OTTAWA—The federal government is taking action to crack down on “exceedingly” high absenteeism among civil servants, the Star has learned.

On Monday, Treasury Board President Tony Clement will announce new measures in a bid to bring federal absenteeism rates in line with those for private business.

The public service has an absenteeism rate of 18.2 days per year, which is 2 1/2 times the rate in the private sector, according to a source familiar with the announcement.

“The public service suffers from exceedingly high levels of absenteeism, which is unsustainable for any employer looking to run a high-performing and productive workforce,” the source told the Star.

“It’s time we fix an obsolete and inefficient system, to better protect taxpayers who are footing the bill,” the source said in an email.

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The move against sick-leave cheats comes as Prime Minister Stephen Harper marks “National Public Service Week.”

“I want to extend my appreciation to all federal public servants who serve with dedication, professionalism and commitment to the interests of Canadians,” Harper said in a statement issued Sunday.

Yet the Conservative government is slashing the ranks of the civil service, cutting benefits for those still on the payroll and warning that it will go after cheats and laggards in the workforce.

The government blames the high absenteeism on “ineffective” oversight that fails to track and manage public service employees who are off the job.

“In short, there is very little effective oversight of public servants who are off sick — which at times can lead to some abuses,” according to briefing notes about the announcement.

Clement is expected to unveil a new program to manage short-term illness with a goal of cutting “unacceptable” absenteeism rates.

The move is sure to cause tensions among the ranks of civil servants, who are already feeling stressed by Conservative plans to reduce the federal workforce by 19,200 positions. It has also brought in reforms to severance and pensions, saying public service wages and benefits should be in line with those in the private sector.

More recently, Clement introduced a new tracking system to identify poor performers in the federal workforce. If they don’t shape up and become productive, they will be let go, he says.

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Yet in the run-up to Monday’s announcement on absenteeism, the Conservatives insist even more can be done to “improve productivity and reduce cost on the taxpayers.”

The government spends $43 billion a year on pay and benefits for civil servants, its biggest expenditure.