Why do people come to work when they are on death's door?

[Mermaid02]

They are all like that, unfortunately. My X is a union worker, and has been laid off since November, his first time in 19 years. Their vacation pay is added into their regular work pay, so they can take vacation, but you don't get a paycheck. No sick time, no personal days. And with hundreds of guys on a waiting list who are desperate for a job, if you call out, you can be replaced within the hour.

They are not all like that...... my dh is a union worker and they have unlimited sick time. He also gets 5 weeks paid vacation per year.

 

[DebD4T]

That is one crappy union!

Actually, it's a great union...or it was anyway. We have wonderful health and dental insurance with no premiums, numerous pension and annuity funds, various other "perks" that just don't come to mind at the moment.

The union has no control over the economy...if there is no work, or if jobs are being taken by non-union shops, it is out of the union's control.

I can't speak for any other part of the country, but here in New York, most of the unions I know of are having a hard time of it also.

 

[KramBerries]

It would be rude to stay home and risk getting your family members sick.

 

[Mermaid02]

Actually, it's a great union...or it was anyway. We have wonderful health and dental insurance with no premiums, numerous pension and annuity funds, various other "perks" that just don't come to mind at the moment.

The union has no control over the economy...if there is no work, or if jobs are being taken by non-union shops, it is out of the union's control.

I can't speak for any other part of the country, but here in New York, most of the unions I know of are having a hard time of it also.

I can't believe they didn't negotiate sick time into their contract. That is why I said it was a crappy union. If your dh has to go to work sick or not get paid, they union dropped the ball.

 

[paintnolish]

I go to class when I am at death's door. Want to know why? There are no sick or personal days in college. I have to go because I have kids who might be sick the next week. When their school calls me, I have to leave class. Most classes, if they meet 2 times a week, allow 3 classes to be missed before your grade is lowered. Classes that meet once a week allow only 1 absence. So, I need to think about other reasons that could cause me to miss class.

 

[Planogirl]

I have found extra PTO to the one of the easiest things to negotiate for. The harder things are stock options, use of a corporate car, apartment, or jet, a better bonus structure, use of corporate airline miles for personal travel, and things like that.

If you can't get the PTO that is understandable, but get some of the other things to compensate for it.

Some companies won't negotiate and with some job types you don't have that ability. It's naive to assume that customer service people can just negotiate sick days or the other items you mentioned. That part of the employment world simply doesn't work that way.

 

[PlutoLuvr]

I'm a court reporter in a multi-county circuit. There's three of us in our office. Most days, we are all in a different court in a different county. Last Monday, I was sick but had to go in because we were having jury trials. I don't show up, they can't have court. Not a possibility, so if I have to go in sick, that's what I do.

Heather

I'm in the same boat as Heather. While I don't cover court work very much, I do freelance work in the way of depositions, and there's virtually no one for me to "call in to" if I'm sick. With several days' notice or more, sure, I can have a colleague usually help me out, but if I have the sniffles on a Friday afternoon and am full-blown sick on Monday morning with a 10:00 a.m. deposition, I have no choice but to go.

 

[PlutoLuvr]

I hate it when people who work with the public don't stay home. It isn't quite as bad in an office environment if you can close your office door and isolate yourself from the office. if you can't, stay home.

I don't buy the "they'll fire me" or "can't afford to stay home" argument. If you manage your PTO you will have plenty and no one is going to keep you from using the time off you have earned. Don't live so close to the edge that you are a day's pay away from bankruptcy, this is what a savings account is for.

If you need more PTO (or sick days) negotiate for it when you are negotiating your compensation package.

It really shouldn't be that hard for an adult to do these things.

I'm sorry, but this post is really out of touch with the majority of most industries nowadays. "Negotiating your compensation package"? Most people I know these days accept whatever package is offered. Half the people I know haven't even received a raise in the last couple years; some have even had to take a pay cut instead of a usual cost-of-living increase. I'm talking about professionals: Attorneys, paralegals, judicial assistants, Florida teachers with tenure, advertising professionals. And people like my brother, too, who are in the blue collar fields. Do you really think dishwashers are in a position to negotiate compensation packages to include sick/PTO time?

And what do you say to the self-employed? When the buck stops with you and your name is on the door, you have no choice but to get the job done if you are sick.

