Sick leave worries
Dominica News Online - Friday, June 29th, 2012 at 9:58 AM
The Dominica Employers Federation (DEF) is expressing concern about what it describes as a worsening of the incidence of sick leave and what this is costing the country.
Registered employees here were paid more than EC$7 million in wages while they were on certified sick leave, the DEF says, quoting available statistics.
According to the employers organization, social insurance logged more than 86,600 days of sick leave claimed by a workforce of less than 23,000.
That’s more than the 78,425 days recorded for 2010.
The figures being quoted do not include certified sick leave for less than four days.
The DEF says if this was included along with uncertified sick leave, occupational injuries, disablement, and a few other related areas, total sick leave for the year would exceed 100,000.
“It is clear that the full extent of illness on our national productivity, output and competitiveness is extremely costly,” the employers say.
The private sector is already on record having questioned in 2010, “whether a sick-leave-mill was in operation in Dominica”.
It’s a question doctors on the island who issue certified sick leave took objection to.
But the DEF says these concerns have not gone away and it is even more worried about the situation today.
Three doctors are reported to have led in the 86,697 sick days given in 2011, with one responsible for 10 per cent, another 9 percent, and the third 8 per cent.
The remaining 73 per cent is accounted for by 116 other doctors.
Dominican employers are warning that the question of the liberality of issuing certified sick leave cannot be left unchecked.
They are also expressing concern about the behaviour of employees “calling upon health professionals to support their unethical practices”.
“But even more concerning is the impact on our national competitiveness and ability to generate wealth,” the employers federation concludes.
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122 Comments
Them employees do right take sick leave…Some employers treating their workers like rubbish.All they care about is to make money. and they have you doing plenty work for little money….and sometimes they does not even want to give you a ten minute break to eat a little snack before hunger take you. I hope they take all de money in their grave when they die.
This is a very serious matter. I agree totally. I think that the government has taken a step in the correct direction by increasing the focus on Occupational Health & Safety. Some, or dare I say most of the conditions that many of the Dominican workforce have to endure may be a direct result of the high numbers in sick days and certified sick leave. Still, many employers seek not to improve worker environment standards; and even those that show interest in Health & Safety at the workplace do so mostly to the very bare minimum.
I look forward to the results of the new direction in Occupational Health & Safety that the government is stating and I await the evidence of change at the work places.
with more women being at work and with that sick leave days will be a problem. because let’s FACE IT! every 2 women on the island, 1 have fibroids. Every week at least 6 women are operated on for fibroids. each of them have to get at least 2months sick leave.
with those of us who still have our FIBROIDS, we have the face the EMBARRASSMENT of HEAVY BLEEDING every month.
CAN u imagine coming to work as a WOMAN with an issue of blood that heavy in an UNCOMFORTABLE work place.
HEAT all day with 2 old fans blowing hot air, no AC and still not a kettle so you could make a WARM TEA to drink.
man if I have to talk it will take 16 pages.
so DEF do you homework and stop beating down on all the women dat trying to make your association have a name with most men on the road side doing nothing and if u check the buses at 4:00pm you will see they are filled with only WOMEN>
STUPES!!!!
This is sad. People here are being ignorant. Dominicans have the WORST work ethic of any where I know. They do half ass jobs or none at all. People in D/a still have this slave mentality that if someone doesn’t run behind you you wont get anything done. I’ve seen people talk all day and do nothing. And I’m taking ALL levels, especially Government workers.
I don’t agree with people just taking sick leave and they not sick. But some won’t understand you don’t have to have an operation to be sick; or a broken leg. Can you imagine working in a Company and every day you under stress and pressure. U must get sick mentally. And on top of that, management doesn’t seem to be concerned about an office that is infested with termites and rodents. And yet you give a fair day’s pay? DEF workers out there have real issues that u all need to address and are closing all ears to. Get up from the comforts of all you offices with AC and go on the ground and find out what’s happening. This is so for the unions also. We want salary increases yes but we want better working conditions too.
This is a good discussion.The necessary authorities need to read these comments and listen to the plight of the poeple.
Let’s stop looking for excuses here people. Here are some reasons.
1) We all know the truth is people call off from work just because they don’t FEEL like going in that day after SEWOING (partying) the night before.
