As business owners we are guided by the Basic Conditions of Employment Act 1997 when it comes to sick leave.

And yet the Metrobus strike is over payment for accumulated sick leave? I'm floored.

So let's make it real simple so that everyone knows where they stand. You get x number of days leave per year's service, and how it is consumed is irrelevant. Sick, compassionate, ordinary. And whatever change over a year's worth can be taken as cash-in-hand. The only exception I would keep out of this arrangement would be maternity leave, which I'd keep the way it is right now.

This way business has a reasonably predictable productivity (or downtime) budget to work with and we stop this game of "nibbles-away".

What do you think?