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Taking sick leave because you're genuinely ill is one thing. Regularly calling in sick when you're perfectly capable of turning up for work is another, and it is the second group the government says it wants to tackle.
Justice Minister Costas Fytiris will sit down with trade unions in September to discuss possible changes to sick leave in the public and broader public sectors, amid concerns that the system is being abused in some cases.
But both the government and the unions are stressing one thing from the outset: this is not supposed to mean across-the-board cuts to sick leave.
Fytiris told CNA that discussions are continuing with other ministries before a final government proposal is prepared.
"Of course, we will discuss with all the stakeholders involved," he said.
The question now is how authorities can identify people taking advantage of the system without making life more difficult for employees who are genuinely ill.
'Go after the abuse, not the sick'
That distinction appears to have brought the two sides closer together even before formal negotiations begin.
PASYDY Secretary General Stratis Mattheou said the subject came up during a July 30 meeting involving the minister and the union's prison guards branch.
According to Mattheou, Fytiris made clear that his concern was with cases of abuse and that he was not considering blanket cuts to sick leave.
PASYDY said it is prepared to support that approach.
"Our concern as PASYDY is not to affect the rights of chronic patients who need sick leave, but to focus on those individual cases where there are abuses," Mattheou said.
The union's Central Secretariat is also expected to meet Fytiris to discuss broader issues surrounding the proper functioning of the public service.
Other unions want a seat at the table
OHO-SEK and SIDIKEK-PEO have also asked for formal talks.
In a joint letter sent on July 20 to the ministers of Finance, Labour, Justice and Health, the unions warned that any changes must not prevent people who genuinely need sick leave from taking it.
At the same time, they acknowledged that rules and procedures could be strengthened to make sure the system works as intended.
The Justice Ministry replied two days later, saying it was preparing proposals and that the unions would be invited for discussions once that work was complete.
SIDIKEK-PEO Secretary General Nikos Grigoriou said the union is now waiting for that invitation.
He said workers who are sick must continue to have the opportunity to receive medical care, recover and return to their jobs in better health.
But if the government can show that some employees are abusing the system, the union is prepared to discuss ways of dealing with those cases.
Grigoriou argued, however, that such cases represent only a very small minority.
That sets up the key question for September's negotiations: how do you stop someone abusing sick leave without punishing everyone else who actually needs it?
For now, at least, government and unions appear to agree that the answer should be targeted action, not simply fewer sick days for everyone.
