Opinions on going to work sick

[NakedFinger]

Ok so I pride myself on not being "flaky" and calling out for the slightest sniffle or pms, or "being tired" etc. It takes a lot for me to call out sick, and I think it shows my dedication to my job and such.

However, today some comments have got me thinking that its better to stay home. I have a RIPPING cold today. Horrible running nose, itchy watery eyes, sinus pressure, headache, the works. When I get a cold, it goes straight to my eyes, so I am a teary puffy mess. My colleagues can hear my sniffling, sneezing, and blowing my nose 2,000 times. So this one girl I work with was like "you should go home if you dont feel well". I smiled, thought she was just being nice, and went on working. But then she has said it to me about 5 more times since then. So, it occurred to me that she may prefer I was home.

Now I have my own office, so its not like I''m on top of anyone, however, it your opinion, does it bother you more when someone calls out of work, or when they are in the office sick (I could see this bothering someone, like not wanting to get sick)? I use to think I was doing everyone a favor by not calling out. But be honest, which is worse and which would you prefer?

 

[appletini]

Colds are contaigous. if you are sick stay home or work from home. Even if you have your own office, you are still touching the same door knobs, elevator buttons, etc as everyone else and are still spreading germs. Since you are not someone who is habitually out of the office, please respect the health of others and don''t go to work.

 

[Smurfysmiles]

I''m of the stay home camp. There was a girl I work with who was about 3 times as sick as you are coming in everyday the week before our wedding, putting her hands on all of my stuff, sneezing in my cube and I almost went mental on her. I know it''s an exaggerated case but ooh not a fan. I make a point of using my huge bottle of hand sanitizer when sick people are around. I know I''ve covered for co workers who were sick and they have covered for me as well. Our work load isn''t that bad that we need sick people coming into the office

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

You're given sick time for a reason. USE IT! I understand that you have your own private space, but that doesn't mean you're not touching copiers, faucets and doorhandles, possible infecting others in your office. You don't necessarily know what their health problems are, someone might have a compromised immune system. if you're really sick you should be at least working from home. I would prefer to be under a nyquil-induced coma personally. It's only going to look bad if you do it habitually or when you're not reall sick.

 

[Bella_mezzo]

I have a horrible cold too!

I came in today b/c I had an important internal mtg I couldn''t reschedule, I am trying to keep my distance from everyone and am leaving now to go home b/c my 5pm got rescheduled

If I don''t feel better tomorrow I am canceling those mtgs.

 

[LaurenThePartier]

I work from home when I'm sick. I've had too many people come into the office, sneezing all over everything, tossing their germs about like colds aren't contagious. I inevitably end up sick whenever someone comes into the office with the sniffles, especially when they assume "it's only alleries".

I'm dealing with this today with my next door office mate, and I'm not too pleased that she came in.

 

[Porridge]

Stay home! I don''t want your germs!!

 

[princesss]

Date: 2/1/2010 2:58:54 PM
Author: appletini
Colds are contaigous. if you are sick stay home or work from home. Even if you have your own office, you are still touching the same door knobs, elevator buttons, etc as everyone else and are still spreading germs. Since you are not someone who is habitually out of the office, please respect the health of others and don''t go to work.

Yup.

I hate calling out, but they give you that time for a reason. Staying home sick is not just to help you, it''s to help everybody in your office.

 

[ChargerGrrl]

interesting question

I was in this same situation exactly a week ago, and i elected to call in sick (i have my own office). The good thing is that I was able to work from home, so I still got things done.

i can probably count on one hand the number of times I've called in sick over the last 3-4 years, so my boss knows that when I do, it means I'M REALLY SICK.

Anyway, I would prefer that colleagues stay home if they have outright symptoms. It's just the right thing to do.

 

[monarch64]

Even if you have your own office you are still bringing germs into the building...and the coughing/sneezing/wheezing/sniffling can be really, really distracting to co-workers. Plus I find it really hard to be productive when I''m that sick, the first day or two of a full-on cold or flu is just miserable for me. And one more thing: I really don''t like for others to see me not at my best, i.e. sick and choking, snotty, etc. It''s like going to the store in my pajamas--just something I don''t want to share with anyone.

