There must be a Monday and Friday virus affecting civil servants.
Government employees may want to start wearing a medical mask to the office.
That's because there might be something contagious in the office air. Or possibly the office water. The exact cause isn't clear, but bureaucrats from across the land appear to be falling ill at a much greater rate than the rest of us.
A recent analysis of Statistics Canada data by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation shows that the number of sick days taken by bureaucrats is considerably higher than their counterparts outside of government.
For example,
It's certainly a bit of a puzzle. If anything, given how well they are taken care of in terms of compensation and job security, you might expect government employees to be well-placed to be healthier, not sicker, than the rest of us.
After all, they tend to have higher salaries, earning around 10% more than those working in the private sector, and far more generous pensions — mostly paid for by beleaguered taxpayers toiling away outside government.
And speaking of taxpayers, this government sick-day phenomenon — we could also invent a clinical term, bureaucratitis — is costing us all dearly.
The federal government alone has over 260,000 people on its payroll. Multiply that by the gap between government and private sector sick days — 5.3 — and it works out to a staggering 1.37 million lost days of work in just one year.
It's the equivalent of having over 5,200 federal bureaucrats calling in sick on any given weekday.
Worst of all, such maladies appear to be part of an inexplicable nationwide trend hitting unsuspecting government employees over the years, appearing without apparent rhyme or reason.
For example,[size=150] in 2013, illness disproportionately struck Saskatchewan provincial government employees on the day after the Roughriders Grey Cup parade, while in 2014 a swathe of their Nova Scotia counterparts tragically fell sick on the day after the Canadian men's hockey team beat Latvia 2-1 at the Winter Olympics.
In 2016, oddly, illness seemed to strike Quebec provincial bureaucrats heavily on Mondays and Fridays, while leaving them relatively unscathed in the middle of the work week.
At least one thing is clear: we need to get to the bottom of this mysterious trend causing thousands of extra taxpayer-funded absences every day.
We can't stand idly by while government employees suffer quietly through these afflictions, especially with them coming right after major sporting events and on days right before or after weekends.
If nothing else, we owe it to them to help figure out what is preventing them from doing the jobs taxpayers are paying them to do.
I don't use my sick days unless I'm really sick, and I haven't been sick in years.
Quote from: "Fashionista"
I believe you.
Quote from: "seoulbro"
Government employees may want to start wearing a medical mask to the office.
That's because there might be something contagious in the office air. Or possibly the office water. The exact cause isn't clear, but bureaucrats from across the land appear to be falling ill at a much greater rate than the rest of us.
A recent analysis of Statistics Canada data by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation shows that the number of sick days taken by bureaucrats is considerably higher than their counterparts outside of government.
For example,
It's certainly a bit of a puzzle. If anything, given how well they are taken care of in terms of compensation and job security, you might expect government employees to be well-placed to be healthier, not sicker, than the rest of us.
After all, they tend to have higher salaries, earning around 10% more than those working in the private sector, and far more generous pensions — mostly paid for by beleaguered taxpayers toiling away outside government.
And speaking of taxpayers, this government sick-day phenomenon — we could also invent a clinical term, bureaucratitis — is costing us all dearly.
The federal government alone has over 260,000 people on its payroll. Multiply that by the gap between government and private sector sick days — 5.3 — and it works out to a staggering 1.37 million lost days of work in just one year.
It's the equivalent of having over 5,200 federal bureaucrats calling in sick on any given weekday.
Worst of all, such maladies appear to be part of an inexplicable nationwide trend hitting unsuspecting government employees over the years, appearing without apparent rhyme or reason.
For example,
One of the perks of working for the government. You get paid even if you don't work.
Quote from: "Fashionista"
Liar ac_razz
Quote from: "Shen Li"
Quote from: "Fashionista"
Liar ac_razz
Not at all..
If I miss a day of work because I'm sick, it's because I'm really sick..
That hasn't happened in years.
Quote from: "Fashionista"
Quote from: "Shen Li"
Quote from: "Fashionista"
Liar ac_razz
Not at all..
If I miss a day of work because I'm sick, it's because I'm really sick..
That hasn't happened in years.
Two words: cow excrement.
Quote from: "Shen Li"
Quote from: "Fashionista"
Quote from: "Shen Li"
Quote from: "Fashionista"
Liar ac_razz
Not at all..
If I miss a day of work because I'm sick, it's because I'm really sick..
That hasn't happened in years.
Two words: cow excrement.
:001_rolleyes:
I get some paid sick days. Have yet to use any of em this year.
Quote from: "TheVancouverGuy"
No such thing for me. I get a base salary and the rest of my pay is incentive based.
Often salaried workers can take time off in lieu of extra hours worked. It could be used for a sick day or two.
Quote from: "TheVancouverGuy"
Liar. ac_razz
Quote from: "seoulbro"
Quote from: "TheVancouverGuy"
No such thing for me. I get a base salary and the rest of my pay is incentive based.
I get paid by the mile and bonuses for length, and work(switching cars. If the trains don't move, I don't get paid.
Quote from: "seoulbro"
Government employees may want to start wearing a medical mask to the office.
That's because there might be something contagious in the office air. Or possibly the office water. The exact cause isn't clear, but bureaucrats from across the land appear to be falling ill at a much greater rate than the rest of us.
A recent analysis of Statistics Canada data by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation shows that the number of sick days taken by bureaucrats is considerably higher than their counterparts outside of government.
For example,
It's certainly a bit of a puzzle. If anything, given how well they are taken care of in terms of compensation and job security, you might expect government employees to be well-placed to be healthier, not sicker, than the rest of us.
