posted on January 23, 2001 08:49:36 AM new
Hubby and I have been sick with the flu from h*ll for a week, and then mine turned into bronchitis because I have asthma. I am a firm believer that if you're sick, then darn it, stay home!! No one at work wants to be infected, and when you're sick it's just stupid to go to work and be miserable. No one is THAT indespensible. After all, if you got hit by a bus, would your company fold? I don't think so. Anyway, I called into work today, as I have every day, and I'm hearing that other people have what I have (allegedly) but that THEY haven't missed any work. My reply was "Well, you can thank THEM when YOU get sick!".
SO - what's your opinion on this? When you're sick do you stay home, or go to work anyway?
posted on January 23, 2001 09:00:46 AM new
do they know that you do good work?
If you have a good history with your job, then you shouldn't have any trouble.
if you can't call in sick, is it possible for you leave work early?
posted on January 23, 2001 09:04:00 AM new
There is no problem with me being off. Others can cover for me, and I have a note from my doctor saying that I am certifiably sick. Yes, I could go in and go home early, but I'm having too much trouble breathing to even do that.
I guess I just don't understand how people can go to work SICK. I'm not talking the sniffles. I'm talking SICK, coughing, wheezing, blowing, miserable sick.
posted on January 23, 2001 09:04:07 AM new
Muriel...unless the "sickies" can guarantee they will keep their germs to their own cubicles, I always prefer they stay home especially when they have something deemed contagious. I think we get enough exposure in the outside world, including whatever the kids bring home!
posted on January 23, 2001 09:07:49 AM new
Depends on the company. I took off a year ago to have knee surgery and they lied and said I had not told them I would be absent and fired me.
Another man they would not give time to take his vacation. He proposed several periods and each time they would delay a couple weeks before telling him no. Finally he just said tomorrow is my vacation - I won't be in, and they fired him.
Is it hard to believe they have a hard time keeping good people?
posted on January 23, 2001 09:15:52 AM new
I think that it's very considerate of you
to stay home with the flu. So many people
have diseases such as diabetes, heart disease
and other serious problems that may compromise their immune systems if exposed to
the flu.
posted on January 23, 2001 09:20:30 AM new
I get 19 days of PDO per year.. and that can be used as sick time if need be. But I also have the option of working from home if I need to stay home. The only time I take a PDO for 'sick days' is when I am "stay in bed" sick.. which is rare even though I get bronchitis once a year.
Muriel ~ has your doctor given you a steriod shot for the bronchitis? That works wonders! Hurts like heck to get it.. but then any shot in the butt would When the bronchitis starts, I'll get that, and then it's only about 1 day that I'm down for.. rather than the 2 weeks that I could easily be down for. You might ask your doctor about it.. although I'm not sure how it would work in conjunction with asthma.
posted on January 23, 2001 09:26:44 AM new
Thanks for your input! To answer a question, I am diabetic so I cannot have steroid shots. The cortisone will cause a dramatic rise in blood sugar; even a dangerous rise. So that's out.
Part of the reason I stayed home (well, a small part) is because my boss had severe colon cancer last year and the chemotherapy left his immune system in shambles. So today when I called into work I was told that my boss already HAS the flu, and cracked a rib coughing. But he hasn't called in sick, by God. He's there working! How stupid is THAT???
posted on January 23, 2001 10:24:35 AM new
I take sick days when I'm sick, though I always feel unjustifiably guilty when I do. I don't like to stay home for more than a couple of days, and I don't end up taking very many sick days (knock on wood).
Then again, everyone in my "group" at work is halfway across the country, including my boss, so my absence isn't obvious and the world certainly doesn't stop revolving when I'm gone. And, like Rosiebud, the nature of my job allows me to work from home when necessary.
posted on January 23, 2001 10:40:44 AM new
Mmmmm...
If you are my AWFUL son in law you jump at the chance to stay home even though you do NOT get paid and you are below poverty level in income.
Does he stay in bed? NOPE..goes to the mall...plays his playstation...
But he will take off EXACTLY as long as his excuse is for (he asks...'Doc..I CAN'T go to work like this can i???)...even if he is fine.
Doesn't care bills aren't paid...doesn't care if food is on table...nope..
Then there is MY hubby...he has over 1 1/2 years sick leave! He NEVER uses it...even though he is disabled...has diabetes as well and severe gout in his ankles. And when he IS so sick he can't go to work...he only misses ONE DAY..NEVER two in a row!
posted on January 23, 2001 10:57:42 AM new
Unless I'm so sick as to be forced to stay in bed, I go to work and "Share the Wealth". Rude perhaps to spread germs around, but if I'm gone for 8 hours, that means 8 hours of work I have to make up in the near future.
My take is that I might as well be miserable at work as at home. Too, if a "bug" is "going 'round", it will make it to my office with or without me being there. When you have 26 thousand customers walking through the door each year, there is no immunity.
posted on January 23, 2001 11:03:36 AM new
Unless you're in the military...then you go to sick call and a doc/PA decides if you're sick enough to be put on quarters. If they don't think so, you better show up for work or you could be reported AWOL.
The tom, before we were married, was extremely ill with bronchitis and running a 103 degree temp. He went to sick call, the doc gave him some cough syrup and Tylenol, and said he was fit for duty. The tom was so sick, his supervisor sent him back to the barracks. It took a week of going to sick call every day before he finally found a doc who thought he was too sick to go to work.
posted on January 23, 2001 12:01:29 PM new
I can't believe your employer would lay that guilt trip on you. For shame.
I'm one of those fools who worked while sick, including a week of bronchitis (I didn't know I had it until finally going to the doctor). I only took time after major surgery.
How stupid. It took me a long time to realize that I was not being kind to my co-workers, to myself, or to the public.
But, those darn responsibilities. I had no one to back me up. Even when I was going on vacation, I had to teach hired temps enough of my job to get them through. And, it was always a different temp. Stupid me!!!!
I don't ever expect to go back in the workforce, but one never knows. What I do know....I would never, ever allow myself to get in a position like that again.
I'm thinking clerking at a video store sounds pretty good.
posted on January 23, 2001 11:31:36 PM new
My belief is that the period of viral transmissibility usually ends prior to symptoms, so I don't worry overmuch about coworkers. Don't work closely, anyhow. My feelings are simple: If I feel like crap, at least I'll get paid for it. The exception is vomiting. Tough to work at anything if you're blowing chunks.
Serendipity & Peace...
Yes, I could go in and go home early, but I'm having too much trouble breathing to even do that.
When the bronchitis starts, I'll get that, and then it's only about 1 day that I'm down for.. rather than the 2 weeks that I could easily be down for. You might ask your doctor about it.. although I'm not sure how it would work in conjunction with asthma.
