The World Cup starts on 11 June 2010 and many employers dread that this will lead to increased absenteeism, as staff take 'sickies' on match days. There is no legal requirement for employers to give employees time off to watch World Cup matches. However, employers could gain a huge amount of goodwill that by accommodating employee requests to follow matches. Granting time off can help to keep morale high and reduce absence, and there are ways for employers to do this whilst minimising disruption to business – a win-win situation.
The England fixtures in the group stage should not cause too many problems as only one match is scheduled for a week day during normal working hours. But remember that not every worker in the UK will follow England, and that excitement will mount for all fans of high quality football as the tournament reaches its final stages, so it's important to get arrangements for the world cup agreed in good time.