2)More women in work force – Over the years men have been dropping out of work due to lack of qualifications. With women having menstrual cycles they’re more prone to feel inappropriate to work.
ur so right. women were made from time to remain home and mind the house. but with our independence and laziness of MEN we have to go to work and fend for ourselves.
and the mentrual issue is so TRUE! but what hurts me even more is that the same EMPLOYERS you call to tell them ur BLEEDING Too much and cant come to work , they too are LADIES and dey treat you worst than the MEN employers.
SHAME ON ALL OF U and yes I hope the DEF is reading all the COMMENTS!
How are people going to get benifits from social security if they dont take sick leave? every month before you see your salary social security have to get their share and the only time you get back something is when you sick because most people die before they retire and even if you do reach retirement age the monthly stipen they giving you and nothing is just the same. you an hardly pay one bill much more to get groceries. Let people take their sick leave, it is all part of the salary the employers doh want to pay. If the pay was better and more attractive people would be less stress and have less sick days because stress is a major cause of sickness.
I wish I could like that a 1000 TIMES!WELL SAID!
If you worked more the your employer could make more money and increase salaries.
they NEVER DO! they bank it for their children.
YES YES OH YES!!!! THAT IS SO TRUE!!! THIS IS DA REALITY!!
i give u 120%, u r right. this is wat the government hav to look at, d lil salary pple get at the end of the month, wit the bills, social secuirty, and other that hav to be deducted at the end of d month. wen u look at that it is sickening.
u can imagine a doctor givin one person one week leave just for a teeth that comes out from their mouth. because the person don’t want to face the public that unless it is replace?
so i doh understand you. so the person have to go work feeling uncomfortable.
how will the person function properly
I don’t think that this a lot of sick time when you look at it per person/per year. This is 4-5 days a year which is nothing much. Furthermore,Dominica is not a place where people get lots of small illnesses (eg, flues and colds) so it is possible that a lot of the sick time is taken for more serious issues where people require more time, up to 2-4 weeks a month. This would reduce sick leave time to even less per average person. In England for instance, there are lots of struggles with colds or flus so their average per person is likely to be really representative.
Also, targeting doctors in such a manner is ridiculous. Some doctors see patients every 10 minutes and some doctors see a few a day. Just because those three doctors work really hard and are most likely general practitioners that see patients non-stop doesn’t mean they’re prone to handing out sick notes for the sake of it or even bribery, if that is what is implied by mentioning this fact at all.
What is the point of shouting at the government All the time ‘we need jobs, give us jobs, if we had jobs we would not have crime’. Your answer lies in this article. The vast majority of the dominican workforce is only interested in the dollar and nothing else. Result: poor attendance rate, very poor attitude at work and non existing commitment to any shape of basic customer service.
A work force like that is poison for a developing country!
lets BE REAL, if anyone is making a salary so minuscule that they can’t even manage to save a 20 dollars a month, where is the motivation and incentive in that???? you haven’t even acknowledged the cost of living today and the ability of employees to meet their needs and personal goals based on their salary…. much less to provide a firm footing for their children. I have one question for you???
WHAT ARE PEOPLE WORKING FOR???
the way you answer that question will indicate your perspective and motive.
I will tell you where to start. Spend less money at Lime or Digicel that way your first goal to save ‘a 20 dollars’ a month is achieved.
Apart from that, what are your needs and personal goals? No doubt, a brand new car (preferably a Mercedes), a new iphone, a new house with at least 6 bedrooms, private education for the children etc. A word of advice, try living in the real world for a start and watch less American TV. What they show you is not real. Very few Americans live like that. In fact, there are more Americans worse off than Dominicans than you care to think.
you sound mad that I called you out…. you condescending comment is evidence of that…..
SMH getting mad at me won’t change the facts my love. chew on an asprin…I won’t want to be responsible for giving you a heart attack. this is where the conversation ends because you obviously want to be right at any cost.
“A word of advice, try living in the real world for a start and watch less American TV. What they show you is not real. Very few Americans live like that. In fact, there are more Americans worse off than Dominicans than you care to think.”
what rude assumptions to make…. with my two children do you think those are practical expectations??? even if I was making the kind of money to afford these things, what makes you judge me as the kind of person who would be so lavish??
I would more likely invests in my childrens future and education seeing that they have their futures ahead of them and I have had my time…
I would give them this ADVISE though. BEWARE of employers with YOUR kind of thinking!