Hope you feel better soon, NF!

 

[risingsun]

I used to have this problelm with clients. They really wanted to come in for their appointments and then told me that they were sick with everything from strep throat to a kid with head lice. Please don't do me any favors, when you are sick, stay home

 

[NakedFinger]

Thank you ladies! I knew I could count on my PS gals for honest opinions.

Nuff said....I''m heading home for the day!

Thanks!

 

[Smurfysmiles]

Date: 2/1/2010 3:20:28 PM
Author: NakedFinger
Thank you ladies! I knew I could count on my PS gals for honest opinions.


Nuff said....I''m heading home for the day!

Thanks!

Get well soon!!!

 

[zoebartlett]

I've thought about this too. While I usually won't stay home for a cold, I guess I might if I felt really horrible. It doesn't do you any good to be at work because 1) you're probably not getting as much done as you would if you felt better AND 2) colds are contagious and others could get sick.

 

[TravelingGal]

Get well soon!

And yes, I think it''s rude when people come to the office sick - so they can call in sick when they''re not! You get other people sick, they get their kids and elderly parents sick...it''s just not pretty.

TGuy''s company just went to a policy where it''s just Paid Time Off. So they have been finding that people don''t want to use PTO for sick days and have been coming in. Their management sent around an email demanding that people stay home and if they are sick and at work, they will need to go to a doctor to say they are in condition to work. TGuy and his colleagues joked with one another that theirs is the only office they knew where you had to have a doctor''s note to come in.

 

[LaurenThePartier]

Date: 2/1/2010 3:20:28 PM
Author: NakedFinger
Thank you ladies! I knew I could count on my PS gals for honest opinions.

Nuff said....I''m heading home for the day!

Thanks!

Get well soon, NF! Hopefully you''ll feel better sooner rather than later since you''re going home to relax. Please rest and take care of yourself!

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Hope you feel better soon!

Like everyone else said, it''s better to stay home. When you sneeze, germs fly across the room.

Oh, and if you sneeze or cough, you''re suppose to sneeze into your elbow, if that makes sense. You lift your arm up and cough there rather than using your hand, so that your germs don''t end up on you hands and/or as easily on doorknobs and all that. At my sons'' school, that''s what they teach them to avoid spreading germs.

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

Date: 2/1/2010 3:47:40 PM
Author: ZoeBartlett
I''ve thought about this too. While I usually won''t stay home for a cold, I guess I might if I felt really horrible. It doesn''t do you any good to be at work because 1) you''re probably not getting as much done as you would if you felt better AND 2) colds are contagious and others could get sick.

Zoe this surprises me. You''re working with children, I''d think you''d be more cautious about not getting them sick because you know how fast these things can spread.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 2/1/2010 3:56:08 PM
Author: Hudson_Hawk


Zoe this surprises me. You're working with children, I'd think you'd be more cautious about not getting them sick because you know how fast these things can spread.

2nd. I'd be upset if one of the teachers at the school was coming in sick.

Also, it drives me nuts when parents have their sick kid attend school. Once a parent sent her son with full-blown chicken pox. It was so bad, the kid walked up to the teacher and asked her to scratch his back for him.

(There have been only two cases of chicken pox since my kids have been in elementary due to vaccinations.)

 

[elrohwen]

I hope other people will stay home when they are very sick and I do the same. Totally not worth it and I don't like office environments where they look down on people for legitimately taking sick time. No job is so important that a sick day here or there will matter anyway.

 

[Mrs Mitchell]

I would much prefer you to stay home if you're sick. You may pride yourself on not taking sick leave, but I don't, so if you give me your illness, I have to take the time off, because I don't want to make anyone else ill.

Plus, you're of no use if you don't feel well and actively dangerous in some jobs.

Finally, I tend to think of it as a little bit of vanity, since the implication is that you're far, far too important to stay at home.

