The Great World Cup Sick-Out

The World Cup represents a disturbance for the workplace that leaders have to manage, like it or not.

If workers do suspiciously call in sick, there’s not much companies can do to confirm that’s actually the case.

Marissa Mastroianni, an employment attorney at Cole Schotz in New Jersey, tells me the “commute issue” is top of mind for many clients. Eleven American cities are hosting games, along with three in Mexico and two in Canada. In those areas, travel snags are inevitable on game days. “To the extent you can allow people to work from home on those days, that would be great,” she says. The alternative is people showing up late or leaving early because of traffic, so they’re more likely to be more productive if they’re at home working. For companies that can’t offer work-from-home, Mastroianni suggests arranging on-site meals or even shuttles for employees who need to move between locations throughout the day. “The main focus is the travel situation,” she says.

If workers do suspiciously call in sick, there’s not much companies can do to confirm that’s actually the case. Many states have laws dictating when firms can — and can’t — ask for doctors’ notes. “In New Jersey, for example, it’s got to be three or more consecutive days of being off before you can ask for a note. In New York, it’s more than three days,” Mastroianni says. “So employers really are going to probably be struggling a little bit with the calling out issue.”

To be sure, it’s not all bad. Employers may be able to use the World Cup as a team-building opportunity and “really embrace it,” says Lindsay Bousman, vice president of culture and talent success at Dayforce, an HR software company. The value of bringing people together for a match “outlasts what might be two hours out of their day,” she says.

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