research inquiry-costs of sick leave to employers

[Guest Dan Cottrell]

To whom it may concern:

My name is Dan Cottrell, and I am a student intern with the Boston Public Health Commission. I am seeking information regarding the costs to companies when employees take extended leave

due to illness or when employees die from illness. This information will be used to promote a policy enacted by the Mayor of Boston for city employees called the Four Hours Off Policy. This policy grants employees four hours off each year to receive cancer screening examinations. These

four hours do not count against one's sick, personal, or vacation time. The Mayor of Boston and the Boston Public Health Commission are currently trying to get other businesses in and around Boston to adopt this policy. To do so, we are looking for facts and figures that would help promote the concept.

Any information you may be able to provide me would be most helpful, or if you could direct me to where I might look that would also be appreciated. Thank you very much. I look forward to hearing from you.

Dan Cottrell

509 Park Drive

Boston MA 02215

Fax: (617)534-5358

(send faxes to Dan Cottrell c/o Janet McGrail, Director of Cancer Prevention and Control)

danmc@bu.edu