Are You Offering Paid Sick Leave? (Here’s Why You Should!)

The issue of paid sick leave is a hotly debated one. Companies choose to approach it differently, and some decide not to offer it at all.

While it may seem cost-effective to not provide your employees with paid sick leave, that isn’t always the case. There can be ramifications for not making it available. It may hinder morale and productivity, which harms your bottom line as well as your recruitment and retention efforts. In some cases, it could even result in fines.

Often, there the benefits of providing your workers with paid sick leave far outweigh the drawbacks. If you aren’t offering it yet, here’s a look at why you should.

It’s Required in Many States

Depending on where your company is located, there might be laws that dictate minimum paid sick leave requirements. Failing to adhere to the rules comes with severe penalties, including hefty fines and potential lawsuits.

If you don’t offer paid sick leave, make sure you aren’t in conflict with the law. Review local requirements and regulations to ensure that your policies are aligned with what’s legally necessary.

Recruitment and Retention

When an employer provides its workers with a comprehensive benefits package that includes paid sick leave, it can bolster your recruitment and retention efforts. The policy can make your employees feel cared for, as it shows that the company is concerned about their well-being. This increases your odds of being viewed as an employer of choice, and that works in your favor when you need to attract and keep top talent.

Productivity Boosts

While it might seem like allowing your employees to take time off with pay when they are ill hurts productivity, that isn’t always the case. First, it can create a positive culture and boost morale, partially because your workers feel that the company created policies based on what’s best for them, not the employer.

Additionally, paid sick leave encourages ill employees to stay home. Since their pay won’t suffer, they are less inclined to report to work with a contagious illness. This reduces the odds that others will get sick, decreasing the need for additional people to be absent.

Further, when an employee comes into work ill, they generally aren’t the most productive. They may have trouble handling their tasks or keeping track of their duties. This could create a burden for others or drag an entire team down, possibly beyond what they would experience if the person weren’t there for the day.

In dangerous situations, it could even result in safety issues. Many medications – including some over the counter options – can hinder a person’s ability to focus or remain aware of their surroundings, and that could lead to safety incidents.

With paid sick leave, you are promoting the idea that employees should focus on their health. They won’t come to work when they aren’t capable of performing. Plus, since they can take time off to rest, they may overcome their illness more quickly. As a result, when they return, there’s a higher chance that they will be back at full productivity.

Ultimately, paid sick leave benefits the employer as much as the employee. If you’d like to learn more, the staff at The Advance Group wants to hear from you. Contact us today and see how our employee benefits expertise can help you in finding the best people for your open positions.

 

 

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