Latest news with #sickdays
Yahoo
24-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Gone to the dogs! 72% of British owners admit pulling sickies to look after a poorly pooch
Forget duvet days - Britain's workforce really has gone to the dogs. New research has revealed that 72% of owners admit to pulling a sickie to look after poorly pups, costing the UK economy an estimated £13.8 billion a year in lost wages. The average person takes eight days off a year to nurse their dog, with 52% caring more about their animal's health than their partner's, according to the study by pet food company ( Nearly 40% admit they've lost sleep worrying about their dog's health, while 36% say they'd never trust anyone else to look after a sick pooch. Dr Sean McCormack, Head Vet at said: "Sick days are really stressful and tough to deal with for dogs and their owners. Anything we can do together to help limit sick days is hugely beneficial. "While some illnesses can't be prevented, ensuring your dog is eating a complete, balanced and nutritious diet, getting the right amount of exercise and having regular health check ups can help to limit the need to take too much time off and your pets living healthier lives." London owners can get a quick health check for their dog at Victoria Park this week, just by letting their pet pee on specially designed lampposts equipped with pH tests. These detect abnormal levels of acid or alkaline in urine, which can be early indicators of health issues. Dr McCormack and in-house behaviourist will also be on hand to interpret the results and offer advice on how to ensure your dog is in tip-top shape. "A dog's urine can tell us a lot about what's going on inside their body," Dr McCormack said. "By making these tests quick and easy for owners, we're helping to catch potential issues early - before they become more serious or harder to treat." The team will be in Victoria Park on 24 and 25 June from 8am to 12pm and 3pm to 7pm. How to spot when your dog needs a vet check 1. Eating habits If your dog suddenly goes off their food or becomes ravenously hungry, it could be a red flag. Sudden weight loss or gain is always worth investigating. 2. Check their coat and skin Your dog's coat is a great barometer of their overall health. Look out for excessive scratching, bald patches, redness, lumps, or a dull, greasy coat. A quick daily brush can help you spot issues early. 3. Changes to drinking or urination If your dog is suddenly drinking more water than usual or asking to go out to pee more frequently, this could be a sign of underlying health issues like diabetes, kidney disease, or a urinary tract infection. On the flip side, straining to urinate or accidents in the house that are abnormal can also indicate problems. 4. Don't ignore bad breath or drooling While doggy breath isn't always pleasant, a sudden increase in bad breath, drooling, or difficulty chewing can indicate dental disease, which, if left untreated, can affect the heart and kidneys. Regular dental checks and brushing can help.
RNZ News
16-06-2025
- Health
- RNZ News
Workers could be worse off under potential change to sick leave
Government plans to change the number of paid sick days workers can take could leave part time employees worse off. Since changes in 2021 New Zealand workers are legally entitled to ten paid sick days a year,regardless of how many hours or days they work. But the government's looking to change to a pro rata system or proportional leave; where sick day allowances will be different for part and full time workers. The Prime Minister confirmed the review, but says the exact details are yet to be decided. Workplace Relations Minister Brooke Van Velden, who will lead any changes, spoke to Lisa Owen. To embed this content on your own webpage, cut and paste the following: See terms of use.
RNZ News
12-06-2025
- Health
- RNZ News
What are the rules around taking sick days?
health politics 44 minutes ago It's that time of year where bugs are rife, but there are questions around what the benchmark for a sick day is now, after the early post covid years where people were exiled from the office for the mildest sniffle. New Zealand workers are legally entitled to ten paid sick days a year although some employers offer more. Head of Advocacy, Strategy and Finance at the Employers and Manufacturers Association Alan McDonald spoke to Lisa Owen.
News.com.au
09-06-2025
- Health
- News.com.au
Seven in 10 Aussies admit to faking sickie in past year
Seventy per cent of Australians faked a sick day at work in the past year when they were not actually unwell, a new study has found It was estimated sickies cost Australian businesses $7.3bn a year in lost productivity and 24.6 million days off. The study conducted by iSelect found the most common reasons people took a sick day were a lack of sleep, to relax and recharge, mental health or personal issues to deal with family, or relationship problems. The health insurance comparison service found when mental health issues were counted as personal leave, 68 per cent of Australians still admitted to taking a fake sick day. The highest proportion of people pulling a sickie were workers aged 25 to 34 (84.5 per cent). The most significant difference between men and women surveyed was that 26.6 per cent of women used a sick day for a mental health day compared with 19.5 per cent of men. Men 12.9 (per cent) were more likely to take a sick day because they were hungover compared with women (8.5 per cent), but twice as many women (20 per cent) were more likely to take the day off to care for children than men. Other excuses revealed some workers took sick days to attend a special event or they just wanted the day off for general leisure. Others avoided meetings or did not want to go to work because it was raining. iSelect general manager of health Andres Gutierrez said the research found it was very common for Australians to take a sickie at least once a year despite not being physically ill. 'A lack of sleep, wanting to relax and recharge, and mental health are the top three reasons, highlighting how some Australians might choose to prioritise self-care,' he said. 'If you're finding it tough to get a good night's sleep or you're dealing with mental health challenges, it's important to reach out for support.'
