| Formal and informal discussions with police executives from throughout the United States has revealed a trend towards increased sick time usage among police officers, especially officers in the age group known as Generation X. Sick time usage incurs an economic cost to the taxpayers whose financial support provides the lifeblood of American law enforcement organizations. Sick time usage also effects public safety by creating staffing issues, especially for small police departments. This study examined the effects of an officer's age, length of service, and the quality of the supervisor-subordinate relationship as they relate to sick time usage. Using the LMX-7, urban municipal police departments located in the northeastern United States were studied and the results are presented here. It was discovered that as the quality of the supervisor-subordinate relationship decreases, the number of a subordinate's sick time occurrences increases. No correlation was found between a subordinate's age, and longevity, as it relates to the subordinate's sick time usage. |
