Why HR Shouldn't Offer Cash-Out Sick Days And What To Do About It

An HR exec writes to Workforce, asking: “How could we reward employees who not take any medical leave throughout 2008?”

This is a tricky question. Sick leave isn’t like vacation time—it’s to be used when you’re sick, so how is it fair to reward people who have better immune systems/don’t have kids who are always dripping snot everywhere?

But employees, you know you take sick days when you’re out of vacation days, and conversely, you come in when you’re sick because you want to look good.