Rant: Sick Days

[Anonymous]

Funny how people get sick most often on Fridays and Mondays.

[Anonymous]

That's crazy to expect someone who is sick to work! That doesn't benefit the employer or the employee as the employee is likely to make mistakes and get others sick and has a higher chance of burn-out.

I get sick leave and I use it. I had the flu this year and I was out for 4 days straight and should have taken the 5th day. They don't WANT me to come in if I'm very contagious. My toddler has been sick a number of times and our child care provider was sick or we had doctors appointments. I basically accrue very little sick leave at this point as a working Mom.

I wish we had paid maternity leave as well but alas we don't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Who gets sick days? Our admin staff comes in to the office, even with pneumonia, so they won't lose one of their paid days off. I'd much rather they have a dedicated bucket of sick leave.

I have been at my job 14 years and I have taken 3 sick days. Do adults really get sick that often?

Yes, some of us actually do get sick enough to need time off fri. work fairly often.

Are you congenitally unhealthy?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Who gets sick days? Our admin staff comes in to the office, even with pneumonia, so they won't lose one of their paid days off. I'd much rather they have a dedicated bucket of sick leave.

I have been at my job 14 years and I have taken 3 sick days. Do adults really get sick that often?

Since I've had kids, I end up using all my sick days plus some vacation time for illnesses. And that's even stretching leave by working at home for half a day when I can. It has sucked.

That's totally different than using your sick leave when you are sick.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Who gets sick days? Our admin staff comes in to the office, even with pneumonia, so they won't lose one of their paid days off. I'd much rather they have a dedicated bucket of sick leave.

I have been at my job 14 years and I have taken 3 sick days. Do adults really get sick that often?

Some do. I think it's insane that someone would work with pneumonia!

I have a baby in daycare. I get sick nonstop. Prior to this I had been sick maybe a week in 10 years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Who gets sick days? Our admin staff comes in to the office, even with pneumonia, so they won't lose one of their paid days off. I'd much rather they have a dedicated bucket of sick leave.

I have been at my job 14 years and I have taken 3 sick days. Do adults really get sick that often?

Great for you but some of us have lives. We get sick, our children get sick, a car accident happens, obgyn appointment, holy shit allergies kicked in badly, slept with a random guy now need a hiv test... lots of things are covered under a sick day besides a "sniffle."

Um, slept with a random guy now need HIV test is a normal occurrence requiring sick leave? I have a life, thank you very much. Are you allowed to use sick leave for a car accident, or are you responding just generally about absences from work?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I had a boss who said if you are able to call in sick, you are able to come in.

Well then he's asking for no call/no shows. I wouldn't call. I'd just stay home. The next day I'd explain I was too sick to come in AND also too sick to call.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I had a boss who said if you are able to call in sick, you are able to come in.

Well then he's asking for no call/no shows. I wouldn't call. I'd just stay home. The next day I'd explain I was too sick to come in AND also too sick to call.

That's insane. I am sick today in so much pain I dread walking to the bathroom. How would I drive to work? But I did manage to message my boss though.

[Anonymous]

Never taking a sick day and working yourself to the bone for your employer is not, thankfully, seen as a good thing anymore. I love that more people are leaning towards actually using sick days when you need them. What's the point of working and having a job if you're too stressed out and office-obsessed to actually enjoy your life?

[Anonymous]

I have been at my job 14 years and I have taken 3 sick days. Do adults really get sick that often?

Yes. I get at least one bad head cold a year, and so do most other adults I know. I stay home when I'm contagious to avoid infecting others.

[Anonymous]

Funny how people get sick most often on Fridays and Mondays.

MYOB.

If the person is your direct report, and you believe they are abusing their sick leave, then you address it directly with them. And that conversation happens as soon as they come back to work, not 6 months later in an annual review.

If the person is not your direct report, why do you care? Get your own work done. You'll be happier and healthier not trying to play hall monitor for other people's behavior.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Never taking a sick day and working yourself to the bone for your employer is not, thankfully, seen as a good thing anymore. I love that more people are leaning towards actually using sick days when you need them. What's the point of working and having a job if you're too stressed out and office-obsessed to actually enjoy your life?

Financial security?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I have been at my job 14 years and I have taken 3 sick days. Do adults really get sick that often?

Yes. I get at least one bad head cold a year, and so do most other adults I know. I stay home when I'm contagious to avoid infecting others.

Maybe eat better, up the exercise and wash your hands like crazy?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Never taking a sick day and working yourself to the bone for your employer is not, thankfully, seen as a good thing anymore. I love that more people are leaning towards actually using sick days when you need them. What's the point of working and having a job if you're too stressed out and office-obsessed to actually enjoy your life?

Because money. I've had a long stretch of unemployment and learned two things; employers give the appearance of looking for ways to cut loose people over 40 and being broke stinks.

I know there are media stories about enlightened companies encouraging (even paying) people to take time away from the job and paying to freeze women's eggs and lavishing employees with all sorts of wonderful benefits. Those companies don't exist in my world.

[Anonymous]

I think it's interesting that some would be upset if their co-worker uses too many sick days. As long as their workload doesn't fall on you who cares why people aren't there. Go take a sick day yourself to get "even" or whatever. It's part of the overall compensation package provided by an employer, so why not use it.

Some people are saying too many sick days will get you fired, but wouldn't that just mean you work at a crappy company if you can't use your benefits. Or maybe you aren't really needed and they are looking for an excuse to fire you. Obviously it would be different in teaching or healthcare roles.