In 2011 Canadian workers took off an average of 9.3 sick days, which cost the Canadian economy $16.6 billion, according to a report from the Conference Board of Canada. Experts say that this trend is expected to get worse as the Canadian workforce ages because older people are more susceptible to illness and other physical ailments. The report revealed some other interesting trends in absenteeism: Saskatchewan had the highest rate of abscences, followed by New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Quebec, Ontario and Alberta; women took more days off than men; public sector workers took more time off than private sector workers; and union workers were absent more than non-unionized workers. The research predictably suggests that high-stress jobs tend to have more absenteeism. Creating a better work environment will help reduce the amount of absences, experts say.
Read the full story at CBC: http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/sick-days-cost-canadian-economy-16-6b-1.1864833
Brandon Martinez Reporting 