Why do people come to work sick?

[Fitswimmer]

Inspired by the sending kids to school thread.

We have an ok sick policy at our office, 5 days a year. Two weeks ago one of our co-workers came in all week with a REALLY bad cold. Since then five of us have gotten it.

I understand that for some it's "no work, no pay" and that's a different story. But if you are going to be paid for the time-why do you come in when you're sick???

 

[Aidensmom]

I work from home when I am sick, unless I am so sick I can't get out of bed, then I take a sick day.

I think there are several reasons people come in sick: they have a limited number to use and may have to use when their kids are sick, they use their sick days when they are not really sick and then don't have them when they are, they are just so type-A that they can't stand to miss a day.

 

[SwedishMeatball]

Saving them up for sunny days to play hooky?? I'm not saying it's the right thing to do, but just a guess.

 

[need_a_Disney_fix]

I am home today with a cold in its prime so as to not to spread the fun AND so it doesn't get worse. Look at my ticker! Don't want to get sicker since I had pneumonia a few months ago. So...I am home DISing...never too sick to DIS.

 

[mickeyboat]

I will generally go to work unless I have a fever or I am vomiting. I try to wash my hand often and sneeze into my elbow. But I can't take off for a week at a time for a cold. Most of the time, I have a lingering cough for a long time after a cold, and although it sounds really bad, I am no longer contagious.

I have been taking Airborne whenever there is a cold going around, when I travel, or when I feel a cold coming on. It really seems to help me get over them faster.

Denae

 

[LiLIrishChick63]

if i had that at my job, i would DEFINATLY take a sick day! unfortunatly we don't.

years ago i used to work at the mall, at Claire's. and there was only 5 of us that worked in the store. and i remember i had walking pneumonia, but i didn't know it at first. all i knew was i was exhausted all the time, and i had a horrible cough and just felt really drained. and i kept trying to tell my boss "i really can't come in today, i don't feel well at all." but she kept saying "well i can't get anyone to cover your shift, so you have to come in!" so after a week of this i finally ended up going to the hospital because i was getting better. they gave me a note and that's how i finally got to get off of work.

i didn't see the thread about kids in school. i remember my mother used to send me to school sick all the time. most of the times she didn't believe me if i said i was sick(she's one of those people who believe that she's the only person who can get sick/hurt and everyone else is just lying). so i'd go to the nurse and she'd always say "why do you come in if you don't feel good?" and i told her. she told my mother to listen to me, but she never really did

 

[Hercules10]

I figure I caught it from one of these germ factories so I'm just gonna give it right back to 'em!

Actually we have a perfect attendance reward program here which kinda encourages people to show up sick.

 

[chris1gill]

So you can take that time when you desperately need it? You never know when that emergency might happen....

Or...

they go simply because it is their job... they must go. Now if the boss wants to send DH home, that's okay... that's happened once.

 

[auntpolly]

DH goes when he's sick because if he doesn't, the company will fall crashing to the ground in a crumble of dust, and the markets will crash, and life as we know it will cease to exist (so I guess you should thank him or something! )

 

[noodleknitter]

For some it is a sign of virility...They are stronger than the cold. They consider those that "give into" the cold to be wusses.

 

[GJM]

If I have a cold I go to work, we also only get 5 sick days a year. I will take a sick day if my DS is sick. So I try not to use them if I just have a cold. If I have a fever or vomiting I would stay home.

 

[Crankyshank]

1) When I am out it makes things extremely difficult for my co-workers because of the nature of my position and it's very difficult to obtain coverage.

2) when I am sick, 99% of the time it's because I have a sinus infection which is not contagious.

 

[U2_rocks!]

Many work cultures frown on staying home for "just" a cold. And if you waste sick days on just a cold, what happens when you are really sick? Ya know, most respiratory viruses are contagious before you feel ill enough to stay home. In fact, if you suffer with allergies it might take a couple of days to even realize you have a virus and not just hayfever! It's hard to avoid infecting others sometimes.

However, if you're going to work, I think you have a responsibility to control your symptoms so that you're not coughing and sneezing a lot, you should wash your hands often, and you should minimize handling of things that other people have to touch (where possible of course).

It's a fact of life that germs are out there - your coworkers, your kids and that lady who served you at the bank are all sources of germs. You just do your best to stay healthy and strong so you can fight them, and wash your hands often!

 

[thewishfire]

I'm at work sick right now!! I've used up all my sick days already, but trust me, if I didn't need the money I'd be home sleeping right now. Plus, I took off yesterday without pay and I hate taking off more than one day in a row unless I really need it.

 

[Bob Slydell]

Sometimes you have to get the work done, no matter how you feel. In many professions, it's not like the work is being done by someone else while you're out, so you deal with it and go in to work.

 

[caitycaity]

We have an ok sick policy at our office, 5 days a year.

my old job had 6 sick days a year, which is not enough when you have to use them for dr's appts/dentist appt's, and your kids being sick too.

i am a pretty healthy person and i cannot remember a time that i did not use my sick days. i usually get at least 2 colds/year. these colds usually last for 7 days each. so, you can bet i did go to work sick sometimes. there were a few years where i had something really wrong with me (1 year was the flu, another year was wisdom tooth removal and complications from that) when i basically used all of my sick time because of one problem.

for some of us, 5 days/year is not enough. once you use up your sick time, you don't really have a choice. at least i didn't at my job.

 

[supercarrie]

Two reasons:

one, although you already mentioned this as a valid reason, is I am currently on a temp contract with my employer - if I don't show up, I don't get paid. Luckily, I have a really great boss - one day I forced myself to go in (had just started the job, needed the money, but left at noon, and she had me paid for the entire day.)

two, in our department, only so many people can take off at one time - I work for the operations department in a bank - people still need their payments to process, loans guaranteed, etc even if we are ill! So a lot of times it has been a matter of who who called in first - those people usually get the day off. Because of that culture, it kind of psychologically makes you not want to let the team down by calling in.

 

[NMAmy]

DH goes when he's sick because if he doesn't, the company will fall crashing to the ground in a crumble of dust, and the markets will crash, and life as we know it will cease to exist (so I guess you should thank him or something! )

DH is the same way. The weird thing is--he could totally work from home but he still goes in.

I get quite a bit of sick leave/family leave and I've never taken it all in a given year so it carries over. I'm one of the few in my office who does stay home when I'm feeling sick. My bosses will come in no matter what but I figure that I get this time to use if I am ill & if it's not imperative that I'm there I will use it. Some of my co-workers are part-time and don't receive sick leave so I understand why they come in.

 

[Stepharoonie!]

Well, I'm home sick today with a whopper of a cold...but I stayed home because my dd has it, and had a fever of 102.5 last night. Look at MY ticker! We need to get well...quick!

If I'm so sick that I feel overly tired, sick to my stomach, etc...then I'll stay home. Even though we get 80 hours of vacation a year and 2 hours of PTO time every pay period (4 hours a month), management frowns on ANY time taken off. They really suck. I called in last night and said I wouldn't be in today because of dd, and they about had a fit. Nevermind the fact that 1) the office isn't busy today and 2) it makes no difference if I'm there or not, we all do the same job. They wanted me to send her to school! No way, no how.

 

[auntpolly]

DH is the same way. The weird thing is--he could totally work from home but he still goes in.

.

If my DH worked at home he'd have to talk to me or something -- and besides, how would he inspire the troops???

Aaaaaahhhhh, gotta love 'em!