If You're Sick, Stay Home, Study Finds

A study carried out by researchers at Cornell University found that workers who come in sick cost their employers an average of $255 each per year. The cost is due to productivity losses from sick workers who work slowly, have trouble concentrating, and frequently repeat tasks.

Ron Goetzel, director of Cornell's Institute for Health and Productivity Studies, recommended that employees stay home "even if they just have the sniffles." He explained: "Instead of costing employers several hundred dollars per year, each employee should ask for a $250 bonus as payment for staying home when sick. That way, employers can still save $5 per employee each year." Goetzel then advised that employees choose a few days each year to stay home when they really aren't sick. "Just because they can," he said. "But don't print that."