What is your employer's attitude to sick days?

**Toaster** · 31st May 2007, 08:23

Well, Toaster is sick at home today after picking up a heavy cold/cough blah blah, you know the one. Typical stuff this time of year it seems and missed another potential good night out last night in the end only to sit at home feeling like poos.

While in the office yesterday, myself and a couple others were all spluttering and coughing, when the senior manager piped up "would you all go home, I don't want your germs" or something to that effect.

Thoughts on taking sick days - I hate them - I feel bad for being off when I should be tied to the desk with just enough slack to reach the plunger coffee.

It would be interesting to see what others find their employers like regarding booting 'sickies' out of the office, or whether you are encouraged to work on regardless of spreading the love around the office so to speak.

It's an intereting test of an employers persective towards what is best for the office as a whole. Thoughts/experiences please....

**merv** · 31st May 2007, 08:25

I'd sooner sick pricks stay home and don't infect others.

An employer really isn't meeting obligations under HSE act if not taking all practicable steps to avoid problems for the other staff if you're not sent home.

**Toaster** · 31st May 2007, 08:27

Good point regarding the HSE. I added a poll for ya too.

**Babelfish** · 31st May 2007, 08:37

Well I'm home and a bit crook today. Works policy is definately for me to stay at home and keep the bugs away but really it isnt practicable. Tomorrow I will probably feel better and go in, but that isnt to say I am not cunt-ages. Its a pisser but the main thing I believe is to feel supported when you feel shite. This said, for my personal view on me being home sick I'd have to refer to my mate chopper.

**slinky** · 31st May 2007, 08:40

Originally Posted by Toaster

Well, Toaster is sick at home today after picking up a heavy cold/cough blah blah, you know the one. Typical stuff this time of year it seems and missed another potential good night out last night in the end only to sit at home feeling like poos.

While in the office yesterday, myself and a couple others were all spluttering and coughing, when the senior manager piped up "would you all go home, I don't want your germs" or something to that effect.

Thoughts on taking sick days - I hate them - I feel bad for being off when I should be tied to the desk with just enough slack to reach the plunger coffee.

It would be interesting to see what others find their employers like regarding booting 'sickies' out of the office, or whether you are encouraged to work on regardless of spreading the love around the office so to speak.

It's an intereting test of an employers persective towards what is best for the office as a whole. Thoughts/experiences please....

Im the same, i feel bad and i don't like taking them.
When i started here, work said nothing about sick days. I would prefer to be kicked out of the office. I hate ringing up and tellign them im not well and that i can't come in.....
Pro - everyone including managers knows your actualy sick.
Con - How inconciderate of you to come to work while you are sick, you are going to infect us all.

Unfortunately not everyone looks at it in the sense of - you are contageous and going to make other ppl sick. You get your Co-Workers who are just bitter about you not coming in, and think your a slacker.

**Toaster** · 31st May 2007, 08:43

I remember riding my bike with a heavy cold.... dude, not a good idea. It was like a "Mel Smith sneezing over his space suits helmet visor" all over again. Classy.

**Drum** · 31st May 2007, 08:46

I prefer not to waste my sick day allowance by actually being sick. Sick days are for riding. When I'm sick I go to work. Selfish I know.

**Toaster** · 31st May 2007, 08:52

Originally Posted by Drum

I prefer not to waste my sick day allowance by actually being sick. Sick days are for riding. When I'm sick I go to work. Selfish I know.

Are you saying I should go the long way to get the milk today then?!

**Beemer** · 31st May 2007, 08:58

You forgot the other option: "I'm self-employed so when I am sick, I can't work and I don't get paid either!"

I think anyone with illnesses that could be spread to others (the runs, colds and flu, etc) should go home and not return until they are no longer infectious and can put in a full day's work.

I tend to get sick at the times of the year when I am flat out and can't really afford to take the time to look after myself. But then most of my work is done from home so it's not like I'm spreading any germs!

**dnos** · 31st May 2007, 09:04

My boss always asks if the swell is up when I ring in sick (and sometimes it is

)
I have my own office so I cough and splutter away in here with the odd shut up directed my way, but the boss really leaves it up to me to decide whether I should be here. I find that when I'm feeling really crappy I am not very productive so there is no point being at work anyway.

**Toaster** · 31st May 2007, 09:11

Besides.... it's really hard to stand quietly outside peoples windows when you sneeze and cough.

**sisterecho** · 31st May 2007, 09:42

My employer prefers people to stay away when they are sick but when they don't think to check your in tray for urgent matters and you come back to work to find there is a messy issue to sort out... you think twice about staying home the next time you are sick.

**lb99** · 31st May 2007, 09:48

I have a crappy job loading containers with 28kg cartons at high speed all day, but I have pulled some muscles in my shoulder so have scored 4 days off

they went all queer about it though, even though I pointed outh that I have like 90hours of sick leave accumulated, that I havn't used, but noooooooooo thats not good enough....Fuck I hate my job

**NighthawkNZ:Me** · 31st May 2007, 09:52

in my 23 work history I have never had a whole day sick leave. I have only have a half day and was told to go home...

my problem is when I get sick its usually saturday morning and I better by monday...