There are other issues that the Dominica Employers Federation needs to address. One such issue is the managers of institutions that sexually harrass their female employees on the job. Everytime they pass by they want to touch you or make some subtle sexual remark. Who does one complain to? Some of them demote you when you refuse their advances. Then they set everyone in the organisation against you by finding fault with your performance simply because they could not get under your skirt. When you are so stressed out you have no choice but to take sick leave.
Dominica Employers Federation you should investigate and express concern about this one.
the little two weeks of annual leave is not enough for a year so the employee have to get it another way. and by the way all employees are entitled to more than five days of sick leave a year
23000workers x 5 days =115,000 days . so wats the problem?
the population of Dominica is roughly 70,000. Eliminating the non work force which are children and elders you’re looking at about half or more of that total gone. Plus not everyone work for someone, we have a lot of farmers, bus drivers, venders etc. So percentage of the recorded work force to be that high means everyone who works behind a desk/office/etc is sick. Let’s be realistic. Not everyone gets sick EVERY year.
and dont talk for the lack of INCENTIVES OR increase in pay so thats why so much rebel ask you all selves a question. ITS NOT SLAVERY ANYMORE
And how much time is expended by the executives on the golf courses,cocktails at the yacht club, after session activities at the various Service Clubs, Lions, Kiwanis etc etc.
employers invest create the business,some times its a heavy loan, business is profit and loss, after this big or small investment the customer is very important why because you want your business to succeed ,with this in mind you would higher person with great personality,bright smiles ,great at customer service,these are qualities which helps your returns on your investment, your employees treat them right make them part of your business and there will be no need for all the sick leave you are receiving ,treat them with respect and love,and they give you that positive energy in return
yesssss, acknowledge that they have a life too… and they have their goals that they need to realize. and sometimes even their children to maintain while trying to accomplish their own goals…. you said it the truth!!
I think the entire report needs to be made public to put these figures which are being quoted into better perspective. 100,000 sick days for 23,000 employees is 4 days per employee. Is this too much? How does one make this conclusion? What illnesses were attributed?? Doesn’t the health statistics show that CNCDs are on the increase in Dominica?? Could this increase in sick days be linked to this?? How many of these cases are maternity leave (i.e. approx. 90 days for a normal pregnancy….more if there are complications)???
Wow….at the time of writing this there were 51 comments and none blaming Skerrit.
LMFAO
Why should anyone be blaming Skerrit??? This has been going on for years!!! Each individual is responsible for his or her actions.
i am not a sexist but i can assure u that at least seventy percent of sick leave is taken by women.our so called doctors just can not say no to a pretty face,DOCTORS ARE THE PROBLEM,
You said what happen but i wonder how many times you called out sick befor or how many times did you goff off how many times did you keep the costomers waiting and say you dont care once you get pay on friday
iguess he was just fed up with the situation and peter has to pay for paul to go into some buissness in dominica and see how some of the workers dont care i am sory you are out of a job but i guess your boos was just plain fed up
This is a catch 22 situation. Bad management cause staff to be frustrated and take sick time off, sick time off costs the employer money, employer make a loss, employer frustrated, pass it on the employee, employee get frustrated take sick time off.
Some employers have square pegs in round holes. The put unqualified people to manage staff. They put their girlfriends to manage people. when relationship suffer , girlfriend pass rage on staff, staff get pissed off, staff take time off sick.
AMEN TO DAT
Nice.It sounds like an ad on TV.
I like it ,Ilike it.
This ad here in the USA on TV says if you skip classes you end up on the street thrown out of school. If you get tossed out of school you habg out with bumbs.If you hang out with bumbs you get a freaky girl friend,then you marry and have offkey children, the offkey children are on a leash don’t get thrown out of school don’t marry freaky girls.
LMFAO
The Bible says by the sweat of thy brow you shall eat, but it seems today only the employers are eating. Greed have taken over a few employers. They are playing little Gods. They only care about themselves, the money they make and their immediate family.
They work you like dogs, you live from hand to mouth and then they start complaining about your performance and frequent sick leave. Here is what I think employers must realize that their workers are human beings like themselves and that they have family as well. They need to pay their workers better so that they will be better able to take care of themselves. Do they not service their vehicles every three months? do they not make necessary repairs to their buildings? why? because they need to keep making money. Their workers on the other hand continue to complain that their employers do not create any incentives or motivation for them in order to keep them working.
