taking sick leave

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "taking sick leave" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it when referring to the act of being absent from work due to illness. Example: "I will be taking sick leave next week." Alternative expressions include "taking medical leave" and "taking time off for illness."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

45 human-written examples

Flight crews are being pushed to work even when ill, because of stiff penalties and strict disciplinary action for taking sick leave, guild members wrote.

The New York Times

The federation said PTSD, anxiety and depression were leading to an increase in the number of their members taking sick leave.

The Guardian

Sants led the FSA through the crisis and then worked as Barclays head of compliance and regulatory affairs before taking sick leave, and then resigning.

The Guardian - Business

Instead, British employers complain again and again that they find school-leavers are worse than, say, Polish workers when it comes to punctuality, taking sick leave, numeracy, literacy and customer service skills, and plead with the government to improve schooling.

The Economist

Pregnant women who are unwell may feel conflicted, wanting to do their best for the baby, yet fearing that taking sick leave is an admission of defeat, confirming the image of the struggling mum who is best off at home.

The Guardian

Thousands of British Airways passengers were stranded at Heathrow Airport in London after more than 50 flights were canceled because of a staff shortage caused by recruitment delays and workers taking sick leave.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

14 human-written examples

It has been argued that there are gender differences in sickness absence are due to that women sometimes take sick leave to care for (sick) children.

BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders

Laarmans takes sick leave and orders 10,000 Edams.

The Guardian - Books

One-fifth took sick leave, and only 39% took any kind of vacation.

The Guardian - Opinion

When first contacted in June, he had just taken sick leave for a heart problem.

The New York Times

Eventually she took sick leave, and went on holiday to try to de-stress and recover.

The Guardian - Books

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In British English, the word "leave" is often used without an article when referring to the general concept, while "a sick day" is preferred for specific occurrences.

Common error

Avoid using the plural form "taking sick leaves" when referring to a single person's period of absence. Even if the absence lasts several weeks, it is considered one continuous "leave" period. Use the plural form only when referring to multiple separate incidents or multiple employees.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "taking sick leave" functions as a gerund phrase. According to Ludwig AI, it typically acts as the subject of a sentence or the object of a verb or preposition. It describes the action of exercising one's right to be absent from work due to medical reasons.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science & Medicine

45%

News & Media

40%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Wiki & General Knowledge

3%

Reference

1%

Social Media

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In conclusion, "taking sick leave" is a highly established and correct phrase in English. It is a versatile expression used across journalism, medicine, and corporate life. Ludwig AI confirms that the phrase is grammatically sound and carries a professional tone that is preferred over more informal alternatives like <a href="/s/taking+a+sickie" target="_blank" rel="alternative">taking a sickie. Whether you are drafting a formal HR report or sending an email to a manager, this phrase clearly and effectively communicates the act of being away from work due to illness. Its high frequency in authoritative medical journals further underscores its precision and reliability in describing workplace health dynamics.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

calling in sick

Focuses on the act of notifying the employer via phone or message

taking a sick day

Refers to a specific, usually short-term unit of time off

taking medical leave

More formal and often implies a longer duration or a documented condition

utilizing sick time

Uses more corporate or HR-oriented terminology

being off sick

Describes the state of absence rather than the action of taking the leave

requesting sick leave

Emphasizes the formal process of asking for permission

claiming sick pay

Focuses on the financial compensation aspect of the absence

taking a leave of absence

A broader term that can include non-medical reasons

absent due to illness

A descriptive, formal way to state the reason for not being present

staying home sick

A more informal and literal description of the situation

FAQs

How to use "taking sick leave" in a sentence?

You can use it as a gerund to describe an action, such as "She is considering <a href="/s/taking+sick+leave" target="_blank" rel="alternative">taking sick leave after her surgery" or "The policy for <a href="/s/taking+sick+leave" target="_blank" rel="alternative">taking sick leave is clearly outlined in the handbook".

What is the difference between "taking sick leave" and "calling in sick"?

While <a href="/s/taking+sick+leave" target="_blank" rel="alternative">taking sick leave refers to the period of absence itself, <a href="/s/calling+in+sick" target="_blank" rel="alternative">calling in sick specifically describes the act of notifying your workplace that you will not be coming in.

Is it correct to say "taking a sick leave"?

While often used colloquially, the phrase <a href="/s/taking+sick+leave" target="_blank" rel="alternative">taking sick leave is generally treated as an uncountable noun phrase in professional writing. Adding the article "a" is more common when combined with "day", as in <a href="/s/taking+a+sick+day" target="_blank" rel="alternative">taking a sick day.

Can I use "taking sick leave" for mental health?

Yes, modern professional standards increasingly recognize <a href="/s/taking+sick+leave" target="_blank" rel="alternative">taking sick leave for mental health reasons like stress or burnout as just as valid as taking it for physical illness.