Grrrr. I wish people woudn't go to work sick.

[Boo'sMom]

nobody ever goes to work sick just because they feel like spreading germs

 

[MushyMushy]

It would be nice if our jobs would give us all the sick time we needed and not give us any grief about calling off for illnesses.

I just got over a nasty bout of strep. I stayed out of work until my doctor released me to go back, but I felt like a pariah for doing so. Would they have rather had me in the office giving them all what I had? And I also had to use 3 of my precious 5 paid time off days, meaning I only have 2 left until next September. If I happen to get sick more than 2 days in the next 9 months, I'll have to be disciplined.

Gee. I wonder why people feel like they have to show up sick.

 

[PixieDust32]

Some workplaces basically don't allow people to be sick or maybe at this time of year people have used all of their sick time. I agree with you though and hope that you get to feeling better fast!

Exactly! DH hates when people go to work sick also, and when he gets sick he stays home regardless but he gets some much drama from his boss, she acts like if he was lying, and when he goes back to work people have attitude because how dare him got sick, he has over 100 hours of sick time.

 

[jodifla]

We've had this same thread about 10 times so far this season. OP I'm sorry you feel so bad I really am. Being sick sucks! I hope you feel better soon. But, we all have to remember that not everyone has the option to just not come in because they're sick. Some people don't get many sick days, some people have to use their sick days to take care of their kids. Some people are already out of sick days by this time of year. A lot of folks flat out aren't allowed to call in and some folks just can't afford it. Its definitely something we all need to keep in mind when we gripe about our sick coworkers. 99.9% of the time, they don't want to be in the office any more than we want them there. Its just life.[/QUOTE

could not disagree more. You should NOT be at work if you are sick and you have an illness that is contagious. If you have a tummy ache and you want to go to work fine, go for it. but if you have a bad cold, the flu, a horrible hacking cough, im sorry you should NOT be there. I dont care if you are out of sick time or you have too much work to do. I had a coworker say to me this year when she came in hacking and coughing all over "im sick, i feel like crap and if i have to be here sick then so should all of you" she said it in a joking type manor, but i dont find it funny. She ended up getting a lot of sick and what could have been ONE person out of the office ending up being 5 or 6. the REST of us were smart enough to stay home. but she got one of us sick that REALLY couldnt afford to, my friend joice has a very low immune system, she ended up having to get checked into the hospital and she got pneumonia. All because one selfish lady wouldn't stay home. She said she didnt have any sick time left so she had to come in, well guess what, that should be HER problem, but she made it everyone elses and that is just not right in my book. she used up all her sick time by playing hooky and god knows what else. what would have happened had my friend joice not recovered from her pneumonia and she died or something? all because ONE lady didnt want to stay home without pay for a day? So so selfish.

I understand no one wants to let the boss down, no one wants to not get paid, no one wants to have the work pile up because you are gone. But i just dont think those things are worth getting someone else sick over, its very selfish. how many people that got swine flu and died this year might be alive if the person who gave it to them would have just stayed home and not gone out?

This is just unrealistic. Most sick people don't go to work because they are "selfish" -- they go to work when they feel like crap because they HAVE to....they either don't have the sick time, or they'll lose their job if they take time off, or the management makes it clear it wants people there, sick or not.

In which case, your beef is with the management, not the individual worker.

 

[Stitchfans]

Some workplaces basically don't allow people to be sick or maybe at this time of year people have used all of their sick time. I agree with you though and hope that you get to feeling better fast!

Exactly. Some places don't care. They insist they have to have a body there to do the job. They just don't care.

 

[jrmasm]

I have plenty of sick time but I'm not calling off because I have a cold. That's stupid. Fever, yes.

 

[jen0610]

Totally agree with this! Yes I have gone to work with a cold, I wouldn't be able to take off of work every time I had a cold, and sometimes it will last a week. I had a cough after I had bronchitis that wouldn't go away, should I have stayed home all that time, yes I was home when I had bronchitis, but the cough stayed.

I have what is called Asthmatic Bronchitis. If I get sick, you can pretty much count on my being "sick" with a hacking cough until it gets warm again. Have been dealing with this for over 20 years. And in that time, NO ONE has ever gotten sick with bronchitis from me. I can take all the meds in the world and use an inhailer like crazy, but the cough will not go away. Sounds like I'm going to cough up a lung at any minute.

 

[maxiesmom]

For those of you who go to work sick, don't you feel guilty about possibly passing the illness on to your co-workers? Or do you just feel that by the time you are obviously sick, it is too late, and you have already passed it around? I'm honestly curious.

 

[MushyMushy]

For those of you who go to work sick, don't you feel guilty about possibly passing the illness on to your co-workers? Or do you just feel that by the time you are obviously sick, it is too late, and you have already passed it around? I'm honestly curious.

Seriously? Have you even read what anybody wrote?

If a coworkers and/or management are going to treat a sick employee like a piece of meat, why on earth would feeling guilty be at the top of their list?

 

[CF'er]

If you call in sick where I work you are told to "take some ______ and come in." We have had some people told that they can't call out sick as they can't find coverage etc. I totally agree with what you are saying as if I get sick I usually end up hospitalized.

