sick leave
Definition
Noun: A period of time that an employee is officially permitted to be absent from work due to personal illness or injury, often with pay or job protection as stipulated by an employer's policy or law.
Usage
This term is used as a non-count noun to refer to the general concept or policy, or as a count noun when referring to a specific instance or period. * Employees must notify their manager to request sick leave. * She has used three days of sick leave this month. * The company offers a generous sick leave policy.
Examples
- He is on sick leave until his doctor clears him to return.
- How much paid sick leave do you accrue per year?
- I need to take a day of sick leave for a medical appointment.
Advanced Usage
- To be on sick leave: The state of officially being absent from work due to illness.
- She has been on sick leave for two weeks following her surgery.
- To go on sick leave: To begin a period of absence from work due to illness.
- He went on sick leave after contracting the flu.
Variants and Related Words
- Medical leave: A broader term for leave taken for medical reasons, which may include caring for a sick family member or personal medical treatment, not just acute illness.
- Paid Time Off (PTO): A bank of days that employees can use for various purposes, including sickness, which may encompass sick leave.
- Short-term disability: A type of insurance or leave for longer-term illnesses or injuries, often following the exhaustion of standard sick leave.
Synonyms
- Medical absence
- Illness leave
Antonyms
- Presenteeism (the act of attending work while sick)
Related Phrases
- Sick note / Doctor's note: A document from a medical professional verifying an illness, often required for extended sick leave.
- HR requires a sick note for any leave longer than three consecutive days.
- Sick pay: The wages paid to an employee while they are on sick leave.
- The new contract includes full sick pay for the first ten days of absence.
Noun
-
a leave of absence from work because of illness
