Office etiquette - going to work sick

[Anonymous]

I will start by saying that I don't go to work when I'm really sick - would never show up with flu symptoms or anything like that. I keep tissues and hand sanitizer at my desk and I try not to sniffle/sneeze/cough too much/loudly. Working at home is an option but not encouraged and I'm more productive in the office anyway.

So I have a cold. I'm stuffed up and sound congested, minimal coughing, nothing else. I feel well enough that I will probably do a light work out this evening. I went to work. Within ten minutes of being there, three people told me I should go home. They were adamant enough about it that I finally did, and now I feel a little silly. It's just a cold. Did I commit a major faux pas by going in? I thought sick days were supposed to be saved for when you're really sick.

[Anonymous]

I had walking pnemonia and not enough sick leave to keep me home as I sporadically coughed for 6+ weeks. I let everyone know I wasn't contagious, when I felt a coughing spell I did my best to excuse myself to the ladies room and left it at that. I get that no one wants to be the sickie at work, but sometimes people have to realize that you feel fine and aren't disturbing anyone else.

[Anonymous]

I think people can be so unreasonable about this. I had a cold this week and I went in all week. I am not staying home if I don't have a fever.

[Anonymous]

If it is an option to work from home then on the days you might still be contagious and are sniffling, sneezing, coughing and generally sounding sick and spreading germs...stay home and work.

[Anonymous]

I would never take sick leave for a cold (unless I wanted to use it as an excuse to stay home). As long as you are not sneezing into someone's face, there is no faux pas. Especially if you have work/deadlines that can't be moved due to your being sick.

[Anonymous]

My office has an official leave policy of 10 days per year. The reality is that my boss doesn't want to see you if you are sick. And he will remember if you came in sick and he gets sick as a result. Stay home!

[Anonymous]

If I'm functional, I'm going in. We used to have sick leave but now we just have paid leave - of course, when they combined sick leave and vacation days, we lost a week as well as the ability to bank leave.

[Anonymous]

My office has a lump of 18 days a year to use for vacation and sick days. I like to use those for vacay so will only use them as sick days if I am on death's door.

That is why employers need to separate these out!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My office has a lump of 18 days a year to use for vacation and sick days. I like to use those for vacay so will only use them as sick days if I am on death's door.

That is why employers need to separate these out!

+1 My employer also does "PTO" (paid time off). Any time that you take as sick leave takes away from vacation time, so I only do it if really sick.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My office has an official leave policy of 10 days per year. The reality is that my boss doesn't want to see you if you are sick. And he will remember if you came in sick and he gets sick as a result. Stay home!

Get a new job!! You have ten days of leave a year and your boss makes you use them if you have a cold? What an asshole!!

[Anonymous]

I hoarded my sick leave since I get no maternity leave.

When people had a problem with me being at work sick, I just asked them if I'd get a free day once I had my baby. Oh, I wouldn't? So then yeah, until I was getting paid leave for having a baby, this is my insurance policy and in I go. No one has to be near me.

it's a sad reality of american working conditions, and more people get sick as a result (colds are still not ideal, as everyone has different immune systems).

[Anonymous]

As someone who is now home sick after being around people all week who were coughing and sneezing please stay home and don't spread your germs!

[Anonymous]

I tend to email my boss and say that I could defn rally and come in if necessary, but could also stay home, rest, and work from home, which would he prefer.

[Anonymous]

As long as I'm not puking nonstop I do go in.

We get to use our sick leave towards maternity, so it's just not something I could waste. I just stay away from people and hope I don't get anyone sick.

[Anonymous]

It seems like using leave to stay home is not in most peoples' self-interest (unless you're can't stand up). If you have separate sick leave, usually you can pile it up for future use or for cashing out. If you have combined leave (PTO), then using it to stay home means one less day of vacation.

Our company is eliminating our sick leave as it transitions to a PTO system. Most employees' accumulated sick leave will be zeroed out unless they use it before the end of the year. Of course, it you want to use it, you'll need a note from your doctor (because everything else in our office is like junior high already).