Average number of sick days taken by public servants growing post-COVID, new data shows

Federal public servants were less likely to call in sick to work during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, new government data shows.

The figures shared by the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat indicate that in 2020-21, when the pandemic had most office employees working entirely remotely, the average number of sick days for the public service was 5.9.

That number grew to 8.1 in 2021-22, 8.8 in 2022-23 and 9.2 in 2023-24.

Most office workers stayed home to work during the pandemic for much of 2020 and 2021. While some federal office employees returned to in-person work in 2022, it was only in the first few months of 2023 that all public servants were gradually ordered back to the office for at least two or three days a week.

Before the pandemic, the data shows that public servants took an average of 9.6 sick days in 2019-20, 9.8 days in 2018-19 and 10.4 days in 2017-18.

Dr. Alykhan Abdulla, a family doctor and board director of the College of Family Physicians of Canada, said reduced exposure is one of the main drivers of reduced sick days.

Employees could have also worked from home if they were sick during the pandemic, he said, though maybe less productively.

Abdulla said sick days could be rising again due to people's increase in exposure or their unwillingness to return to the office post-pandemic.

He also said he expects the number to rise beyond pre-pandemic rates due to factors like delayed health care, more exposures, mental health issues and financial struggles.

The Treasury Board says the average usage of sick days includes people who took no sick leave and people who used up banked sick leave before accessing long-term disability benefits.

Between 2017-18 and 2023-24, employees at the Canada Border Services Agency and Correctional Service Canada were consistently among the federal departments and agencies that took the most sick days.

A survey of federal public servants published earlier this year suggested that employees at those organizations were also among the least likely to recommend their office as a great place to work.

The Government of Canada website says full-time employees generally earn sick leave at the rate of just over nine hours each month.

It says employees are granted sick leave with pay when they're unable to perform their duties "because of illness or injury, provided your employer is satisfied of your condition and you have the necessary sick leave credits."

Catherine Connelly, professor and business research chair in the department of human resources and management at McMaster University in Hamilton, said people who are working from home may encounter fewer germs because they're not commuting and they're not around their co-workers.

Connelly said there's also the possibility that people are working from home even when they're only a little bit sick.

"You can maybe still work, not take a sick day, but also rest extra cause you're not commuting," she said. "Because of that extra rest, maybe don't get really sick, so sick that you have to take some time off."