The sound of an errant sneeze, sniffle, or cough in the workplace is enough to make any employee’s hair stand up on the back of their neck. Sure, workers are still showing up to work when they’re under the weather, but Gen Z is leading the charge to change that—and the generation’s changing attitudes toward taking sick days is, in fact, contagious.
Sick leave in the U.S. increased 55% in 2023 compared to 2019, according to new data from human resources platform Dayforce, which collected data from more than 1,500 of its clients. While all age groups are taking advantage of sick days, employees younger than 36 are leading the charge, with a 29% leap in the amount of sick leave they took from 2024 compared to 2019. Those older than 36 saw a 16% increase.
