Overview

• Average sick days rose to 9.2 in 2023–24, up from the pandemic low of 5.9 in 2020–21 and approaching the 2017–20 range of roughly 9.6 to 10.4 days.
• Some federal employees returned to offices in 2022, and a broader order in early 2023 required two to three in‑person days each week.
• Canada Border Services Agency and Correctional Service Canada consistently recorded among the highest sick‑day usage from 2017–18 through 2023–24.
• Experts attribute the pandemic dip to reduced exposure and working at home while mildly ill, and some expect further increases due to delayed care, greater exposures, mental‑health issues and financial stress.
• Government guidance notes full‑time staff generally accrue just over nine hours of sick leave monthly, with paid leave contingent on available credits and employer satisfaction of incapacity.