Number of Covid days off work by government employees

Summary

The requester sought data on the number of days, average absence, and salary costs related to COVID-19 and general sickness for Isle of Man government employees for the 2020-2022 period. The Cabinet Office confirmed that all requested information was sent, clarifying that records are held by diagnosis or general COVID absence rather than validated positive tests.

Key Facts

• The total number of IOM Government employees was 8380 as at 31 March 2022.
• The authority does not collect or validate specific positive test results but can provide figures for COVID-19 diagnosis or all COVID-related absences.
• The requested data covers the financial years from 6 April 2020 to 5 April 2021 and 6 April 2021 to 5 April 2022.
• The response explicitly excludes maternity, special leave, and annual leave from the total sickness absence figures.
• The outcome of the request was 'All information sent' on 31 May 2022.

Data Disclosed

• 8380
• 31.3.22
• 2022-04-22
• 2022-05-31
• 6th April 2020 to 5th April 2021
• 6th April 2021 to 5th April 2022
• 2402089

Original Request

Original Request: A FOI reply dated 20.4.22 stated that the number of IOM Government employees was 8380 as at 31.3.22. Please can you confirm the following: 1. How many days off work after having tested positive for Covid-19 were taken by such public sector employees during 2020 and 2021? 2. What does such overall figure equate to per each such employee for 2020 and 2021 (in days per annum)? 3. What is the estimated overall cost in salaries paid for such Covid-19 related absences during 2020 and 2021? 4. What is the total number of days off work for any reason (including Covid-19) taken by public sector employees during 2020 and 2021? 5. What does such overall figure equate to per employee for 2020 and 2021 (in days per annum)? Thank you On 29 April 2022, we wrote to seek clarification: In order to identify and locate the information that you have asked for we need some further information from you. * After consulting with our colleagues in OHR they have advised that they cannot respond to the question as asked because they do not collect when a positive result was returned, and do not validate any positive test. However, for questions 1, 2 and 3 they can provide absence figures relating to COVID-19 diagnosis, or alternatively, all COVID absences (including shielding, self-isolation etc.). Can you please confirm specifically which information it is that you require? * The records may be held in financial year, the date ranges in all questions is this per calendar year or the financial year? Please advise? * Please can you confirm what you are looking for total days off work for any reason? Please narrow this down so we can search for exactly what you are looking for. Do you mean sickness absence? Not absence for maternity, special leave, annual leave? Please can you confirm? * When the question asks for absence per employee (2 and 5) are you looking for the average per employee that took an instance of sickness absence, i.e. how many days on average did someone off with COVID have? Or, are you looking for an average of sickness absence for all employees within the period i.e on average any given employee took X amount of days? Please advise? You responded on 29 April 2022 as follows: In relation to Q.1, please can you provide (a) the total days off work relating to Covid-19 diagnosis and (b) the total number of days off work due to all Covid-19 absences ( including shielding, self-isolation and diagnosis). In relation to years, please provide the requested information for the financial years 6th April 2020 to 5th April 2021 and financial year 6th April 2021 to 5th April 2022. In relation to Q.4, please can you provide the total number of days off work for any sickness or Covid-19 reason i.e. any sickness or illness or injury as well as all Covid-19 absences ( including shielding, self-isolation and diagnosis). This figure is not to include maternity, special leave or annual leave. In relation to Q.2 , please can you provide (a) how many days on average did someone off with Covid-19 diagnosis have and (b) the average absence for all employees within the period i.e. on average any given employee took x amount of days off with Covid diagnosis. In relation to Q.3, the estimated overall cost in salaries paid for Covid-19 related absences, please provide (a) the figure for the total days off work relating to Covid-19 diagnosis and (b) the figure for the total days off work due to all Covid-19 absences (including shielding, self-isolation as well as diagnosis), for both financial years 20-21 and 21-22.

Data Tables (1)

Full Response Text

Government Office Douglas Isle of Man IM1 3PN Telephone: (+44) 01624 686244 Website: www.gov.im/co

Our ref: 2402089 31 May 2022

Dear ###

We write further to your request which was received on 22 April 2022 and which states:

“A FOI reply dated 20.4.22 stated that the number of IOM Government employees was 8380 as at 31.3.22. Please can you confirm the following: 1. How many days off work after having tested positive for Covid-19 were taken by such public sector employees during 2020 and 2021? 2. What does such overall figure equate to per each such employee for 2020 and 2021 (in days per annum)? 3. What is the estimated overall cost in salaries paid for such Covid-19 related absences during 2020 and 2021? 4. What is the total number of days off work for any reason (including Covid-19) taken by public sector employees during 2020 and 2021? 5. What does such overall figure equate to per employee for 2020 and 2021 (in days per annum)? Thank you” On 29 April 2022, we wrote to seek clarification: “In order to identify and locate the information that you have asked for we need some further information from you. * After consulting with our colleagues in OHR they have advised that they cannot respond to the question as asked because they do not collect when a positive result was returned, and do not validate any positive test. However, for questions 1, 2 and 3 they can provide absence figures relating to COVID- 19 diagnosis, or alternatively, all COVID absences (including shielding, self- isolation etc.). Can you please confirm specifically which information it is that you require?

