Stay home – your boss wants you to take your sick days

Mass layoffs have left some employees feeling "sick shamed" and forced to come to work. (Image: 123rf)

Mon, 26 Feb 2024

By Sarah Green CarmichaelIt’s become the conventional wisdom: sick days haven’t been the same since the covid pandemic “raised the bar” for taking time off. Mass layoffs and strict return-to-office policies have left ailing employees feeling “sick shamed” by attendance-taking bosses. Have a sniffle? Tough it out – or at least work from home.That might be how the current moment feels in some offices, but the data suggests most are more humane. In fact, more employees are taking sick days than before...

Subscribe to BusinessDesk

Stay informed on business, government and financial developments across New Zealand.

Deeply researched, twice-edited and fact-checked news
Annual subscribers also receive a complimentary subscription to The Wall Street Journal
Personalised email news alerts, plus gift up to 5 stories a month to non-subscribers

You can cancel anytime with two clicks, an email or a phone call.
Find out more.

We are serious about journalism.

Already a Subscriber ? Sign in here.

Name {{ registerForm.errors.get('name') }}

Email address {{ registerForm.errors.get('email') }}

Phone Number {{ registerForm.errors.get('phone') }}

Job Title {{ registerForm.errors.get('title') }}

Password Minimum password length of 8 characters.
Require at least one upper and lowercase, numeric, and special character. {{ registerForm.errors.get('password') }}

Repeat password {{ registerForm.errors.get('password_confirmation') }}

We had trouble validating your card. It's possible your card provider is preventing us from charging the card. Please contact your card provider or customer support.

Credit Card

Cardholder's name

{{ __(plans[index].name) | capitalize }} {{ plans[index].attributes.old_price | currency }} {{ plans[index].price | currency }}

All subscriptions auto renew but are easy to cancel.

I Accept The Terms Of Service

{{ registerForm.errors.get('terms') }}

Tax: {{ taxAmount(selectedPlan) | currency }}

Total Price Including Tax: {{ priceWithTax(selectedPlan) | currency }} {{ selectedPlan.type == 'user' && spark.chargesUsersPerSeat ? '/ '+ spark.seatName : '' }} {{ selectedPlan.type == 'user' && spark.chargesUsersPerTeam ? '/ '+ __('teams.team') : '' }} / {{ __(selectedPlan.interval) | capitalize }}

Markets Market Close

Ebos falls 14%, drags NZX 50 down 0.74%

Channel Infrastructure had another good day.

Gregor Thompson 27 Aug 2025

Retail

'Predatory pricing': Govt targets supermarket market power

Aldi and Lidl opted not to take part in the initial RFI.

Gregor Thompson 27 Aug 2025

'Predatory pricing': Govt targets supermarket market power

Property

Precinct looking for capital partners for PwC Tower

Precinct Properties wants to finance its last Commercial Bay development.

Gregor Thompson 27 Aug 2025

Precinct looking for capital partners for PwC Tower

Sponsored

A two-track approach to cracking NZ’s EV charging puzzle

Z Energy aims to support easing adoption bottlenecks by targeting the distinct needs of habitual and journey EV drivers.

Z Energy

Sponsored

AI efforts risk failure without clear business goals – Spark

It’s time for New Zealand businesses to move beyond AI experiments and start delivering measurable value.

Spark

More Health

Health

Bank breach and books blunder spur PWL rebuild

Management discovered the error in 2024, which involved double-counting inventory.

John Anthony 18 Aug 2025

Markets

Radius Care upgrades earnings guidance

Radius Residential Care has upgraded its earnings outlook ahead of its annual shareholders’ meeting on Thursday.The listed aged-care specialist said it now expects underlying earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (Ebitda) for the six months to October to...

Staff reporters 07 Aug 2025