To take a sick day or not to take a sick day - that is the question for many American workers who are getting little help from their employers. Reuters reports on the results of an eight-year study from Harvard University and Canada's McGill University that found of the 15 most economically-competitive nations (as determined by the World Economic Forum over the last 10 years), all but one don't just offer but mandate paid sick leave. Care to guess who the PTO miser is? The United States is the leader in not offering paid time off for just about everything.

The 15 countries included in the study were Australia, Austria, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, Singapore, Sweden, Switzerland, Britain and the United States. Of those, 13 guarantee paid maternity leave, and 12 provide paid paternal leave. Eleven provide time off to care for sick kids, and eight extend that benefit to care for sick adults. The United States doesn't mandate any of these benefits.

Critics argue that not requiring employers to offer time off saves jobs and protects companies from what would be a financial burden. In fact, one of the countries included in the study, Iceland, saw its financial system collapse last year. Study author Jody Heymann of McGill's Institute for Health and Social Policy disagrees.

"What we found is that none of these policies in any way impede being highly competitive or having low unemployment," she said.

A pair of proposed acts might change the U.S. position on paid leave. The Healthy Families Act would require companies that employ 15 or more workers to provide up to seven days of paid sick leave. The Family Leave Insurance Act would cover paid leave for care of a new child or ill family member, Reuters reports.

The study findings are available in a book, "Raising the Global Floor: Dismantling the Myth that We Can't Afford Good Working Conditions for Everyone." They include findings from a wider study of 190 countries.

Instant Insights /

U.S. employers least likely to offer PTO

More From HR Executive

Related Stories

Recommended For You