I will tell you, is not so much of the services or the products of a business that drives a business to success but it’s the workers that makes or breaks a business. Be honest Most times workers are not really sick, over the years they have device a plan to get back to their employers who are forever concern over their money and not them, I don’t blame those doctors. Are you telling me if I go to a doctor and I complain of back pains he will tell me I’m lying? The problem is instead the employers would treat their works as assets to their business they treat them as liabilities and place even harsher measures on them.
The statistics will only continue to rise even higher as some employers have harden their hearts. there is a saying that goes that their is no heart in business but sadly to say we are all passing through and we have heard of many before us and will hear many after us who will die and live all that they have acquired here on earth. Life is short don’t be counted among these people. They are examples for us. where are them now where is they money they have gathered. Food for thought.
i wonder y ADMIN u did not approve my comment, that was my same sentiment.
EMployers children benefiting more dan u the employee dat is at work everyday.
Refuse to employer other workers, you at it from 7.30 t0 5.30 or later. You tired you pis cause you need the dollar come better than that. for 6 days no over time no day off or half day of per week nor 1 day off every two weeks. They once use to work so they know they are just bad.
mr def your complaint to the doc reveals that you are so sick that you require a L.B.M in patoir.
I support you father, a doctor has his work to do and if I am sick he can only act on how I tell him I am feeling. Sometimes the environment or the attitude at work can make an employee sick, it has happened to me on several occassions and while I did not go to the doctor, I applied for emergency leave which is deducted from my vacation leave because I felt that I would go insane if I remained on the job. Sometimes you bear the shit for days, weeks and even months and you get high pertension, so when you go to doctor and your pressure is high he must send you to rest and obserrve the pressure. So of course the people who do not understand that need a dose of L.B.M.
I’m a little confused as to what exactly is the issue here…the numbers quoted state that “total sick leave for the year would exceed 100,000″ assuming all categories included, for “a workforce of less than 23,000″.
On the surface these numbers seem big, but when you do the math, does that not work out to about 4-5 sick days per employee per year? What is so unreasonable about that? Most jobs I know allot 5-12 sick days per employee per year. I fail to see the issue here?
ADMIN: Bear in mind the majority of employees don’t take sick leave.
U think these include civic servants?
You are a bit too precise, Kali. The DEF is saying that the figure exceeds 100,000 days but they did not say by how much. It could be 200,000 or 300,000 or more. And though provision is made for sick days, it is for those who are genuinely ill, not fakers. The truth is, if we do not get our act in order, the DSS will not be able to pay our pensions where we get to 65.
OH PLEASE!If it exceeded 100,000 by this much they would boast it to prove their point.No way it would be 200,000 or 300,000 and they would not have highlighted it!
I see your point, ADMIN. It’s the minority who constantly take sick leave, so if we use Kali’s formula, the average will be much higher. It’s just a minority that’s messing things up.
I don’t agree with DNO ADMIN,you have no facts to back your statement.
Ask the so called union leaders who are always in the media running their mouth to safe guard their salaries!
They NEVER educate their greedy & lazy members about cultivating proper work attitudes including punctuality, Productivity and professionalism yet they always have long lectures to give employers!
Oh what disgrace!!!
boy that place is hell!!!!!! we need a/c asap or some fans we can function properly so afternoons at records is like taking sick leave because staff are very unproductive because of the heat dno plz do a story on us plz
fish market style !!!!!!!!!!!!!
A comparison of Sick leave statistics from other countries would be interesting and of value to compare.
We are huting ourselves and we don’t even know. Taking sick leave to go in foreign country to shop
The typical Dominican employee is not prepared to work and does not understand the benefits of keeping a job.
Went to a few banks this week and was surprised at the facial expression of many of the already overpaid paid junior employees. These staff members need to face the real work environment like the rest of us that do not get an automatic annual salary increase, uniform allowance, passage grants after 10 years, special staff loan rates for house, vehicle, education, and travel. Yet these Bankers serve the public for far less hours in a work week than the rest of us despite their higher levels of automation. They do not serve the public on a Saturday and will likely never entertain the idea until they all become contracted employees down the road. Traditionally these bank employees are given either a full month salary as bonus during the Christmas season or a percentage plus they receive the opportunity to partake in dinners, parties and lunches for many reasons – Christmas, creole, carnival, independence and others yet they are not happy with themselves on the job and can afford to pay a Doctor upfront almost monthly to get time to stay away from work.
