Sick Leave

12 Jun 2024
Keeping Track of Sick Leave During Flu Season
As winter sets in here in South Africa, the flu season is upon us. It's a time when many employees may need to take sick leave. Keeping track of this leave is crucial for both employees and employers. 
 
The Importance of Sick Leave Records
 
Maintaining good records of sick leave taken is important for several reasons. It ensures that employees are not exceeding their allocated sick leave and helps employers to manage staffing levels during periods of illness. It also provides a clear record should any disputes arise regarding taken leave.
 
Understanding the Basic Conditions of Employment Act
 
According to the Basic Conditions of Employment Act, workers may take the number of days they would normally work in a 6-week period for sick leave on full pay in a 3-year period. This equates to approximately 30 days of sick leave for a five-day work week over three years. During the first six months of employment, workers are entitled to one day of paid sick leave for every 26 days worked.
 
Employers may require a medical certificate before paying workers who are absent for more than 2 consecutive days, or who are often absent (more than twice in an 8-week period). This provision ensures that the system is fair, and that sick leave is not abused.
 
Leveraging HR Solutions: openHR
 
Managing sick leave, along with other HR tasks, can be a daunting task, especially for small businesses. This is where HR solutions like openHR come into play. openHR offers a free payroll and HR solution for unlimited payslips, employees, and leave tracking for as many companies and users as you'd like.
 
openHR is an integral human resources platform that allows managers to manage vacations, absences, employee data, documents, survey systems, and reports. This comprehensive solution can greatly simplify the task of managing sick leave and other HR responsibilities.
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