Teachers, other school employees are taking more sick days, Ontario auditor says

TORONTO -- Ontario's auditor general says teachers and other school board employees are taking more sick days -- an average of nearly 12 last year.

In her annual report, Bonnie Lysyk says a study of more than 50 school boards found that in the last five years, sick days increased by about 30 per cent -- from nine days in the 2011-2012 school year to 11.6 in 2015-2016.

The beginning of that five-year period is when the province stopped letting teachers bank sick days.

Custodians and maintenance employees had the highest average sick days in the 2015-2016 school year, at more than 16 days.

Lysyk says in her report that the direct costs of absenteeism include paying for replacement workers, such as substitute teachers, resulting in less money being available for student services.

She recommends that school boards develop and implement attendance support programs, including absence reporting, tracking and data analysis.

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