What is the national average for sick days used?

As of 2014, the average number of sick days that U.S. workers take in a given year was approximately 4.9, according to CNBC. The average for the United Kingdom was 9.1 days, and those in the Asia-Pacific area came in with the least number of days at 2.2. This study did not differentiate between those who were able to take paid sick days or had to forgo income due to illness.

The number of U.S. workers who have access to paid sick leave has increased in the past 20 years from 50 percent in 1992 to 61 percent in 2012, notes the Bureau of Labor Statistics.