Too broke to call off: 1 in 3 Australians have had to work while sick
Millions of Aussies have had to turn up to work sick, according to new research by Finder.
A Finder survey of 1,011 respondents revealed 1 in 3 (33%) Australians – equivalent to 7.2 million people – have had to tough it out at work while unwell for financial reasons.
The research shows 17% have powered through during illness because they were employed as a casual.
A further 15% have battled through a work day sick because they didn't have any sick leave, while 6% said it's because they couldn't afford healthcare if they didn't.
Taylor Blackburn, personal finance and insurance specialist at Finder, said working while sick has become a financial survival tactic for millions of people.
"We've somehow turned working while under the weather into a badge of honour – but for millions of Australians, it's not bravery, it's financial pressure.
"Exposing your colleagues to infection or running yourself into the ground isn't admirable. The idea that sick days are optional is not only outdated, it's dangerous.
"When people are clocking in with a fever just to pay the bills, that's not work ethic, it's a broken system."
Blackburn said casual workers are being forced to choose between their health and their pay.
"The pandemic should have put a stop to the 'soldier on' mentality for good. Instead, millions of Australians are still stuck working through illness.
"For a large portion of the workforce, no attendance means no pay, making staying at home an impossible choice.
"We focus a lot on productivity, but presenteeism can be a silent killer – people show up unwell, underperform, and risk everyone else's health in the process."
Blackburn said rising inflation and interest rates will only exacerbate the trend.
"Having a financial safety net like income protection insurance can be the difference between recovering at home and feeling forced to work through a serious illness."
Have you had to work while you were sick?
| Yes, I was a casual employee | 17% |
| Yes, I didn't have any sick leave | 15% |
| Yes, otherwise I couldn't afford my healthcare | 6% |
| Yes, other | 3% |
| No | 67% |
| "Source: Finder survey of 1,011 respondents, February 2026 | |
| Respondents could tick more than one "yes" response" |  |
Methodology
- Finder's Consumer Sentiment Tracker is a monthly recurring nationally representative survey of more than 90,000 respondents.
- Figures in this release are based on 1,011 respondents from February 2026.
- The Consumer Sentiment Tracker is owned by Finder and operated by Qualtrics.
- The survey has been running monthly since May 2019.
Credits
- PR team: Taylor Blackburn, Kate Boddington, Natascha Kwiet-Evans, Jamie Hersch
- Insights research team: Graham Cooke, William Capada, Karen Manalaysay
- Survey operation: Qualtrics
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