Anonymous wrote:I think there is a big difference between "working when sick" and being courteous to those in the office who have to pick up your work when you are out.
Anyone logical knows the difference between the two.

While I wouldn't ask anyone to work when sick, if someone on my team is out sick and we have a call/meeting/crisis of some kind, and the only person with the knowledge is out sick, we text them to ask for help. I've never had a single person complain and I have never complained. Everyone happily helps out. Frankly if its their project they would rather be asked so you don't screw up their work.

There's a difference between a career and a job. If you are out sick and your job is to work at starbucks as a barista, no one is expecting you to "work while sick". If you have a career, its a career. Its part of your life. A "sick day" does not mean you cease to exist.

I do the same on my end when I am out. I certainly am not available all day and answering emails if I am deathly ill, but if I can be helpful and I can manage it, I am happy to help out my staff.

Anonymous wrote:You guys sound like jerks. I have been home sick since Monday. I sent my boss a status report on Monday morning. I delegated meetings to other team members and sent emails for meetings I was going to miss. But when I said I was sick, I was not well enough to be checking email, typing up reports, etc. I don't try to take the easy way out. But I think it is ridiculous to contact someone who is out sick about non urgent issues. I feel like my boss is a control freak.

I am not calling in or checking emails. Like I said, she was texting me on my personal cell. We only have cell phones and not a home phone so it was buzzing and I checked it.

I've been a manager and team leader before and you shouldn't have all heck break out because a staffer is out three days. It happens sometimes.

I haven't taken any leave except my maternity leave in over a year.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Federal manager here, and I agree with 14:46. Especially because, OP, you say that you are in a role where your primary function is to lead and facilitate conference calls and meetings. I feel for you, really, but I think some proactive communication when you're out -- I'm sick, this is what's on deck for me today and what you, manager, might need to know to cover in my absence -- might go a long way? You shouldn't have to work when you're sick, and setting some boundaries on your end is just fine (e.g. not checking work e-mail). But I also think it's fair to say that -- sick or not -- you're still responsible for the work assigned to you and need to make sure that whoever is at the office knows what they need to know to function in your absence.

This is what I do as well. I've learned to manage my boss. My DH is a Fed and he is actually the one who taught me how to effectively do this. I send a very detailed email about anything I feel my boss might be concerned about. I include information about tasks I have delegated and make sure she knows that I have everything covered. I really like her, but she is a bit of a control freak (as am I). I know her well enough to know the type of stuff that gets her spun up. Unless I am really too sick to function, I answer calls, texts, and emails from her. I think it makes her feel better just knowing she can reach me if she needs to. I generally won't answer calls from other people, but I do respond to my boss.

It sucks. But when you are in a leadership position, it's hard to be 100% unreachable.

I do this too. I am a lawyer and it's reasonable for my boss to be concerned about deadlines -- court, internal, whatever. So any time I take leave, for whatever reason, I email him to say whether or not any deadlines will be impacted. Of course they never are because I wouldn't take the leave if it meant I'd blow a deadline (unless I was physically unable to rise from my bed or something). But he likes the reassurance.

And I try to check my work email every few hours unless I am actually asleep, just in case anything comes up. My boss would never call me though unless it were a true emergency.

Anonymous wrote:This week I have been home sick. I'm of the mindset, unless it's a time sensitive matter or of the utmost importance, coworkers should not contact you and a. Ask you to attend conference calls, webinars and meetings when you have taken a sick day b. Contact you on your personal (not work) email and cell via text and request documents or status updates. My manager constantly texts us if we are home I'll asking us to take calls. I'm in a federal role where the majority of the day is leading and facilitating conference calls and meetings. After being worn down and sick, I took a day with one minor meeting rather than yesterday with four major meetings and have my manager and our big boss, who is my supervisor, notice.

Now I have a text from my manager: hey! Are you going to call in to X meeting? Separate text (after I responded no I'm home sick--I have an out of office message on my VM, BB, email and had emailed and called her this morning at 8:30): please send me what you have on X.

I don't have the materials home with me and I'm home sick.

I've had conversations with her as hsve team members about not contacting me when I'm out sick as im not checking work email or voicemail and to only contact me on my personal number in urgent matters. What can I do? I'm a high GS-13 in a federal agency.

Thanks in advance!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a federal employee. I know it's insppropriate but how do I address beyond what I've already said? I really like her but this is killing me!

Just don't respond. When you get back to work and she's all "WTH? I texted you!" be like "Oh, sorry. As I told you, I was sick. I didn't see your text because I was sleeping and had a fever." If you're taking a sick day you're not working. If you're working from home because you're under the weather then you're working. Just be non-responsive once you've announced you're home sick.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Federal manager here, and I agree with 14:46. Especially because, OP, you say that you are in a role where your primary function is to lead and facilitate conference calls and meetings. I feel for you, really, but I think some proactive communication when you're out -- I'm sick, this is what's on deck for me today and what you, manager, might need to know to cover in my absence -- might go a long way? You shouldn't have to work when you're sick, and setting some boundaries on your end is just fine (e.g. not checking work e-mail). But I also think it's fair to say that -- sick or not -- you're still responsible for the work assigned to you and need to make sure that whoever is at the office knows what they need to know to function in your absence.

This is what I do as well. I've learned to manage my boss. My DH is a Fed and he is actually the one who taught me how to effectively do this. I send a very detailed email about anything I feel my boss might be concerned about. I include information about tasks I have delegated and make sure she knows that I have everything covered. I really like her, but she is a bit of a control freak (as am I). I know her well enough to know the type of stuff that gets her spun up. Unless I am really too sick to function, I answer calls, texts, and emails from her. I think it makes her feel better just knowing she can reach me if she needs to. I generally won't answer calls from other people, but I do respond to my boss.

It sucks. But when you are in a leadership position, it's hard to be 100% unreachable.

Anonymous wrote:Federal manager here, and I agree with 14:46. Especially because, OP, you say that you are in a role where your primary function is to lead and facilitate conference calls and meetings. I feel for you, really, but I think some proactive communication when you're out -- I'm sick, this is what's on deck for me today and what you, manager, might need to know to cover in my absence -- might go a long way? You shouldn't have to work when you're sick, and setting some boundaries on your end is just fine (e.g. not checking work e-mail). But I also think it's fair to say that -- sick or not -- you're still responsible for the work assigned to you and need to make sure that whoever is at the office knows what they need to know to function in your absence.