I took no sick leave at all during my federal career, and my sick leave was added my length of service for pension calculation purposes, resulting in a larger lifetime pension. I was rarely actually ill, and when I was, or when I needed to go to a Dr's appt., I just took annual (vacation) leave, as only a limited amount of that could be rolled over from year to year and the excess would be lost if not used.

Appointments

Obgyn 1x/yr
Eyes 1x /year
Teeth cleaning x3
Yearly 1x /year
Mammogram 1x/yr
Colonoscopy 1.5 days every 5 years
PT - 6 weeks 2x per week (this happens about once every 2 years)
Dental issues : last year 6 visits
Allergies - every blue moon a day for swollen eyes.
Stomach flu: 2-3 days about once a year with kids k-6th grade, once with them in HS.
Shrink 1x per week about 3 times in my life for 10 weeks

2019 I got the flu and missed 2 weeks which is why I now get vaccinations and stay away from sick people

Anonymous wrote:As many as I want and need. Why wouldn’t you take all of your sick days?

Because the DC area is full of type A workaholic types.

Haven't taken any days in past four years except for two days for a lumpectomy. I tend to not get sick very often and work from home when I have a bad cold and worry I'm contagious. I would take the day off if I really felt like I couldn't function though.

As many as I want and need. Why wouldn’t you take all of your sick days?

all the sick days, it feels like-- i have a toddler. but in the last three months: my mom had a stroke and died, i had to have an emergency appendectomy, and then the office gave me covid, and then kiddo brought home a stomach bug. my weight hasn't been this low in 15 years...

I do not get paid sick days, so I avoid taking them. Since I wah it's pretty easy.

Teacher here. I used to only take sick days if I was sick (maybe 2 per year) until I found out that I will only be reimbursed for 1/4 of unused sick days when I retire. Now I take around 5 per year and I'll take more if I'm actually sick.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:0 in 2023 but I do take a good amount of vacation days. I rarely ever get sick and DH can manage DS if he's sick. I also work 3 12 hr shifts a week. And my work there is only one of us on shift and someone HAS to be there. So we don't have a huge pool to pull from if someone calls out sick.

Are all of your doctor's appointments on weekends or after work?

I think you missed that I work 3 12 hr shifts a week. So I just schedule them on my days off. I also have DH scheduled DS' for my days off so that neither of us have to miss work for appts.

Me too - I work 4 10-hour days and I schedule for days off. If I can’t, I trade days with a coworker, make up the time or take vacation. I don’t use sick days for routine appointments.

like days? NO, hours for a dentist appt that's literally it so like 2 hours twice a year.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:0 in 2023 but I do take a good amount of vacation days. I rarely ever get sick and DH can manage DS if he's sick. I also work 3 12 hr shifts a week. And my work there is only one of us on shift and someone HAS to be there. So we don't have a huge pool to pull from if someone calls out sick.

Are all of your doctor's appointments on weekends or after work?

I think you missed that I work 3 12 hr shifts a week. So I just schedule them on my days off. I also have DH scheduled DS' for my days off so that neither of us have to miss work for appts.

Anonymous wrote:How do you all not get sick, especially when your kids are sick?

I see to get sick when my kids were sick when they were toddlers. Now that they’re teens, they get sick very rarely and I (knock on wood) almost never.

My ex used every hour of leave as soon as he received it. He never ever had sick or personal leave saved up. I always wondered what HR thought of him…

Anonymous wrote:

Only when needed.

Why would anyone take un-needed sick days?

To go to the beach.

4-5 the last few years: once because of a medical emergency and twice because of Covid. Before that, I usually only took a couple of sick days a year.