“SICK PAY”

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 847, 16 December 1929, Page 8

“SICK PAY”

Sir. — The democratic principle of pooling losses by insurance is rapidly gaining ground, but there is still one more direction in which it might well be applied. I refer to workers’ wages during sickness. As things are at present, if an employee is laid up with, say, an attack of influenza, or measles, he may get his pay for the period of his absence, or he may not. Most commercial and professional firms pay full salaries during sickness for a reasonable time, but this is not always the case. There is no certainty about the matter; it all depends upon the generosity or financial strength of the employer—which is unsatisfactory for all concerned. By way of evening things up, and placing the matter upon a sounder basis, I would suggest that it be made compulsory for an employer of labour to pay salaries for a reasonable time during sickness, and that he be also obliged to insure himself against the loss this might entail. By this compulsory insurance of workers’ wages, the servants of a poor and struggling employer would be as sure of their pay during sickness as those of a wealthy and flourishing concern. I commend this idea to the consideration of your readers. ZETA.