statistics/682924/sick-leave-days-among-adults-us-by-age/
Statista Survey, Number of sick leave days U.S. adults took last year as of 2017, by age Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/682924/sick-leave-days-among-adults-us-by-age/ (last visited October 15, 2024)
Number of sick leave days U.S. adults took last year as of 2017, by age [Graph], Statista Survey, February 28, 2017. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/682924/sick-leave-days-among-adults-us-by-age/