Globe and Mail
05-06-2025
- General
- Globe and Mail
Staying home with the kids on sick days taught me how to survive the summer
First Person is a daily personal piece submitted by readers. Have a story to tell? See our guidelines at I often have one of our children home sick with me. I used to complain and say, 'Not again!' But we have four kids, and as my husband and I remind each other: This is what we signed up for. Over the past year, I've started to shift my mindset. Now, when someone's sick, I tell myself – and them – that today is the best day ever. I learned to reframe the day as a chance to create something magical, even something tiny. It's not just for them. It's for you, too. Parents throw around the term 'survival mode' a lot, even when the stress is mild. But stress – big or small – still shifts the energy in a room. Kids feel it. And they're too young to carry that weight. I try to be conscious of what I'm projecting, because the more lightness I bring, the more safety and space they feel to just be kids. Of course, having a sick child at home can throw the whole day off. It sucks – as my three-year-old recently learned to say. You're stuck. Plans are ruined; nothing gets done. But sometimes I imagine myself years from now, and I know: I'd love to come back to one of these days – slow and tender sick days when magic unfolded because I chose to rewrite the story. Is your kid sad about school ending? Here's how you can support them The magic is in the simplest things. We guess what the birds are singing to each other. We tickle backs – 'siri-siri,' my Estonian grandma used to call it, her made-up word that's now woven into our family language. We use my phone as a magical magnifying glass to find invisible elves – päkapikud, in Estonian – hiding in corners of our home. I upload photos of our rooms and bring in friendly dragons and creatures using AI. One day, my daughter declared, 'That dragon is making my carpet dirty!' We turned her preschool retelling into a full-on saga. We spray lavender mist on pillows and call it fairy spray. We lay out clothes for the next day and name them 'scarecrows.' We dream up stories, make paintings come to life and build imaginary worlds together. These sick-day experiences have led me to rethink our expensive summer plans for them, too. When they are feeling well, we go on 'midnight walks.' Not literally at midnight, but after dinner, in pyjamas, just before nightfall. Sometimes we get other parents in on it, and all our kids – wide-eyed in PJs – run into each other during our secret little adventure. The neighbourhood feels dreamier simply because it's dark and we're out later than usual. On summer nights, we stay up for a 'midnight snack' with a single candle, a wish and some peanut butter toast with honey. We talk about our day. These are the things they'll remember – not the themed day camps or overscheduled summer programs. Don't get me wrong: They're still signed up for plenty of those, but I've learned not to confuse enrichment with memory-making. You don't need to spend a dollar to create something meaningful. Our broken dishwasher once became a bubble station. A restaurant with a DJ became a dance floor for our family just because we let the kids get up and move. Sometimes it's as simple as noticing how the sun glistens on the leaves or water and marvelling at how sparkly life can be. Is 'good job' really a terrible thing to say to our kids? There's a small window in childhood where everything still has the potential to be magic, where what you say becomes the truth. Where kids live in a state neurologists compare to a waking dream. They want to believe. And often, we need the reminder to believe alongside them. I still remember hiding under the porch as a kid, clutching a glittery candy tube, whispering spells and hoping a unicorn would appear. I was probably too old to believe, but I didn't want to let go. I still don't. For as terrible as I think my memory is sometimes, that moment stuck. Now, I watch my own kids chase sparks. Every night, we eat by candlelight or under twinkling lights. My toddler closes her eyes and says, 'Thank you for all the rainbows in our tummies.' It started as a joke; now we all say it. Because it's silly and sweet and strange – and it makes the moment stick. I am flipping the script on what's supposed to be meaningful and memorable. Sometimes, the highlight of a child's week is helping a ladybug return to a leaf. Let's travel into their whimsical worlds. Sick days. Slow days. Off days. These aren't the throwaway ones. Sometimes, they're the whole point. Kaili Colford lives in Toronto.