(Not you as in Naked Finger necessarily, just you in general haha).

ETA it's also a bit of a bullying tactic, or could be perceived as such, if you are in a senior position. If I don't take sick leave, you don't either. Leading by example and not in a good way.


ETA (Again) Sorry - this was a rant! It's a topic that annoys me beyond belief. I didn't mean to sound so nasty.
NF I hope you're feeling better soon.

 

[Amber St. Clare]

If you are sick, STAY HOME. it''s really digusting to hear someone coughing, sneezing and snotting all day.

 

[April20]

My rule is if I''m contagious, I stay home no matter what. It''s not fair to others. Also, you never know who might have a compromised immune system and what is run of the mill for you can be serious for them. I''ve worked with several people that have compromised immune systems, so I''m more aware of it now.

If I just feel bad, I play it by ear. I''m not hugely productive when I feel awful, so I think it''s better to be home.

 

[Erin]

I know I should agree and say don''t come in so that other''s don''t get sick as well... but the truth is, don''t come in because I don''t want to listen to you sniff and sniff and sniff and blow your nose and cough in patterns of three all day long. Ugh. Go home so I don''t have to hear it.

 

[zoebartlett]

Date: 2/1/2010 4:03:34 PM
Author: MC

Date: 2/1/2010 3:56:08 PM

Author: Hudson_Hawk



Zoe this surprises me. You''re working with children, I''d think you''d be more cautious about not getting them sick because you know how fast these things can spread.

2nd. I''d be upset if one of the teachers at the school was coming in sick.


Also, it drives me nuts when parents have their sick kid attend school. Once a parent sent her son with full-blown chicken pox. It was so bad, the kid walked up to the teacher and asked her to scratch his back for him.

(There have been only two cases of chicken pox since my kids have been in elementary due to vaccinations.)[/QUOTE

I know I know. Honestly, I think it depends on the severity of the symptoms. Plus, it truly is a PITA to be out (writing sub plans, etc.), and sometimes it''s just easier to stay even if you don''t feel well. Again, it just depends on HOW sick you feel.

 

[Blackpaw]

In general i think you should be home when you''re sick....however, now i live in a place where sick time does not have to be paid (in Australia its the law that you get 10 days per year). So if anyone is sick i COMPLETELY understand them coming in. And if i get sick no matter what i will drag myself into work and cough everywhere because its a JOKE that sick time is not provided here

i feel quite strongly about it actually, can you tell?

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 2/1/2010 4:24:14 PM
Author: ZoeBartlett

I know I know. Honestly, I think it depends on the severity of the symptoms. Plus, it truly is a PITA to be out (writing sub plans, etc.), and sometimes it''s just easier to stay even if you don''t feel well. Again, it just depends on HOW sick you feel.

Yeah, I can see the sub plans being a pain. Maybe that''s why it''s pretty much a free day when the teacher isn''t in class.

 

[zoebartlett]

Date: 2/1/2010 4:37:56 PM
Author: MC

Date: 2/1/2010 4:24:14 PM

Author: ZoeBartlett

I know I know. Honestly, I think it depends on the severity of the symptoms. Plus, it truly is a PITA to be out (writing sub plans, etc.), and sometimes it''s just easier to stay even if you don''t feel well. Again, it just depends on HOW sick you feel.

Yeah, I can see the sub plans being a pain. Maybe that''s why it''s pretty much a free day when the teacher isn''t in class.

But it shouldn''t be a free day. I''d like my kids to be productive even if I can''t be there. I don''t see the point in giving busy work for my kids to do.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 2/1/2010 4:45:20 PM
Author: ZoeBartlett

But it shouldn't be a free day. I'd like my kids to be productive even if I can't be there. I don't see the point in giving busy work for my kids to do.

I'd rather have my kid watching a movie and coloring pictures all day than coming home with the stomach flu!

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Zoe - I didn't realize until just a second in reading another post of yours that you're a long-term sub. Disregard what I've said regarding subs being a "free day." Entirely different situation and I hope I didn't offend.