Public servants owe it to taxpayers to turn up on Monday, says ACCI chief Kate Carnell

Date
    January 21, 2016
    Sydney Morning Herald

Public servants in Canberra have an obligation to taxpayers and their colleagues to show up to work on Monday, former ACT Chief Minister Kate Carnell says.

Ms Carnell, now chief executive of the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, is urging workers around the country not to give themselves a long weekend by taking a sickie on Monday, the day before the Australia Day public holiday.


Australian Chamber chief Kate Carnell said employers must have the discussion with workers who wanted to take time off on Monday.

Monday is looming as a quiet day at workplaces across Canberra; the construction industry will not operate with a "lockdown day" declared and many territory and Commonwealth public servants are expected to take the day off too.

But it is the prevalence of sickies, or "unscheduled absences", as they are known in the bureaucracy, that is bothering the Chamber of Commerce which fear that that up to 180,000 sickies could be chucked around Australia, costing employers as much as $62 million.

"The public sector has an obligation to the people who pay their salaries to do the right thing and also to their fellow workers," Ms Carnell said.

"When people who take unplanned days off when they're not sick, the work then falls to their colleagues.

"In the public sector context, you have an obligation to the taxpayer and to your colleagues too, not to make their lives more difficult by inappropriately taking sickies, particularly around times like this.

"Tuesday is a holiday, it's summer, a nice time to be off.

"That's fine.

"Take a day's holiday."

The former Canberra Liberals leader advised employers, both in the private and public sectors, to have a frank discussion with workers about who wanted to take time off on Monday.

"I said to my staff a couple of weeks ago 'there's this Monday and what I need is for those of you who want a long weekend to give me your leave form now so we can plan around it'," Ms Carnell said.

"Those of you who don't want to take a leave day, could you please turn up at work."

"So we dealt with the issue and I think it's important for employers to have that discussion with staff, to make it clear that anyone calling in on Monday and claiming a sickie will have to provide a medical certificate because you really really are going to have to be sick."

The Chamber of Commerce said that bosses should take a tough line with employees who abuse the trust placed in them by pretending to be sick.

"Sick leave is an employee benefit specifically meant to be used when workers are ill," Ms Carnell said.

"Apart from abusing the trust of their employers and imposing additional tasks on their colleagues, workers who illegitimately take sickies can leave themselves financially exposed when they actually fall ill if they have already exhausted their entitlement to sick leave.

"Employers have a right to request evidence from employees claiming sick leave such as medical certificates, and if workers exploit the entitlement, we will likely see more employers request these.

"Workplaces should operate on the basis of mutual respect and trust.

"Reasonable employers will not begrudge their staff having a well-earned break but it needs to be done the right way."

Hi sir Crook,

I'm taking Monday as a holiday so I can get 4 days off for the price of one.

I am going to work.

The last thing you want in Katherine is more spare time

Why point at public servants they are one of the few groups with agreements requiring a certificate on any day adjacent to a PH.

Across the community private employees and managers will have a field day. Public servants will be much better represented in the workplace than anyone but the ACCI would understand this but when you have a deep engrained pre conceived bias the facts matter little.

The seeds of their own destruction are already sewn by their personal philosophy.

How ugly

easy fix ... move the public holidays to Fridays or Mondays and there is no problem. They invite these problems when they declare a public holiday on a Tuesday

miketrees wrote on Jan 22^nd, 2016 at 7:16am:

I am going to work. The last thing you want in Katherine is more spare time

wow is it that bad???...what do they do in Katherine for entertainment mike??...not fight I hope...

I guess you are now taking for more notice of all the good things about your home town.... ::) ::)

John Smith wrote on Jan 22^nd, 2016 at 8:15am:

easy fix ... move the public holidays to Fridays or Mondays and there is no problem. They invite these problems when they declare a public holiday on a Tuesday

that could confuse their 2 compulsory rec days.... ::) ::)

its so hard to fit them in..as it is.

what do they do in Katherine for entertainment mike??

If you like fishing its not a bad spot.

2 minutes from my office they were catching Barramundi this week.

Its just that I am here alone

miketrees wrote on Jan 22^nd, 2016 at 7:16am:

I am going to work. The last thing you want in Katherine is more spare time

Go for a swim in the gorge or take a trip to Mataranka, Katherine itself can be a bit depressing if it's still the same as the '80s.

