Gen-Z boss backs controversial sickie trend after Aussies confess: 'Play the system'

An Aussie worker's joke confession about how he "plays the system" with sick leave has exposed how many people actually use this method. Anthony Voulgaris said in a video that he doesn't like to call in sick when he's actually ill and would prefer to use a sick day for something more fun like "going to the beach".

While the approach might land you in a stern meeting with HR, the concept was backed by Milly Bannister. The Gen-Z founder of youth mental health charity ALLKND told Yahoo Finance that a day off can work wonders for productivity down the track, even if a worker isn't physically sick.

"From a cognitive-behavioural perspective, employees might rationalise taking a sick day when not physically ill as a necessary step to maintain their overall wellbeing, which can be a coping mechanism for dealing with stress or dissatisfaction at work," she said.

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Voulgaris said in his video, which was labelled as satire, that it feels like a waste if you call in sick when you're unwell.

"If I'm sick, I'm much better off wasting the day earning money than sitting in my bed, rotting away, being depressed," he said.

"However, when I'm not sick, I'm much better off going to the beach, having a great time. And sick leave is there to use it ... You've got to play the system."

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While he might have been joking, others said they absolutely use this method at their work.

"I usually take sick leave with my annual leave. E.g I took 2 weeks annual leave and told them I was sick for a week after that 2 weeks. In fact I was travelling for 3 weeks," said one person.

"I call in when sick but I give myself 1 'Ferris Bueller day off' every 6 months," wrote another.

A third added: "Exactly exactly exactly. That is what I do."

However, some Aussies revealed why this wouldn't work for them.

"At my work, even when you're sick with sick note from a doctor you will get a warning for being sick," added one user.

Another said: "Our boss wants a sick note if we are sick on a Monday or Friday. This costs money."

Others said it's better to tell work it's a mental health day, which Bannister explained is a perfectly reasonable excuse to not come into work.

"Sometimes people take a day off when they're not physically sick for many different psychological reasons," she told Yahoo Finance.

"They might need a break to deal with anxiety, depression, or burnout, which are just as important as physical health problems but often don’t get the same respect."

Are mental health days included in sick leave?

Some workplaces will have mental health leave that is separate from sick days, whereas others will include the two under the umbrella of personal or carer's leave.

“Employees must advise the employer ‘as soon as practicable’ that they’re taking leave, which might be after the leave has commenced,” the University of New South Wales' Dr Alice Orchiston said.

“The employer can also require evidence for as little as one day off, which must satisfy ‘a reasonable person’ the leave is being taken for the intended purpose.

"That might not always be a medical certificate issued by a doctor, it can be a statutory declaration signed by a Justice of the Peace.”

She added that if you simply don't want to work one day then that wouldn't fall under personal/carer's leave.

Full-time workers usually get 10 days of personal/carer's leave per year and employers can ask for proof that they need to take it like a signed medical certificate. This leave accumulates every year, however you can't cash it out if you leave your workplace.

Lawpath added that mental health days can last more than just one day, if necessary, and how much detail you go into is up to the employee and employer.

"It is generally not necessary for your employees to disclose details about their mental health conditions and your personal day off," it said.

"However, exceptions apply if their mental health condition poses a risk to themselves or others."

Generational divide over sick leave

Younger Aussies are far more likely to take sick leave than their older counterparts.

Frost and Sullivan recently found Gen Z workers take an average of 14.3 sick days per year, compared to Baby Boomers, who take around 8.9 sick days.

Bannister told Yahoo Finance that's because of the changing approach to work ethic.

“Younger workers, like Millennials and Gen Z, usually place more weight in work-life balance and mental health, and are more likely to have the language to articulate these experiences, therefore often more okay with taking sick days for these reasons,” she explained.

“Older workers, like Gen X and Boomers often have a more traditional view of work ethic, feeling obligated to work through illness due to ingrained beliefs about duty and productivity.”

She added that younger workers might also take more sick days because they have confidence that they'll be able to make up the list time "without much repercussion".

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