 

[ChrizJen]

could not disagree more. You should NOT be at work if you are sick and you have an illness that is contagious. If you have a tummy ache and you want to go to work fine, go for it. but if you have a bad cold, the flu, a horrible hacking cough, im sorry you should NOT be there. I dont care if you are out of sick time or you have too much work to do. I had a coworker say to me this year when she came in hacking and coughing all over "im sick, i feel like crap and if i have to be here sick then so should all of you" she said it in a joking type manor, but i dont find it funny. She ended up getting a lot of sick and what could have been ONE person out of the office ending up being 5 or 6. the REST of us were smart enough to stay home. but she got one of us sick that REALLY couldnt afford to, my friend joice has a very low immune system, she ended up having to get checked into the hospital and she got pneumonia. All because one selfish lady wouldn't stay home. She said she didnt have any sick time left so she had to come in, well guess what, that should be HER problem, but she made it everyone elses and that is just not right in my book. she used up all her sick time by playing hooky and god knows what else. what would have happened had my friend joice not recovered from her pneumonia and she died or something? all because ONE lady didnt want to stay home without pay for a day? So so selfish.

I understand no one wants to let the boss down, no one wants to not get paid, no one wants to have the work pile up because you are gone. But i just dont think those things are worth getting someone else sick over, its very selfish. how many people that got swine flu and died this year might be alive if the person who gave it to them would have just stayed home and not gone out?

How do you know how this person used her sick time?
I understand the argument of the OP, and in a lot of cases, people can and should stay home when sick. But sometimes that just isn't feasable. As others have said, those with children often have to use sick time to care for a sick child. Some people do legitimately get sick throughout the year and run out of sick time by this time of year. There are many circumstances under which a person could find him/herself unable to stay home from work this time of year. It's not pleasant, but it's a part of living in a capitalistic society. Be there and get your job done, or we'll find someone who can.

ETA: I also wanted to point out that it's a catch 22. If you stayed home every time you had a little sniffle, sneeze, or cough that might be contageous, you would be out of sick time by the end of January! Then what are you going to do??? You'll have to either stay home without pay, (because it's your problem you used up all of your sick time in January). Or, you come to work sick (because you can't afford to miss the work) and risk being "one of those people". You just can't win.

 

[C.Ann]

Hope you're feeling better today..

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

Some people have no choice than to come to work sick so the best you can do is react by keeping your area clean with clorox wipes, wash your hands, dont touch your face.
Maybe ask management if they could supply clorox wipes and lysol or bring it in from home.
I keep a bottle of purell in my purse and in my car and I use it as soon as I leave the office. As soon as I walk in my house the first thing I do is wash my hands.
Eat right take vitamins.

 

[Arielle22]

There is no way to know for sure who you caught a bug from. Maybe it isn't your coworker but someone you brushed against in a store or from a bathroom.

While it can be unnerving to listen to a coworker who is sick; it is shortsighted to blame you being sick on them.

 

[maxiesmom]

While it can be unnerving to listen to a coworker who is sick; it is shortsighted to blame you being sick on them.

I share a computer/phone/work area with someone who has obviously been sick for a few days. Not to mention all the people I bump into at work who have been sick. I think it is likely that I got to share those germs. Of course I don't know that 100%, but odds are...

 

[maxiesmom]

Hope you're feeling better today..

Thanks C.Ann. I am feeling a bit better now. I was actually scheduled off today, so hopefully I will be ready to go tomorrow.

 

[C.Ann]

Thanks C.Ann. I am feeling a bit better now. I was actually scheduled off today, so hopefully I will be ready to go tomorrow.

Glad to hear it!

I once worked in one of those "shared" environment offices - more than one shift - so I would be using the desk, phone, and keyboard of sick employees who had used them prior to my shift.. One day I was sitting in my cubicle and the guy next to me kept coughing and sneezing like crazy (that very "wet" sneezing) and he never used a tissue once! It was right at the height of flu season - and he kept complaining that he had the flu - moaning and groaning.. I don't know what his reasons were for being in work (none of my business), but I sure felt sorry for the person who had to use his cubicle later on..

 

[ICF]

It's December, which means year end is rapidly approaching. If you call in sick, you best be near death otherwise your expected to suck it up and come into work.

 

[a1tinkfans]

So I called into work today sick. I have a sore throat that Advil is not helping with, and a low fever. Plus my hands, feet, and nose are all cold. All because so many of my co-workers have been coming into work sick instead of staying home. I tried to disinfect the computer, the phone, and even the door handles. I've been taking my vitamins and probiotic. But apparently all of that was not enough to keep this nastiness at bay.

Why don't people know enough to stay home when they are sick? Don't they know that they are just spreading the germs to everyone else?

Now I am at home feeling like crap, and feeling bad for having to call in because we are so busy. I always feel guilty when I call in sick, even though I am sick.

People please, if you are ill, stay home. No one else wants to catch what you have.

feel Better and THANKS for staying home when sick!

 

[Flight]

Had a co-worker that was very sick and had no business being at work. He coughed not near me, but on me, several times.

Sure enough, 2 -3 days later I was violently ill and was away from work for several weeks.

Please stay home!