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

[Eeyores Butterfly]

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.

My rule for myself is that if I am not running a fever, I am okay to go to work (unless I just can't move.) Basically, the same expectations we have for our students. I had a couple of very nasty colds earlier in the semseter. It went around the entire building and I was one of the last to catch it. But I had no fever so just like we told our kids to come, I came. I do not want anybody to get sick from me, but a cold is a fact of life. They just happen. Colds for me are worse because I have asthma. With the second one I was hacking up my lungs for well over a month because the cold triggered a bout of asthma (which hadn't bothered me in 2 years).

If I have the flu or something like that, you can bet I stay home. But I basically make myself follow the same rules the kids follow when they go to the nurse. Otherwise I would have already used up my sick days. And believe me, they do not like having a sub for my room.

 

[Carly_Roach]

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.

Nope. Not guilty at all. They pass it along to me, and I pass it right back to them. Stuff happens.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

IMHO--it is self righteous to judge anyone's absenteeism or lack of it or when you think they should take a sick day or not. Pretty much unless they are projectile vomiting or have explosive diarreah or any other illness that would make a HUGE HUGE mess and then become a visible bio-hazard, it really isn't my business what they do.

I would hope that they would exercise good judgement based on their circumstance--but let's face it. Not all employers are kind. Not everyone has sick leave coming out of their ears.

I worked for an employer where essentially salary folks got what they needed and hourly folks accrued it at a rate of 4 hours per month. I'm sure the salary folks judged the hourly folks ALL.THE.TIME and you know what--that was just too darn bad. Not everyone has the luxury to stay home at every sniffle.

And some colds last for weeks.

 

[Angelhalo]

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.

Hmmm I wrote the first part of this where I agree with you not the second half. That is someone else's post.

 

[Angelhalo]

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.

Of course I feel bad if I have to come to work sick but honestly there is nothing that can be done about it. I have to be here or I don't get paid. I have to pay my bills. So if someone else gets sick, I'm sorry but its just part of life.

 

[Carly_Roach]

IMHO--it is self righteous to judge anyone's absenteeism or lack of it or when you think they should take a sick day or not.

I worked for an employer where essentially salary folks got what they needed and hourly folks accrued it at a rate of 4 hours per month. I'm sure the salary folks judged the hourly folks ALL.THE.TIME and you know what--that was just too darn bad. Not everyone has the luxury to stay home at every sniffle.

Agreed. I would suggest that if anyone has a problem with their co-workers coming in sick and spreading disease, be constructive and take it up with your manager or HR Departments to try to get the company's sick leave policies adjusted so people CAN stay home when they're sick.

The US is sadly lagging behind other countries when it comes to health, welfare and well-being of its people.

 

[Leggyb]

So what would you suggest I do in this situation? I took Friday off because I was sick. I am still sick and it is Wednesday. I took yesterday afternoon but it still didn't help. I am the full time secretary at a small business. There is a part time secretary but she doesn't come in until 1 everyday. If I keep taking days off there is no one to cover the office and so the business loses money if we have to close or if others are subjected to do my job instead of their job. I HAVE to come in regardless. I am the only one.

What would you do?

 

[Christine]

So what would you suggest I do in this situation? I took Friday off because I was sick. I am still sick and it is Wednesday. I took yesterday afternoon but it still didn't help. I am the full time secretary at a small business. There is a part time secretary but she doesn't come in until 1 everyday. If I keep taking days off there is no one to cover the office and so the business loses money if we have to close or if others are subjected to do my job instead of their job. I HAVE to come in regardless. I am the only one.

What would you do?

Well, I would probably drag myself in...however, what would your employer do if you got really sick? I mean, how about if you broke your leg, or had surgery or something. Are you telling me that their business is set up to shut down if your health fails?

 

[Christine]

My coworker has come in sick today. She was off on Monday and Tuesday and still feels horrible today. She has leave but she is saving it for her vacation. So she's coming in sick so she can have her vacation in February. I'm not sure how I feel about that.

 

[Leggyb]

Well, I would probably drag myself in...however, what would your employer do if you got really sick? I mean, how about if you broke your leg, or had surgery or something. Are you telling me that their business is set up to shut down if your health fails?

That is why I am not taking a week off for a cold so I can be prepared in case an emergency happens.

 

[wvjules]

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

Yes they do!

OP I assume you have been in contact with no one other than the sick co-workers in the past week or so?

 

[Leggyb]

So what would you suggest I do in this situation? I took Friday off because I was sick. I am still sick and it is Wednesday. I took yesterday afternoon but it still didn't help. I am the full time secretary at a small business. There is a part time secretary but she doesn't come in until 1 everyday. If I keep taking days off there is no one to cover the office and so the business loses money if we have to close or if others are subjected to do my job instead of their job. I HAVE to come in regardless. I am the only one.

What would you do?

I guess I should also mention that this month is different than any other month I have ever worked here. My Boss had emergency surgery and has been out the whole month of December. His assistant is out of the office doing his business for him while sick. (He is a realtor has a lot of showings..) My manager has been on vacation. The part time secretary has finals and hasn't really been able to cover. The maintanance crew is all sick. So that's what I mean by I am the only one. I am literally the only one available to work these past couple weeks.