Attending work while sick: implication of flexible sick leave policies.
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.
Rousculp
Matthew D
MD
Health Outcomes and Pharmacoeconomics, MedImmune, LLC, Gaithersburg, MD 20878, USA. RousculpM@MedImmune.com
Johnston
Stephen S
SS
Palmer
Liisa A
LA
Chu
Bong-Chul
BC
Mahadevia
Parthiv J
PJ
Nichol
Kristin L
KL
D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016134:Organizational Policy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018582:Sick Leave; D014481:United States