Franchise calls for changes to sick leave extension

February 2021 - Supermarket franchise group Foodstuffs has expressed concerns about the planned increase to sick leave, saying that  costs to businesses could double and it was unlikely that businesses will recoup these costs in productivity gains.

The company's Government relations head Melissa Hodd suggested Parliament’s Education and Workforce select committee should instead consider recommending an increase in the minimum entitlement to seven or eight days. It should also consider reverting back to a five-day minimum entitlement after the Covid crisis, she said.

Another suggestion put forward by Foodstuffs was that the Government should consider sticking to a five-day minimum entitlement while raising the cap on the amount of sick leave employees are legally entitled to carry forward from year to year from 20 days, to 25 or 30 days.