Checklist of issues in formulating a sick leave policy

At minimum, an organization formulating a sick leave policy should consider the issues in the following checklist.

1. What constitutes an illness or sickness that is eligible for sick leave? Employers should keep in mind that a workers' compensation injury or illness should be compensated under that plan rather than under the sick leave plan.

2. May employees use their sick leave to care for sick children, spouses, or other relatives? Or is sick leave limited to the employee's own illness?

3. How is sick leave earned? Is it seniority-based so that employees receive additional sick leave the longer they have been with the organization? Or do all employees receive the same amount of sick leave?

4. How does the organization want to treat any employees who are ill after using up all of their sick days?

5. Who should an employee contact when taking a sick day? Whoever the contact person is-supervisor, another employee, a manager, the human resources department, the switchboard-this should be clearly communicated to employees.

6. What will the organization do if an employee fails to follow the proper procedures?

7. Can employees carry over unused sick leave to the next calendar year? If so, are there any restrictions either on the number of days or on when these carryover days must be used.