The services and interactions of Bank staff impacts significantly on the rest of us Dominican employees and employers. Both our employers and we as staff face the full market interest rate of the banks and all their charges and fees. The Banks harass the employers of this country and are indifferent to the fact that employers have salaries to pay workers at monthend. That is a major source of frustration for employers and employees and leading to poor working environment. Banks are insensitive in disclosing confidential and embarrassing news to staff about their employer’s cheques returning. Employers therefore try to get more from less employees and employees are reluctant to increase their productivity for fear that their fellow staff member who is not that productive may be let off the job and the others who stay may usually than not make that productive staff life a leaving hell.
I agree with your atatement about many bank workers, but I tell u though, not all are like that. One reason may be that bank work is a pull string affair. Many people who get to work in bank is their aunty, father, uncle, sister that working in other bank that pull string for them. They didnt work hard to get it and fail to appreciate that the majority of Dominicans will neve enjoy the benefits they have, salary and otherwise.
I don’t get it. So you’re blaming us bankers for you trying to get more from your employees and not compensating them. Just because the banks have the good sense to properly compensate us as staff to keep our morale high thereby ensuring a happier and more productive workforce? Smh
its so easy to pay a doctor to give you sick leave when you need a break from work.
I will state this: Human Resource is dead in Dominica. The biggest asset to your company is your work force, and your work force consists of HUMAN BEINGS. I boldly say that many employers exploit their workers or treat them like indentured servants right here in Dominica. They are taken advantage of and even abused. This is what many employers think: “Jobs tight to get in the island, so u better do what u have to do to get paid!” i swear to you this is exactly what it seems. I strongly believe a worker must work to the max for his boss, that is a requirement he must meet, but an employer must also do everything in his power to honor his commitment to his employee and that also requires treating them right and paying them according to their work. If you dont have workers at ur business, what do u think will happen? Treat ur workers well.
ALL DAT DOCTORS IT HAVE DOMINICA NUH????????????????AND WHEN I GO CASUALTY I CAN NEVER GET ONE ………..MINISTERS WHERE ARE YOU GUYS ON THIS ONE……………….I THINK YOU GUYS NEED TO START TAKING A LOOK AT THE WORKING CONDITIONS AND SOME OF THOSE ESTABLISHMENTS
they are on sick leave too
so wat about me that working for how much years now and never take a sick leave…………and before i get my money S.S getting theirs i think i need to start taking some sick leave..what happen one set to stay home and get paid????????????????i tired tooo………..
mr DEF u talking about sick leave but when u working at records department u must take sick leave often with dem working conditions we have dere no a/c fans not working properly we close to 2 WASHROOMS and the smell is not good ata ll and all u talking about sick leave smdh if we treat our workers properly including good pay and better working conditions we will decrease the amount of sick leave we take inside of talking about the sick leave we taking talk about the improper working conditions we have the little salary we getting the harsh treatments we have to face under supervisors and managers and no one is writing an article on it but all u quick to write about our sick leave stupz treat us like we are an important assets to u all and we will stop take sick leave
Puntuation marks are free!!!!
You know what I mean!!! for somebody who working records department. OMG
Learn to spell when you talk about other peoples “punctuation”.
word! dats rite!
We have 120 Doctors on island????? That means we could actually have 10 Doctors per parish or 5 per constituency.
Really and its so hard to find a Doctor in the main hospitals???? where exactly are all these doctors and APART from giving sick leave…what are they doing?????
Lol i guess most of them does be on sick leave themselves that why we can’t see them!!!!
I guess the Doctors themselves does be on sick leave that’s why we don’t see them!!!
I can assure you that is NOT a fact!I always wonder how is it that the doctors are never ill or on sick leave.Most are present everyday,despite the work load.HARDLY ever,do I see doctors on sick leave in hospital.
Did you stop and ask how many of the 120 doctors are employees of the public (gov’t) sector and how many are in private practice?
So when you talking about drs per parish/constituency, think first before you make a fool of yourself.
LOL I WONDER 4 TRUE!!! DIGGING IN PIT TOILET!!!
