Introduction
Healthcare personnel are at risk for acquiring and transmitting respiratory infections
in the workplace. Paid sick leave benefits allow workers to stay home and visit a
healthcare provider when ill. The objectives of this study were to quantify the percentage
of healthcare personnel reporting paid sick leave, identify differences across occupations
and settings, and determine the factors associated with having paid sick leave.
Methods
In a national nonprobability Internet panel survey of healthcare personnel in April
2022, respondents were asked, Does your employer offer paid sick leave? Responses were weighted to the U.S. healthcare personnel population by age, sex,
race/ethnicity, work setting, and census region. The weighted percentage of healthcare
personnel who reported paid sick leave was calculated by occupation, work setting,
and type of employment. Using multivariable logistic regression, the factors associated
with having paid sick leave were identified.
Results
In April 2022, 73.2% of 2,555 responding healthcare personnel reported having paid
sick leave, similar to 2020 and 2021 estimates. The percentage of healthcare personnel
reporting paid sick leave varied by occupation, ranging from 63.9% (assistants/aides)
to 81.2% (nonclinical personnel). Female healthcare personnel and those working as
licensed independent practitioners, in the Midwest, and in the South were less likely
to report paid sick leave.
Conclusions
Most healthcare personnel from all occupational groups and healthcare settings reported
having paid sick leave. However, differences by sex, occupation, type of work arrangement,
and Census region exist and highlight disparities. Increasing healthcare personnel's
access to paid sick leave may decrease presenteeism and subsequent transmission of
infectious diseases in healthcare settings.
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: March 04, 2023
Publication stage
In Press Journal Pre-ProofIdentification
Copyright
Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
