I called in sick this morning - cough, fever, sore throat - and feel guilty.
When is it right to make the call and stay home?
You made the right call; no need to feel guilty. You’d be guilty of spreading sickness to everyone else, customers and co-workers alike. Hope you’re better soon.
When you’ve been vomiting, had high fever or are sure you cannot do your work properly while being sick. Feel guilty? You shouldn’t. Be worried though. Many employers these days (in my experience) are still practicing extremely unethical practices and being sick translates to “I can’t count on you.” Doesn’t make any sense - we’re all human. We get sick once and while.
Heh. I really hate those employers. Their training videos and any of their training packages that you get when you first start working, very much stress the point of not going to work when you’re sick. But when you call in because you’re sneezing and dripping snot all over the place, you’re basically punished for being sick and taking a day off. I’ve been guilted into coming into work when I’m too sick. Once, I had a doctors note, saying I was to stay home that day,I made sure there was ample time before my shift started, when I called in. That day I was written up for not coming in.
As far as I’m concerned, if you wake up, feeling disgusting, you should make the choice then, to not come into work. I’ve seen people call in sick, 10 minutes before their shift starts. That’s rather annoying but other than that, you should not feel guilty at all for choosing to stay at home. It’s the healthy choice, and you’ll feel better, and recover faster from whatever it is you have.
I called in sick this morning with the very same symptoms. Not feeling guilty at all apart from the loss on my paycheque. My philosophy is my employer should be grateful that I’m not there spreading my germs and getting other people sick!
I agree Guitargrrl. But most employers don’t think that way. Sad but true.
My ex must have called in three dozen times over the years and told the Boss she was experiencing ‘an unusual discharge’. He’d gag, and never ever gave her shit.
I’m the opposite. I’d rather get paid to feel shitty, I’ve maybe taken 3 days sick since 1975. But I did get shit and lose my attendance plaque from BC Tel for taking an ‘unauthorized’ day off when my house burned down and we lost everything we owned!
Imagine that. Dealing with police and fire investigators, insurance companies and rounding up money for a hotel and some clothes to wear, it slipped my mind. I’m a such shitty employee.
[quote=“herbie_popnecker”] But I did get shit and lose my attendance plaque from BC Tel for taking an ‘unauthorized’ day off when my house burned down and we lost everything we owned!
Imagine that. Dealing with police and fire investigators, insurance companies and rounding up money for a hotel and some clothes to wear, it slipped my mind. I’m a such shitty employee.[/quote]
That is an awesome story. Your house burned down and they gave you shit for missing a day of work?! I’m betting you don’t miss working for them.
I don’t take many days off myself, and when I do I’m sick. My employer leaves me alone when I book off as I don’t do it that regularly.
I take a sick day when I’m sick or I get sent home (not hung over) and my employer will pay me for said day because its rare that I don’t show up to work. If they try and make me feel bad or bitch about paying I start looking for new work and stop giving them that little extra.
I call in sick every chance I get. My favourite is “torticullis”, it usually hits me every second sunny monday or friday May - September.
no employment plaque is gonna get stuck on my teeth…bitchezz
I wish I could call in sick when this crap happens.
[quote=“upperleftcoast”]I call in sick every chance I get. My favourite is “torticullis”, it usually hits me every second sunny monday or friday May - September.
no employment plaque is gonna get stuck on my teeth…bitchezz[/quote]
“Sunitis” is very much like “torticullis”, very contagious especially on a Friday afternoon. There is no cure! Resting in a lawn chair, plenty of liquids, seems to help!
[quote=“MiG”]I wish I could call in sick when this crap happens.
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/76069/gifs/fargo-1.gif[/quote]
heys is that jerry lundegaard?
When you’re actually sick, stay home! Seriously, stay away and don’t breathe on me. However, if you call out of work at least a couple times every month 'cause you’re “sick”, then expect to be disicplined. I wouldn’t put up with that shit from staff, and doubt any other employer would either.
This is a prime example of what happens when a person(s) without management foresight and tact make it to management level. I’ve seen more managers and “bosses” like this since I got to Prince Rupert.
You shouldn’t be sick “a couple times every month,” is mostly correct. However, if you are oriented and provided a number of “sick” days then you should be allowed to use them as anyone else does - in the manner you are sick. Be it twice a month for X months, once for 4 days or not at all in the year.
I think it’s a common societal-misconception that workers that are sick more often “than other workers” are not as dependable or as smart working. Quite the contrary, I have seen most employees that are like this are more likely to work longer hours, weekends or “as needed” to get the job done when necessary. Not all employees are willing to give their personal after/before 9-5 time to their employer.
[quote=“MiG”]I wish I could call in sick when this crap happens.
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/76069/gifs/fargo-1.gif[/quote]
that is totally a great way to throw your neck into a torticullis!!!
Never mind chlorine and flourides, the Fort should spike the town water with Vitamin D for the winter. Everyone’s miserable and dragging their asses everywhere…
I take vitamin D every day, doesn’t seem to do anything.
[quote=“MeepMeepZoom”]
You shouldn’t be sick “a couple times every month,” is mostly correct. However, if you are oriented and provided a number of “sick” days then you should be allowed to use them as anyone else does - in the manner you are sick. Be it twice a month for X months, once for 4 days or not at all in the year. [/quote]
If you are given an allowed number of sick days in a year (be it contractually negotiated or otherwise) the employer should reasonably expect that employees will take approximately that number of days off in a year, or perhaps take that number of days averaged out over a longer period of time if you’re allowed to carry them over to the following year(s). However, while my personal employer does not quibble about the number of sick days I choose to take, my employer WILL ask for doctors’ notes to support the absences when they become excessive and/or extensive.
I think that it is reasonable to require an employee who calls in sick for more than three or four days running (or in a short period of time) to visit their doctor and either get a diagnosis or some medication. All I want to know is how to plan the workload for the foreseeable future…and whether or not I should expect that my coworkers and I have have been exposed to something contagious and are now merrily shedding infection wherever we go.