So because there are more that 120 doctors on island,does that mean all of them are employed by the government?Just about every street you pass in town,you see a private doctor’s office and I can guarantee you most of them are not employed at the hospital or in the districts.
We have Doctors on island???????????
So now employers want you to do what? Drop dead at your desk? Working for little pay? When I die is just to replace me cause all they care about is profit margins….
There are still alot of people who come into to work when they are ill out of fear of being fired – that’s what the Employer’s Federation need to check.
They still want to be the whip on our backs… we are workers NOT SLAVES!!!
And when they come to work coughing and sneezing in the aircon, they pass iton to everybody else that fall sick in no time. Is best one person stay home 2 days with a cold than to give it to everybody at work
at least they taking sick leave, what if they had to go on strike, allu not realising that everything is going up in this country, longer working hours look social Security put up on only employees money and your salary don’t go up work work work and at the end of the day no money and bills bills bills so what you all expect. we should strike thats what workers have to do!!!!!!!!
dominicans getting lazier by the day..i know too many ppl that just want to relax claiming they sick…and their jobs not even that hard..half de time they sit down pounding beff…but if they get a scratch they on 2 weeks sick leave…
Dominica is so frustrating, most people have to wait 31 days, and sometimes, the 1,2, or 3rd of the next month to get paid. Salaries are stagnant, yet cost of living is skyrocketing, how do the people in charge expect people to live? only a certain few like those “so-called”, pompous supervisors have it happy, going on useless trips not pertaining to work at all, and all the allowances. They must really do something about paying people every fortnight etc, and raise up the little pocket change people get.
ur more dan correct! de employers expect u to work in bad condition and still expect efficient work load. After so many years working, struggling to make ends meet, dey still put dere CHILDREN above you, where dey get HEFTY salaries and not one STROKE of work is done. SHAME ON DESE EMPLOYERS, but brothes and sisters my only solution is dat i tell myself when i come to work i do FOR GOD, and in return dey are bless.
when i not feeling well i will be home. WHO IN DE KITCHEN FEELING DE HEAT! you work HARD and dey still dont realise your HARD WORK AND EFFORT.
GOD BLESS DEM!!!!!!!!!! is my only solution. HE WILL DEAL WITH DERE INJUSTICE ONE DAY>
So because of that, abuse the sick leave policy??? I am lost here
YYYYYYYYEEEEESS!!!! abuse me, and ill abuse you too…
stop being smart by PLAYING STUPID!!!
that trickery is sickening…….
chhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
Abuse it how?Stupes.If you are treated well at work,you will come to work with headache and stomach ache if you have to,but when you think of the abuse of the system,all you say to yourself is,its no use forcing yourself to come to work under these conditions when you don’t feel 100%.Down to the bottom line,the employee is not the one issuing the sick leave but the doctor,so who are you or others to question when the doctor sees it fit that you need rest because you are ill?
sometime even on the 7 i get paid. you work your bout out for them too make money they use it to send there children all over shop online etc when to get pay you get hihg blood pressure. i cant pay you now. whats that.
Show your capabilities and drive in the workplace and you will be compensated accordingly and treated with respect. Though you may work at an employer’s institution, you work for your livelihood.
I disagree, many employees bust their butts for their job to show themselves a assets to a business, and still get left on the wayside.
.. They should get together and take the time off at once and let the employer see how they will then manage their business. It is hard working in Dominica. Some Employers treat their staff like Slaves..
Taking sick leave is not the answer.
Where is the employee side in all this? Dominica is by no means the best place to work in the world. That being said, Dominica is not he best place to work either. Employers exploit many workers, pay them the absolute minimum that they can (Dominica seems to be notorious for paying employees low), get employees to work overtime and without overtime pay, or generally overwork employees. I have seen all of this and am sure that everyone who visits this story knows someone who was “crooked” by an employer.
Also, it would be good to see what the Labour Division has to say on these matters. Who is speaking for the employees?
I am not saying that there are not bad employees. I’ve met more than my fair share of bad employees who give the hard workers a bad name.
It’s not easy to work here. Maybe employers should look at the difficulties their employees are facing a bit more. Just my 2 cents.
i agree with u 100%… sometimes there are employees who sit their butts on chairs and walk around the offices doing absolutely nothing and yet still they are the one that gets more money than the hard working ones.. its so unfair.. and sometimes hear them ” i tired wee”…. really and truely i think its unfair.. so when employees take a few days off sometimes it helps cuz a weekend off is not enough for the amount of work one has to put up with during the week.
