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ARTICLE · 18 JUNE 2012

Does Sport Lead To Sickness Absence?

A summer of sport is about to kick off with the UEFA European Championships, followed by Wimbledon and the Olympics.

United KingdomEmployment and HR
Stephen Miller
Stephen Miller
Graham Mitchell
Graham Mitchell
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A summer of sport is about to kick off with the UEFA European Championships, followed by Wimbledon and the Olympics.

A recent survey has estimated that during the Olympics this summer, around 1 in 5 employees are willing to take unauthorised absences from work.  The survey also found that as few as 22% of workers believe that their employers are prepared for the "disturbance" to the workplace that the Olympics will bring.

We have advised employers about employees who have suddenly gone "AWOL" for sporting events and employees whose sickness absence pattern closely mirrors the home fixtures of their team! 

During the World Cup in 2006, two football fans faced disciplinary action when they were caught red-handed by their employers watching an England match in a pub after taking a 'sickie' from their jobs as supervisors at a manufacturing company.

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