Saskatchewan government employee absenteeism

REGINA: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) has obtained documents through Freedom of Information legislation revealing Saskatchewan government employees take 23 per cent more sick days than the national average for all workers.

In 2005-06, absenteeism in government departments cost taxpayers an estimated $20 million in lost productivity. The survey also found absenteeism cost crown corporations another $14 million.

Documents obtained by the CTF also show the province's Public Service Commission (PSC) has not implemented a strategy for reducing absenteeism. The CTF is calling on the government to bring in an action plan to reduce absenteeism to below the national average (7.8 sick days per year, per employee) by 2010.

"The high rate of absenteeism in the public service is cause for concern for all taxpayers," said CTF Saskatchewan director David MacLean. "This survey is about saving tax dollars by exposing inefficiencies that demand government action. The fact that CTF has been raising this issue for three years and the PSC has still done nothing about absenteeism is disturbing."

Survey highlights
- Average number of sick days taken per full time equivalent (FTE) has risen by 7 per cent since 2001-02 - from 9 days per FTE to 9.6.

- The department with the highest rate of absenteeism is Corrections and Public Safety - which lost an average of 13.6 days per FTE last year.

- Of the crown corporations surveyed, SaskTel responded with the highest rate of absenteeism - 11.6 sick days per FTE. This represents a 31 per cent increase since 2001-02.

- Saskatchewan Justice saw the biggest improvement among government departments with a 23 per cent reduction in absenteeism since 2001-02.

- SaskPower leads the way among crowns by reducing absenteeism 12 per cent since 2001-02.