You CANNOT be foreced to work overtime for no pay. If you do, you are a fool.
where do you live? I have work with people who been fired for not working extra when the it was needed,they went to labour division confirm it was a bad call by the company and thats it nothing happened
There may be cases especially in women where you find higher number of sick leave notices at given times. I’m not advocating for people abusing the system but employers must expect that people will get sick. Some work conditions are so poor how can people not seek redress? This is a very sticky subject. I would rather a sick employee stay home, than come to a job and lie down, be unproductive, get others sick and just bring morale down by slumping and complaining.
Its not a thing I practice in taking sick leave but I have coworkers who do it. But let me say if employers treat their workers better it wouldn’t happen. When you stress out and fustrate workers the slightest pain they feel they will go to the doctor. If I have a good employer I would be willing to put in an extra even if i don’t feel 100%. But the way it is now….I really can’t blame them.
well said joe hit the nail on the head but all the time insurance and D.S.S making all there money on people u yet to hear any one come and say how much they make for the year but any time is to pay back they always have all kind of problem in how much they spend ,when i sick and my doc give me sick leave doe pay me ,say i not sick
so as i doh get paid today the 29th of June 2012. I am suppose to come to work on a hungry stomach. Stress and hungriness can cause one to be sick. So Monday is the 2nd of July. No monthly pay for June yet still u want me to come to work in July. Awa i on sick leave.
I agree with you cause I am in the same boat…I have bills to pay and I eh know how I paying them, I stress have headache….
but i bet if triplek or ck or an overseas artist have a show dca u will find the money somewhere to go to the show though
well if your interest and late fee going up on your loans and credit, and your employer not liable to compensate because of them paying you late. of course you have to take a little 20 out under your mattress and try to dull the pain…… you die nuh????????????
dem teachers self always on sick leave..i aint never see dat in my life..and u have to always get someone to replace them plus pay them their salaries..dat aint fair..they need to seriously speak to them teachers
The thing is the same people who are calling sick all the time in Dominica, if they go England or America they would get their butts up rain, snow and shine and go to work.
I know the pay better in those countries and that is an incentive but still where is the pride in what we do?
Just thinking out loud.
Those same countries that you speak of have laws, work methods and benefits much different than Dominica’s. State ur info well before you speak.
Work Methods and Benefits….You have 5 or 6 sick days a year…and one per occurence. If you are sick on the second day and HR follows up with you ….you will be in trouble.
What are the benefits…are you for real
Call in sick too many times in any company in those countries, even if the work environment is better, and you will get a warning and steps will be taken to be terminated if this continues.
the pay not one bit better in thos countries the exchange rate makign it look better but the pay is just as bad in them countries the cost of living just as high in them countries and they have more bills payign in them countries so shut ur ignorant mouth when u talkign about pay in other countries cause most people who come from overs and come back home is loan they does take and come doan and cut flash and when they go back they struggle and pay there loan so mr shut it
Bonjay O…..I voleh your man or woman nuh? Why can’t we disagree without being so vile?
It is a fact that pay is higher in countries like the USA or England when compared to Dominica. I know someone who is a janitor in the US and is making more money than most civil servants in Dominica per month. That person pay all rent and bills, save money and still have to send for his mother in Dominica. A janitor!! You think a janitor can ever do that in Dominica?
So probably you are the ignorant one. Stop hide behind internet names, use your real name and discuss like a grownup.
In these countries have lots of benefits and incentives to encourage you to go to work even if you are sick!DUHHHHH!While it is true you have to take pride in your job,when you see at what length you go to be productive and month after month you have to be budgeting your life away,can you take pride to pay your bills?Domlec,SAT,Dowasco,Lime,Fast Cash,Marpin,NDFD,the banks,do they care about if you take pride in your job?All they know is,they want their monthly instalments and I can assure you that pride can surely not pay those bills.