Kate's just trolling - she knows full well that all public servants must provide a medical certificate if they take a sickie the day before or after a public holiday

polite_gandalf wrote on Jan 22^nd, 2016 at 7:50pm:

Kate's just trolling - she knows full well that all public servants must provide a medical certificate if they take a sickie the day before or after a public holiday

You must demonise the PS before you can offshore them and therefore make their union redundant, much like car workers.

Setanta wrote on Jan 22^nd, 2016 at 7:22pm:

miketrees wrote on Jan 22nd, 2016 at 7:16am: I am going to work. The last thing you want in Katherine is more spare time Go for a swim in the gorge or take a trip to Mataranka, Katherine itself can be a bit depressing if it's still the same as the '80s.

Race the crocodiles to improve your swimming speed.

Laugh till you cry wrote on Jan 22^nd, 2016 at 10:35pm:

Setanta wrote on Jan 22nd, 2016 at 7:22pm: miketrees wrote on Jan 22nd, 2016 at 7:16am: I am going to work. The last thing you want in Katherine is more spare time Go for a swim in the gorge or take a trip to Mataranka, Katherine itself can be a bit depressing if it's still the same as the '80s. Race the crocodiles to improve your swimming speed.

Only freshwaters, you know as you have been exposed to those, well named they are, Johnsons. Lemme guess you lost yours.

This fits yes?

[FAGIN (spoken)]
You see, Oliver...

[sung] In this life, one thing counts
In the bank, large amounts
I'm afraid these don't grow on trees,
You've got to pick-a-pocket or two

You've got to pick-a-pocket or two, boys,
You've got to pick-a-pocket or two.

[BOYS]
Large amounts don't grow on trees.
You've got to pick-a-pocket or two.

[ FAGIN(spoken)]
Let's show Oliver how it's done, shall we, my dears?

[sung] Why should we break our backs
Stupidly paying tax?
Better get some untaxed income
Better to pick-a-pocket or two.

You've got to pick-a-pocket or two, boys
You've got to pick-a-pocket or two.

[BOYS]
Why should we all break our backs?
Better pick-a-pocket or two.


;) ;) ;) ;) ;)

polite_gandalf wrote on Jan 22^nd, 2016 at 7:50pm:

Kate's just trolling - she knows full well that all public servants must provide a medical certificate if they take a sickie the day before or after a public holiday

True

Nothing usually stopping them taking a Flexitime day if they are in the APS 1 -6 range and have credits

Corporations are running this country, our governments are nothing more than glorified CEO's.

You get 10 sickies a year , take them .

Its time wrote on Jan 23^rd, 2016 at 10:22am:

You get 10 sickies a year , take them .

They carry over every year, though.

"Chamber of Commerce which fear that that up to 180,000 sickies could be chucked around Australia, costing employers as much as $62 million."

Now that's the whole trouble here - sickies don't 'cost' the employer - they are part and parcel of working conditions as laid down in agreements and awards, and as such, are part of the overall wage scale.  Ms Carnell is just spinning round and round.... and round.... is there a spin doctor in the house?

Sir Grappler Truth Teller OAM wrote on Jan 23^rd, 2016 at 10:29am:

"Chamber of Commerce which fear that that up to 180,000 sickies could be chucked around Australia, costing employers as much as $62 million." Now that's the whole trouble here - sickies don't 'cost' the employer - they are part and parcel of working conditions as laid down in agreements and awards, and as such, are part of the overall wage scale.  Ms Carnell is just spinning round and round.... and round.... is there a spin doctor in the house?

Correctamundo.

Redmond Neck wrote on Jan 23^rd, 2016 at 8:58am:

polite_gandalf wrote on Jan 22nd, 2016 at 7:50pm: Kate's just trolling - she knows full well that all public servants must provide a medical certificate if they take a sickie the day before or after a public holiday True Nothing usually stopping them taking a Flexitime day if they are in the APS 1 -6 range and have credits

Still needs to be approved but it should be ok as it will likely be a slow day where the employer really only wants to be paying minimum staff.

greggerypeccary wrote on Jan 23^rd, 2016 at 10:25am:

Its time wrote on Jan 23rd, 2016 at 10:22am: You get 10 sickies a year , take them . They carry over every year, though.

For some they do for some not.

I would still recommend taking them all, I have never been able to take mine and lost a pile of leave on 3 occasions. Funny think is that those who always take all their leave and more tend to never be penalised for their performance in this area.