Jersey Government Staff See Significant Increase in Long-Term Sickness Absences

Official data indicates that the count of government personnel in Jersey taking sick leave for a minimum of six months has almost doubled compared to the previous year. Deputy Jonathan Renouf directed a written inquiry concerning long-term sickness to Lyndon Farnham, who serves as both the Chief Minister and chair of the States Employment Board. The query from Mr. Renouf sought information on the number of staff members who were absent for periods ranging from six to 12 months, or for a year or more, during each of the past five years. In his reply, Mr. Farnham stated that as of 30 November this year, 27 individuals had taken sick leave for periods between six and 12 months. This contrasts with 2023, when 12 employees were absent for six to 12 months, and an additional three were off for over a year. The data provided in the response indicated that in 2022, 13 individuals were absent for up to 12 months, while eight had sick leave exceeding a year. For 2021, a total of 19 Government staff members were absent for up to 12 months, and four had sick leave extending beyond 12 months. The reply also mentioned that in 2020, four individuals were absent for six to 12 months. However, it was noted that during the Covid pandemic, the government “focused on providing critical services,” leading to an underreporting of sickness levels. The response further stated: “Since then, steps have been taken to ensure that line managers are logging sickness absence for their staff and new systems have been introduced that have improved the accuracy of reporting.”