Today is ‘sickie’ day of the year

CONSCIENTIOUS workers may feel a little lonely today but not because some of their colleagues have been given their P45s.

Around them desks will be lying empty, phones will be ringing out and in-trays will be filling up. Managers will be quizzed by bosses demanding to know why they allowed so many take a long weekend to watch the rugby.

However, according to employment law consultancy Peninsula Ireland, rota blunders will not be the source of the problem. It has carried out statistical analysis which shows today is “sickie day of the year”, with 27% of workers set to take the day off.

Peninsula’s study, which looked at the employment patterns of 2,608 Irish employees over the past three years, found this date most prone to sickness.

Alan Price of Peninsula said: “Over the past three years, February 27 has been the day most stricken by absence as boredom starts to creep into the workplace. With Christmas well and truly over and the Easter holidays over a month away, employees don’t feel they have anything to look forward to, so take the opportunity to take an unofficial holiday.”

However, with the country in the economic doldrums, workers may be left feeling very sick when they feel the after-effects of their day-long reverie.

“With the recession in full swing, employees should be looking to prove their worth,” said Mr Price, who warned employers are growing wise to employees’ fake malaise.