After all, they tend to have higher salaries, earning around 10% more than those working in the private sector, and far more generous pensions — mostly paid for by beleaguered taxpayers toiling away outside government.
And speaking of taxpayers, this government sick-day phenomenon — we could also invent a clinical term, bureaucratitis — is costing us all dearly.
The federal government alone has over 260,000 people on its payroll. Multiply that by the gap between government and private sector sick days — 5.3 — and it works out to a staggering 1.37 million lost days of work in just one year.
It's the equivalent of having over 5,200 federal bureaucrats calling in sick on any given weekday.
Worst of all, such maladies appear to be part of an inexplicable nationwide trend hitting unsuspecting government employees over the years, appearing without apparent rhyme or reason.
For example,
This comes as a shock to nobody.
Quote from: "iron horse jockey"
Quote from: "seoulbro"
Quote from: "TheVancouverGuy"
No such thing for me. I get a base salary and the rest of my pay is incentive based.
I get paid by the mile and bonuses for length, and work(switching cars. If the trains don't move, I don't get paid.
When I work as a wellsite consultant in the winter months, I am not an employee of any company. I am a self employed contractor. I have purchase my own liability insurance too.
Quote from: "Thiel"
My husband gets a salary..
He still gets paid if he has a dentist appointment or some other type of commitment.
The Bureaucracy is a massive burden on our nations.
However, who's to blame? We elect a government, then demand they provide us protections, support, health and education, roads, welfare and community facilities.
This in turn requires people to carry out these responsibilities. So these government departments balloon in size. But their great flaw is that somewhere in the past the concept of public servants for life became the norm, but that was compensation for comparatively low salaries.
Their salaries have now outgrown those on comparable private sector occupations, yet they retain both generous leave entitlements as well as tenure.
The effect of this is that their numbers can ONLY rise. It's a chinese finger trap we cannot escape from without major re-structuring and reform of public service.
Not only does it enable only a one way fluctuation of departmental staff levels, it gives public servants a sense of immunity and disregard for responsible conduct. They take a Friday off.
So what?
There is nothing you can do about it.
In Oz, employers cannot even demand a sick certificate.
But if these bureaucrats were employment under private enterprise arrangements, their conduct would be vastly different.
Quote from: "Bricktop"
However, who's to blame? We elect a government, then demand they provide us protections, support, health and education, roads, welfare and community facilities.
This in turn requires people to carry out these responsibilities. So these government departments balloon in size. But their great flaw is that somewhere in the past the concept of public servants for life became the norm, but that was compensation for comparatively low salaries.
Their salaries have now outgrown those on comparable private sector occupations, yet they retain both generous leave entitlements as well as tenure.
The effect of this is that their numbers can ONLY rise. It's a chinese finger trap we cannot escape from without major re-structuring and reform of public service.
Not only does it enable only a one way fluctuation of departmental staff levels, it gives public servants a sense of immunity and disregard for responsible conduct. They take a Friday off.
So what?
There is nothing you can do about it.
In Oz, employers cannot even demand a sick certificate.
But if these bureaucrats were employment under private enterprise arrangements, their conduct would be vastly different.
The federal and provincial civil service could be trimmed without negatively affecting delivery of services. My boy is a federal civil servant. They slice responsibilities razor thin. If they were a private employer, they would have fewer employees.
When I was working in a Federal Department, I estimated that 30% of the staff could be cut with no detriment to service levels.
Quote from: "Bricktop"
I work for our provincial government..
We have surplus employees.
Because you cannot offload them.
This has to be rectified.
Quote from: "Bricktop"
This has to be rectified.
That's good. I don't want my boy and his girlfriend moving in with me.
When I worked for the local goverment, I stated that you could easily kick out half of the personnel..
And then I said that all we do is move from one coffee table to the next..
They didnt believe me even though we had been sitting there talking bullshit for 45 mins.
Quote from: "Odinson"
And then I said that all we do is move from one coffee table to the next..
They didnt believe me even though we had been sitting there talking bullshit for 45 mins.
I work with a lady who's on social media most of the day.
Depressing job..
The days seemed endless..
Even though everybody went home after 4-5h.. But they wrote down 8h.
The theft of state property was rampant..
Also buying stuff for yourself with state credit card was rampant.
Quote from: "Fashionista"
Quote from: "Odinson"
And then I said that all we do is move from one coffee table to the next..
They didnt believe me even though we had been sitting there talking bullshit for 45 mins.
I work with a lady who's on social media most of the day.
Sounds familiar.
Quote from: "Odinson"
The days seemed endless..
Even though everybody went home after 4-5h.. But they wrote down 8h.
The theft of state property was rampant..
Also buying stuff for yourself with state credit card was rampant.
Okay, it's not that bad here..
But, people take paid sick days when they are not sick.
But rarely take unpaid sick days.
Quote from: "Bricktop"
There's no such thing as unpaid sick days in the provincial civil service.
Quote from: "Bricktop"
I read sick days costs the economy $16.6 billion in 2017. The problem with that number is that it implies these civil servant's employment is necessary in the first place.
Quote from: "Odinson"
The days seemed endless..
Even though everybody went home after 4-5h.. But they wrote down 8h.
The theft of state property was rampant..
Also buying stuff for yourself with state credit card was rampant.
They don't work too many productive hours in Israel either.
I observe that some civil servants have this attitude that they can do anything because they cannot be fired for it. I've worked with a lot of them and I have seen the quality of work some of them perform. I am just baffled why the slackers remain employed.
Quote from: "@realAzhyaAryola"
I am a member of the Alberta Union of Public Employees..
Our union has a lot of power over the provincial government.