Fake notes make you sick

You'd better hope your manager is not reading this story because then he'd find out that one in five sick notes is fake.

Occupational Care SA risk and wellness executive Reggie Stiglingh said her company had found that 15% to 20% of sick notes were fraudulent.

The company's analysts looked for suspicious signs such as sick days taken on Mondays or Fridays, or if a staff member was prone to taking a day off here and there throughout the year.

Also of concern was "doctor hopping", when a different doctor was asked to sign each sick note.

Stiglingh said she had heard of cases in which doctors charged R50 for a sick note.

She noted that winter, and its accompanying ailments, led to workers taking genuine sick leave.

She said screening staff for common diseases such as hypertension and diabetes was important and five times more cost-effective for companies than allowing staff members to develop health complications. There is a growing move to make companies healthier and to promote "presenteeism".

Head of Vitality at Discovery Health Craig Nossel said healthier staff were more productive.

Discovery Health's analysis of workers at their call centre found that smokers made 10% more mistakes than non-smokers.

Discovery Health CEO Jonathan Broomberg said: "Non-smokers make fewer errors and resolve more issues on the first call."

Nossel said: "Employers need to ask if they are making it easier for staff to be healthy."

He said that "sitting could be the new smoking".

The Discovery 2012 Health Company Index found that staff with a high vitality age (how healthy you are relative to your calendar age):

• Took 22% more sick days than healthy colleagues;
• Paid 26% more visits to doctors, and
• Spent 55% more days in hospital and lost 72% more work time.

The average employee takes eight days of sick leave a year, costing the employer R10000 a year.