 

[DebD4T]

They are not all like that...... my dh is a union worker and they have unlimited sick time. He also gets 5 weeks paid vacation per year.

I have to ask...what industry is your DH in?

My DH is an electrician and our local is one of the better ones with regard to benefits.

 

[Mermaid02]

I have to ask...what industry is your DH in?

My DH is an electrician and our local is one of the better ones with regard to benefits.

Master electrician with 22 years of service to the same company.

 

[AKL_Megs]

I don't call in sick when I AM sick, because I have TONS of sick "hours", but I have only THREE actual TIMES that I can call in sick (for however many days I want, until I run out of sick hours) before I get a final warning. Every time I am sick, I never feel sick ENOUGH to use up one of those times.

 

[tinkntraining]

I'm sorry, but this post is really out of touch with the majority of most industries nowadays. "Negotiating your compensation package"? Most people I know these days accept whatever package is offered. Half the people I know haven't even received a raise in the last couple years; some have even had to take a pay cut instead of a usual cost-of-living increase. I'm talking about professionals: Attorneys, paralegals, judicial assistants, Florida teachers with tenure, advertising professionals. And people like my brother, too, who are in the blue collar fields. Do you really think dishwashers are in a position to negotiate compensation packages to include sick/PTO time?

And what do you say to the self-employed? When the buck stops with you and your name is on the door, you have no choice but to get the job done if you are sick.

 

[dzneprincess]

I have found extra PTO to the one of the easiest things to negotiate for. The harder things are stock options, use of a corporate car, apartment, or jet, a better bonus structure, use of corporate airline miles for personal travel, and things like that.

If you can't get the PTO that is understandable, but get some of the other things to compensate for it.

pshaw you are absolutly correct...perhaps instead of negotiating for the personal chef and butler I should have requested sick time....

 

[DebD4T]

master electrician with 22 years of service to the same company.

ibew?

 

[Mermaid02]

ibew?

 

[Tweevil]

Mostly because they don't want to get fired.

Yep.... the stay at home if you are sick is a good thought but in reality if you are out someone is going to say you are faking or taking advantage. It is easier to take off if you are staffers, once you hit management it is almost not possible. **This is my opinion**

Spray disinfectant before you leave if you can, I try to do this in the office after everyone has gone home. I really do think it helps.

 

[mfd25wife]

If you took a job that doesn't have paid sick time then you need to budget into your life the possibility that you will be taking unpaid time for a few days when you are sick.

I am salaried. My company does not have sick days. I'm not docked for being sick, but they do track it. It affects reviews & promotions. Perfect example-When I had H1N1 which brought along Bronchitis, I couldn't work. The boss was tracking how much I missed and giving me guilt trips about it. While I could take a vacation day at the last minute, that is assuming I have days left to take. We have a use it or lose it policy so if you don't take vacation time by the end of the year, you lose it. And, a few of us cannot take off the first 10 days of any month so we are a little limited if we save vacation time for a rainy day and end up not needing it. It's a little difficult to schedule vacation time for 3 people who get 3-4 weeks each, but cannot take off 24 or the 52weeks of the year. And because I become boss if the boss is out over 10 people, we can't schedule off at the same time. and, we get 10 holidays so we have to work around that, also.

 

[The 4 "Quay"balleros]

I'm a Union Carpenter and I work full time for a casino. The casino has a PTO plan, but as an hourly associate I need to give 2 weeks notice to use it. If I call out sick, I am assessed a point. Once you hit 8 points you are terminated. I have 2 young children so I have to worry about 3 people getting sick. This is the reason I come work sick sometimes.

 

[mfd25wife]

Yep.... the stay at home if you are sick is a good thought but in reality if you are out someone is going to say you are faking or taking advantage. It is easier to take off if you are staffers, once you hit management it is almost not possible. **This is my opinion**

Spray disinfectant before you leave if you can, I try to do this in the office after everyone has gone home. I really do think it helps.

My situation and I agree completely. Heck, I worked from home the last time and even was on a conferenece call with my boss and a few others and he still was aggravated I couldn't go in since I was running a fever and vomitting.

 

[Planogirl]

pshaw you are absolutly correct...perhaps instead of negotiating for the personal chef and butler I should have requested sick time....

I feel lucky when I don't get furloughed at my present job. I could see their expressions if I asked for any of this other stuff. (And yes, I am looking...)