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Companies pay an estimated 15% to employees as sick time.  Up until recently, these same companies haven’t necessarily questioned employees on how often they really are sick and when these days are actually being used for other purposes.  Now that jobs have become scarce and companies are keeping a closer watch on the bottom line, absenteeism is front and center. A. Harrison Barnes, founder of EmploymentCrossing.com and a career coach, says it’s not that companies want to penalize those who are sick or have doctor’s appointments, but rather, businesses simply can’t afford to sacrifice a significant amount of money for those taking personal days masked as sick days.

Couple this with the fact absenteeism numbers are up, and the potential exists for major employee/employer tensions.  Many companies have already cut their workforces to the bare minimum, which means letting go of employees now means a job opening that must be filled. This is where EmploymentCrossing.com comes in. Its focus on providing the best talent to fill positions across the country is what sets it apart.  The award winning site uses specific algorithms that enhance the experience for both job seekers and the employers with positions that must be filled.

Hewitt Associates, an Illinois human resources group, reports only 25% of American companies follow their policies on absenteeism in a consistent manner.  A. Harrison Barnes mirrors this sentiment, “Companies aware of this weakness and are now taking a harder look at potential solutions.” Another fact reported by Hewitt Associates is that close to 30% of companies are also considering the benefits of freelancers or outsourcing certain tasks.

Further, studies have revealed those employees with chronic absenteeism also are quicker to leave their employment for career changes, often with insufficient notice, for a different job but not before they cost their employers more in being unproductive when they are at work. This is yet another reason for the success of EmploymentCrossing.com and its sister sites, such as Hound.com.

Some companies are installing certain software applications designed to recognize certain patterns of employees. For instance, there may those who suffer from Friday afternoon headaches and routinely leave at lunch and not return until Monday morning.  There are those, too, that repeatedly call in on the day before or after their scheduled days off in an effort of gaining a long weekend. These habits are costing businesses big dollars.

One final proactive approach employers are taking is asking employees the nature of their sickness and even requiring documentation from medical personnel that can verify an employee was truly sick. Many employers believe asking the nature of an illness somehow violates the employee’s confidentiality rights.  It’s a fine line; however, justifications for those who are repeatedly absent are certainly acceptable.  Barnes encourages any employer who is interested to know what its rights are should encourage the company’s legal department or other similar personnel. And those employees that are discharged or resign, EmploymentCrossing.com offers qualified candidates who can meet the challenge.

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