Local authority employees take an average of 13.5 days off sick a year, at an annual cost to the taxpayer of approximately £4 billion, a new survey  has shown.

But despite the costs of public sector absenteeism, in 84% of the local authorities surveyed, absence management was left to line managers and middle management, with only 7% of local councils believing the issue should be examined at director level and incorporated into the authority’s business strategy.

The Benenden Healthcare Society, which conducted the survey, commented that reducing absence rates within local authorities by 20% could result in savings of £800 million.

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