• The records may be held in financial year, the date ranges in all questions is this per calendar year or the financial year? Please advise?
• Please can you confirm what you are looking for total days off work for any reason? Please narrow this down so we can search for exactly what you are looking for. Do you mean sickness absence? Not absence for maternity, special leave, annual leave? Please can you confirm?
• When the question asks for absence per employee (2 and 5) are you looking for the average per employee that took an instance of sickness absence, i.e. how many days on average did someone off with COVID have? Or, are you looking for an average of sickness absence for all employees within the period i.e on average any given employee took X amount of days? Please advise? You responded on 29 April 2022 and provided the following clarification: In relation to Q.1, please can you provide (a) the total days off work relating to Covid-19 diagnosis and (b) the total number of days off work due to all Covid-19 absences ( including shielding, self-isolation and diagnosis). In relation to years, please provide the requested information for the financial years 6th April 2020 to 5th April 2021 and financial year 6th April 2021 to 5th April 2022. In relation to Q.4, please can you provide the total number of days off work for any sickness or Covid-19 reason i.e. any sickness or illness or injury as well as all Covid-19 absences ( including shielding, self-isolation and diagnosis). This figure is not to include maternity, special leave or annual leave. In relation to Q.2 , please can you provide (a) how many days on average did someone off with Covid-19 diagnosis have and (b) the average absence for all employees within the period i.e. on average any given employee took x amount of days off with Covid diagnosis. In relation to Q.3, the estimated overall cost in salaries paid for Covid-19 related absences, please provide (a) the figure for the total days off work relating to Covid-19 diagnosis and (b) the figure for the total days off work due to all Covid-19 absences (including shielding, self-isolation as well as diagnosis), for both financial years 20-21 and 21-22."

Our response to your request is as follows: The data for responding to this request is collected from the PiP HR and Payroll system and relies on absences opened by an employee or their manager. The data was gathered using the same report and data filters used when responding to Freedom of Information request 2358357, which also referenced employee numbers. However, the date ranges specified for data capture between the two FoI

requests, so employee figures given in this response will likely be different to those provided in our response to the previous request. It is also worth noting that all staff and areas are included within this data insofar as the data allows. This means it will include staff and areas of the public sector which might not use the absence functions of PiP, an example being MHKs. Usage of the sickness absence reason ‘COVID-19 diagnosed’ underwent development
during this period, with the majority of absence within 2020/2021 assigned to other COVID-19 reasons (particularly shielding), with a change to ‘COVID-19 diagnosed’ for the 2021/2022 data. The original Freedom of Information requested data for employees who tested positive for COVID-19, but as we do not collect or verify tests, the category ‘COVID-19 diagnosis’ was used, and this includes cases confirmed by LFTs. The requestor has accepted this.
The FoI requests data for the 12-month periods 6 April – 5 April 2020-2021 and 2021- 2022. Our absence reporting is based on months (as is the Government financial year), so this data is based on 1st of April to 31st of March in each year, rather than the income tax year. This is the information that we can provide to you:

In relation to years, please provide the requested information for the financial years 6th April 2020 to 5th April 2021 and financial year 6th April 2021 to 5th April 2022. Please note the data is based on 1st of April to 31st of March rather than the income tax year as requested. 1. How many days off work after having tested positive for Covid-19 were taken by such public sector employees during 2020 and 2021? In relation to Q.1, please can you provide (a) the total days off work relating to Covid-19 diagnosis and (b) the total number of days off work due to all Covid-19 absences ( including shielding, self-isolation and diagnosis). (a) the total days off work relating to Covid-19 diagnosis, and in respect of 2021 for other covid-related sickness: 2020/2021 – 1,224 days lost 2021/2022 – 21,174.4 days lost (b) the total number of days off work due to all Covid-19 absences (including shielding, self-isolation and diagnosis). 2020/2021 – 9,528.76 days lost 2021/2022 – 22,188.4 days lost 2. What does such overall figure equate to per each such employee for 2020 and 2021 (in days per annum)? In relation to Q.2 , please can you provide (a) how many days on average did someone off with Covid-19 diagnosis have and (b) the average absence

for all employees within the period i.e. on average any given employee took x amount of days off with Covid diagnosis. (a) how many days on average did someone off with Covid-19 diagnosis have 2020/2021 – 11 average days/sick employees 2021/2022 – 7.8 average days/sick employees (b) the average absence for all employees within the period i.e. on average any given employee took x amount of days off with Covid diagnosis. 2020/2021 – 0.15 average days/all employees 2021/2022 – 2.57 average days/all employees 3. What is the estimated overall cost in salaries paid for such Covid-19 related absences during 2020 and 2021? In relation to Q.3, the estimated overall cost in salaries paid for Covid-19 related absences, please provide (a) the figure for the total days off work relating to Covid-19 diagnosis and (b) the figure for the total days off work due to all Covid-19 absences (including shielding, self-isolation as well as diagnosis), for both financial years 20-21 and 21-22." (a) the figure for the total days off work relating to Covid-19 diagnosis 2020/2021 – £179,955 2021/2022 – £2,545,386 (b) the figure for the total days off work due to all Covid-19 absences (including shielding, self-isolation as well as diagnosis), for both financial years 20-21 and 21-22." 2020/2021 – £897,403 2021/2022 – £2,656,169 4. What is the total number of days off work for any reason (including Covid-19) taken by public sector employees during 2020 and 2021? In relation to Q.4, please can you provide the total number of days off work for any sickness or Covid-19 reason i.e. any sickness or illness or injury as well as all Covid-19 absences ( including shielding, self-isolation and diagnosis). This figure is not to include maternity, special leave or annual leave. 2020/2021 – 88,183.39 days lost 2021/2022 – 116,161.4 days lost 5. What does such overall figure equate to per employee for 2020 and 2021 (in days per annum)? (answered similarly to Question 2) 2020/2021 – 21.1 average days/sick employees 2021/2022 – 20.4 average days/sick employees 2020/2021 – 11.1 average days/all employees 2021/2022 – 14.1 average days/all employees

Please quote the reference number 2402089 in any future communications.

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Yours sincerely