Women take six more sick days than men in civil service

MONDAY is the most popular no-show day – particularly among clerical officers – in the civil service, where women take on average six more sick days per year than men, according to a new report.

The Sick Leave Absence in the Civil Service report by Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG) John Buckley found seven in 10 women availed of sick leave in 2007 compared with five in 10 men.

Female staff accounted for almost 70% of all work absences in the civil service that year and the average number of sick days taken by women was almost 14, compared with an average of just over eight days for each male employee.