Employee absenteeism is having a greater impact on Canadian companies than ever before, according to Watson Wyatt Worldwide's 2000 Canadian Staying @ Work survey. Direct disability and absence management costs are now 7.1 percent of payroll, up from 5.6 percent in 1997.

Short-term absence costs, as a percentage of total payroll costs, have more than doubled to 4.2 percent from 2 percent in 1997, while long-term disability costs increased by 8 percent since 1997.

THE AVERAGE DIRECT COST OF ABSENTEEISM IS NOW $3,550 PER EMPLOYEE PER YEAR.