One in six people to miss work for US election
One in six Irish workers will take tomorrow off work to follow the overnight voting in the US election, a survey claimed today.
The study by employment law firm Peninsula Ireland also found that half of all bosses are worried that more staff will call in sick.
Peninsula Ireland head Alan Price said that the much-hyped contest has captured the public’s imagination because of larger-than-life candidates like Barack Obama, John McCain and Sarah Palin.
“Many people in Ireland are interested enough to book time off work and it’s good to see obliging employers,” said Mr Price.
“This is the start of a new term and the start of a new era post-Bush and naturally it has everyone talking.”
Many companies said they would set up TVs and radios so employees can soak up the drama of the results unfolding.
Some 527 employees and 175 employers were telephoned or emailed during a two-week period at the end of last month for the survey.
Peninsula also warned employers not to jump to conclusions if employees are out sick for genuine reasons tomorrow.
“They should not act in haste but should instead err on the side of caution and investigate the real reason for sickness,” Mr Price said.
“Some Irish firms are embracing the election a lot more than others and are allowing a TV or radio in the workplace as a way of keeping up to date with developments as well as channelling the buzz and excitement of the election, increasing morale and preventing any risk to absenteeism,” he added.
