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Sickness absence and presenteeism
Sickness absence is an indicator of workers' health and of the quality of the workplace, and the medical certificate should be honest and based on function – and presenteeism, working while ill, sometimes costs more than the absence itself, in productivity, errors and infecting colleagues.
Why it matters in the exam
Items on this topic ask about rights under the Israeli Sick Pay Law: the worker accrues a day and a half of sick leave for each month of work, up to 90 days; the first day of absence is unpaid, the second and third days are paid at 50%, and from the fourth day – at 100%. Other items deal with measures: the absence rate (the percentage of working time lost), the frequency and the duration of absences – short, frequent absences sometimes point to organizational or motivational problems, and long absence calls for a return-to-work plan. The doctor's roles are also tested: giving a sick certificate that reflects the real situation, considering whether the worker can work with adjustments instead of full absence, keeping confidentiality (the employer does not receive a diagnosis), and recognizing repeated absence that suggests a problem at work such as stress, violence or an exposure. Presenteeism is common when there is financial pressure or an organizational culture that punishes absence, and in health workers it endangers patients – a worker with influenza or infectious diarrhoea should stay home. Remember that a good policy strikes a balance: it does not punish legitimate absence, it encourages a graded return, and it deals with factors in the workplace. In policy items remember that the employer may ask for a medical certificate for the absence, but is not entitled to know the diagnosis.
Key points
- A day and a half of sick leave accrues per month, up to 90 days.
- The first day is unpaid, days 2–3 at 50%, from the fourth day 100%.
- The medical certificate should be honest and based on function.
- Presenteeism harms productivity and endangers colleagues and patients.
- Long absence requires a return-to-work plan.
Summary table
| Topic | What it includes | Exam point |
|---|---|---|
| Accrual of sick days | A day and a half per month of work, up to 90 days | Under the Sick Pay Law |
| Payment | First day unpaid, days 2–3 at 50%, from the fourth day 100% | Paid by the employer |
| Absence measures | Rate, frequency and duration | Short, frequent absences – check organizational factors |
| Sick certificate | Honest, based on function, no diagnosis for the employer | Consider work with adjustments |
| Presenteeism | Working while ill | Less productivity, more errors and infection |
| Long absence | Risk of losing touch with work | A graded return plan and coordination with the employer |
A free exam question
?מה נכון לגבי תפקודם התעסוקתי של עובדים מבוגרים בהשוואה לעובדים צעירים (the question as examined, in Hebrew)
- א. מבחינת איכות העבודה תפקודם של עובדים מבוגרים משתווה לתפקודם של עובדים צעירים
- ב. עובדים מבוגרים משתמשים באסטרטגיות פיצוי כדי להתעלות על תפקודם של עובדים צעירים
- ג. עובדים מבוגרים נעדרים מעבודה יותר מעובדים צעירים
- ד. עובדים מבוגרים מועדים לתאונות יותר מעובדים צעירים
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Sources
- Israel, Sick Pay Law (חוק דמי מחלה), 1976, as amended — Entitlement and rate of sick pay
- Faculty of Occupational Medicine, Fitness for Work: The Medical Aspects, 6th ed., 2019 — Sickness absence and the role of the doctor
- Johns G, Presenteeism in the workplace: a review and research agenda, 2010 — Journal of Organizational Behavior
Sources are given for further reading; the text is written afresh and not copied from them.
Reviewed by the Examqo AI Professor · 2026-11-06. The text may contain errors; when in doubt, check the source.