Before someone goes out and says “ppl lying when they not sick” let me just say that the working conditions in many businesses in Dominica are very VERY poor. Depending on where you work, you have a lot to deal with. Some employers are more concerned with maximizing profit while minimizing expense. That means not fixing the bad ventilation, hiring few employees and then getting frustrated (because when 1 person goes on sick leave you’re greatly affected by it) and generally being unreasonable with their employees. Some employees do this on purpose, but I dare say the majority of them don’t.
thats what some ppl fail to realise. when ppl have unsatisfactory working conditions they tend to want to stay at their homes. now the ones making these comments have a nice salary, medical care n majority of the time work in an office on their own time. this is soo sad.
This is very true, working conditions have a majoy part to play in workers health condition. All employers and their federation is concerned about is the number of sick days but they don’t look a little further to see why so manypeople are getting sick so often. A total evaluation needs to be done and another majoy cause is poor managerial and supervisor skills that fraustrate staff to the point that the situation itself cause staff to get sick. We must understand that being sick does not refer or relate to a person having to remain in bed or the hospital but also mental and emotional. There are many instances where staff are put under so much pressure by management that some even end up by psychologist and psychiatrist to help them deal with the situation. I know of a particul working institution on island and in a particular department management frustrated and demotivate staff to the level where it seems like a constant war. staff comes to work not because they want to or they are happy to but because there is very little or no other choice. There is a particular manager/supervisor that is hitler incarnate so we can only imagine what subordinate staff undergoes on a daily basis. I feel for those staff. unless employers understand that their human resource is their most vital and important resource, the problem of getting sick or calling in sick will always be a major problem because the working condition some employees are forced to work under, is more than a reason to get them sick.
I can back you 100% percent on this. Starting with all the “bread depots”…I’m not going to call out their names but the top three selling bread business owners should take a hard look at where they put up their depots. So many of those poor young ladies have to make friends with next door neighbours to be able to use their washrooms.
Eh, it should be made mandatory that employers provide adequate washroom facilities for employees. in this day and age? Holding waste can cause so much issues. My goodness
I imagine you’re speaking from experience, Joe. But the question is, when you describe working conditions as “VERY, very poor,” what’s the basis for your comparison? As compared to where, who or what?
Parry Belot made the point, broadly speaking, some months ago, and we all saw how he was pilloried by all and sundry. This time, a reputable entity (Dominican, too) has done its homework. Now let us see the detractors deflect and blame and call for apologies.
Even a blind man can see that Dominicans, by and large (there are some real hardworking and ethical employees here), do not engage their Christian Consciences in performing their tasks.
We see them on the job everyday.
I agree, we who cry blood and say Dominica is the worst, when we move to the US we working for minimum wage with our big college degrees, two jobs, seven days a week. We don’t see our kids, husbands/wives for weeks at a time, but we do not complain because we are in ‘merica.
We leave our homes at 4am in temperatures below zero to catch train and bus to get to work on time and we do it because if we don’t we may lose our job and if not, definitely lose our day’s pay.
However, before we get a little shower here, everybody late or calling in sick.
OMG…..No wonder this country is going nowhere.
u seem very constipated my friend….. people are human, just like you…. what you think nuh DORVIAL JOHN??? chaaaaaaaaaa
I don’t get your point. lol
I see you are part of all the cowards who hide behind internet names. At least I speak my mind and I use my REAL name.
I dare you do the same. LOL……
if you have it good, and haven’t been under the weight of the yoke lately…..you should just
reserve your sentiments….and let other people express what the experience in their positions…..
when last have you worked for 400 dollars a month??
do u know what it is to live an entire month on 400 dollars??????????? FYI there are people here who have to stretch that like a rubber band because if not they will not make it to the next payday….
sometimes i stay weeks just reading without posting very much, because I acknowledge that identifying with others and their situations is just as much active participation as blowing your horn…
I hope you get the point.
employers please treat workers with a good heart and they will be more than happy to be at work everyday..
Amen on that. Employers treat your employees the same way you would like to be treated and you will be amazed of the results.
not necessarily true. some people just dont like to go to work
@ Dorival John to use your name real or imagined is your free will. This is a blog and if you choose to use your name then so be it. If others choose to use psuedo names then that’s on them. I am always mad with people who say why you hide behind text, or fake name, I call my name? sometimes putting your name forward is a sign of arrogance too! Look at me, see me, and let me stamp my authority on what ever others say. Take a chill pill, it’s not that serious
I enjoy reading your points, don’t worry about the name thing speak your truth bro
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