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BUSINESS ENGLISH · BUSINESS ISSUES · INTERMEDIATE (B1-B2)

SICK
LEAVE
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1 Warm up

Do you ever call in sick? What are the typical health reasons?

2 Key vocabulary

Match the words on the left to their definitions on the right.

1. a hangover a. a headache or other after effects caused by drinking too much

alcohol
2. a medical check-up b. a manual worker, for example a builder or mechanic

3. a white collar worker c. an examination to check if you are healthy

4. a blue collar worker d. a period of time that you are allowed to take off work because
you have a health problem
5. sick leave e. a person who does ‘mental’ work, for example in an office, rather
than physical work
6. house arrest f. being a prisoner in your own house, rather than in a prison

7. discrimination g. unfair treatment of different categories of people or things, for

example men and women, young people and old people

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3 Find the information

You are going to read an article about a new labor law proposed in Belgium. Under the new law,
employees who call in sick are required to stay at home for a medical check-up. Read the article
below and answer the questions.

1. Under the new proposal, why are employees who take sick leave required to stay at home for a
medical check-up?
2. When exactly do employees who call in sick have to be at home?
3. What happens if someone is not at home during that time?
4. At present, what happens to manual workers who take sick leave?
5. How will this change under the new proposal?
6. Why are unions against the proposal?
7. In the UK, how many bosses do not believe employees when they call in sick?

Thinking of calling in sick? The doctor will come to see you,

under new Belgian proposal.
Adapted from The Independent

by CHARLOTTE MCDONALD-GIBSON, SUNDAY 06 OCTOBER 2013

1.
Calling in sick with a hangover or to enjoy 5.
At present, people who work in manual jobs are not
unexpected good weather may soon be more paid for their first day of sick leave.
difficult in Belgium – the government has 6.
That rule would be abolished under the new laws, but
proposed a law which would require employees who unions said that the proposal was unacceptable and
take a sick day to stay at home for a medical check- they compared it to house arrest.
up. 7.
"We can’t agree with such a violation of personal
2.
The proposal would oblige people to remain at home privacy," said Jan Vercamst of the union ACLVB.
for a four-hour time period between 7 am and 8 pm "People claim that blue-collar workers call in sick on
for a visit from a doctor to confirm their reported a Monday more than white-collar workers. We want
health problems. to end all discrimination, but we cannot accept this."
3.
If the person who called in sick was not at home, 8.
Although employers in the UK can’t send the
they could lose their pay for that day, Belgian media doctor to employees’ homes, a study earlier this year
reported. by a private healthcare company found that six in 10
4.
The proposed rule is part of a change in labor laws bosses in Britain do not believe employees when they
which are different for blue and white collar workers. call in sick.

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4 Synonyms

Read the text and find a synonym for ...

1. examination (P.1)
2. legally require (P.2)
3. stay (P.2)
4. officially ended (P.3)
5. unreasonable (P.3)
6. abuse (noun, P.4)

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5 Talking point

Do you think the Belgian proposal is a good idea? Do many employees call in sick in your country?
How do employees who call in sick affect business?

6 Ailments and remedies

Look at the following list of health problems. Match them to the remedies or treatments on the right.

Problem Remedy

1. a bacterial infection a. a decongestant

2. a migraine b. a lozenge

3. a blocked nose c. an aspirin

4. dry skin d. an ice pack

5. a runny nose e. antibiotics

6. a sore throat f. moisturizer

7. insomnia g. sleeping pills

8. the flu h. tissues

9. a black eye i. warm soup and rest

Answer the questions:

1. Do you use any of the above remedies? Why/Why not?

2. Which health problems are good reasons to call in sick?
3. Which health problems are bad reasons to call in sick?

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TEACHER MATERIALS · INTERMEDIATE (B1-B2)

SICK LEAVE

Key
1. Warm up

Encourage a short discussion. Check understanding of the phrase ‘call in sick’. Elicit terms for different ailments.

2. Key vocabulary

Students can work individually using a dictionary and check in pairs. Alternatively, create your own sample
sentences or examples.
1. a 2. c 3. e 4. b 5. d 6. f 7. g

3. Find the information

Go through the exercise description and questions. Check understanding of key phrases, e.g. ‘call in sick’, ‘take
sick leave’, ‘unions’. Students read the text individually and check answers in pairs. Be prepared to answer any
vocabulary questions.
1. to confirm their health problems
2. for a period of hours between 7 am and 8 pm
3. they can lose their pay
4. They are not paid for their first day of sick leave.
5. It will be abolished.
6. It’s a violation of personal privacy.
7. 6 out of 10

4. Synonyms

1. check-up 2. oblige 3. remain 4. abolished 5. unacceptable 6. violation

6. Ailments and remedies

Students can work individually with a dictionary and check in pairs. Discuss the questions.
1. e 2. c 3. a 4. f 5. h
6. b 7. g 8. i 9. d

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