THE government’s decision to delay a move to boost the number of sick days for workers from five to seven despite the country being in the grip of a flu outbreak has come under fire.
New laws brought in under former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar were supposed to see the number of paid sick days that workers are entitled to rise from five days up to seven this year.
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This move was due to kick in this month but has now been postponed with the decision on whether to implement the measure kicked down the line for the next government.
This means that workers will not get these two extra paid sick days despite the country being in the grips of a flu outbreak.
Thousands of people across the country are suffering with the flu which is putting pressure on our hospital system.
The HSE expects the flu outbreak to peak in the coming days and tapper off as cases reduce over the coming weeks.
People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy said: “It is shameful that the last government postponed the planned increase in sick pay entitlement from five to seven days. Fine Gael even boasted about the postponement.
“But the damaging effects of the postponement on public health are now becoming apparent as flu cases surge.
“On Tuesday, it was revealed that 758 people were in hospital with flu, and the number of cases in the community is more than 3,000.
“Public health experts are clear in their view that paid sick leave reduces the spread of flu and they say that paid sick leave is one of the strongest public health measures available to stop the spread of infectious diseases.
“Public health must not be compromised to satisfy Fine Gael’s ghoulish need to attack workers’ rights.”
A spokesperson for the Minister of Enterprise Peter Burke confirmed that a ministerial order to enact the measure has not be signed and the decision will be passed on to the next government.
She said: “The ministerial order has not yet been signed. With government formation talks ongoing, this will be a matter for the next government.”
The scheme’s planned expansion would have seen people being entitled to two extra days of sick pay, capped at €110 per day.
The increase would have seen workers being entitled to a total of €770 in sick pay leave across the year.
The number of statutory sick days increased by two last year to five days’ sick pay.
SYMPTOMS OF FLU, COLD AND COVID-19
There are ten symptoms to watch out for the flu, a virus that infects your lungs and upper airways:
- a sudden high temperature of 38 degrees or above
- aches and pains
- feeling tired or exhausted
- a dry cough
- a sore throat
- a headache
- difficulty sleeping
- loss of appetite
- diarrhoea or tummy pain
- feeling sick and being sick
It is important to get the flu vaccine if you’re advised to.
The symptoms of flu are similar for children. But they can also feel pain in their ear and seem less active.
There are four ways you can do to help ease symptoms and get better more quickly:
- get rest and sleep
- keep warm
- take paracetamol or ibuprofen to lower your temperature and treat aches and pains
- drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration (your pee should be light yellow or clear)
Cold and flu symptoms are similar, but the flu tends to be more severe.
The cold usually appears gradually, mainly affects your nose and throat and makes you feel unwell, but you can carry on as usual, such as going to work.
The flu appears quickly within a few hours, affects more than just your nose and throat and makes you feel exhausted and too unwell to carry on as usual.
However, flu and Covid-19 can be very similar. The symptoms of Covid-19 include:
- a high temperature
- a new, continuous cough
- a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste