The Australia Desk · Story 5
How often do you all take a sick day?
A Reddit thread on r/AusFinance asks how often Australians take sick days, sparking over 1,000 comments. Responses range from using leave strategically for mental health to hoarding it for years.
The discussion reflects broader tensions in Australian workplace culture around sick leave entitlement, mental health recognition, and the financial logic of using or saving leave.
Key details
- The Reddit thread in r/AusFinance received 377 upvotes and 1,046 comments.
- Top comment argues that needing a mental health day is a legitimate health concern, not a fake sick day.
- One user with 15 years of service has accrued about 150 sick days and uses 2-3 per year.
- A contractor says they only take sick leave when 'basically dying,' while a permanent employee uses it as often as possible.
- A full-time accountant reports taking a sick day roughly every six weeks, including for mental reset.
Discussion angles
- Mental health and burnout are considered legitimate reasons for sick leave, not 'fake' days.
- Some workers deliberately use all their sick leave each year because it cannot be transferred or cashed out.
- Contractors avoid taking sick leave unless seriously ill, while permanent employees feel more entitled to use it.
- One accountant reports taking a sick day every six weeks on average, including for mental reset.
- Long-term employees with large accrued sick leave balances question whether to use them or save them.
Top comments
The community is divided between those who use sick leave strategically and those who hoard it. Many argue mental health days are legitimate, while others admit to using leave for burnout or hangovers. A common theme is that unused sick leave cannot be cashed out, so workers feel justified in using it.