Do you go to work when you are sick cold/flu/fever?

[muwarrior69]

I have, especially when a project was coming to it's completion as there was no one else to do my part.

Chuckled at the comment where the person said they coughed on the manager.

http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2016/07/11/482799063/sick-people-say-they-still-go-to-work-even-when-they-shouldnt

[Benny B]

I have, especially when a project was coming to it's completion as there was no one else to do my part.

Chuckled at the comment where the person said they coughed on the manager.

http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2016/07/11/482799063/sick-people-say-they-still-go-to-work-even-when-they-shouldnt

Further support as to why I don't think shared workspaces are a good idea.  It's one thing to have a sick co-worker (who shouldn't be at work) in the next cube... it's completely another to be sitting in the same workspace, fondling the same phone receiver & computer as they were over the past couple days.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

I never missed a day of high school. Always one of those people who trudged on even when sick.

[GGGG]

People should use their sick leave when they are sick.  However "sick" is an extremely subjective definition that means different things to different people.

[Jay Bee]

I never missed a day of high school. Always one of those people who trudged on even when sick.

Working through illness should be the norm.

Never missing a day of HS is nerdbait action. Dorkwad!!

[MerrittsMustache]

People should use their sick leave when they are sick.  However "sick" is an extremely subjective definition that means different things to different people.

Many companies don't differentiate between "Sick Days" and "Personal Days." They just have one pool of Paid Time Off. As a result, if I miss a day because I'm sick, that's one less day that I'll have for a vacation (in theory).

I'm fortunate enough that I can work from home if I'm not feeling well or have a cold. I encourage those within my department to do the same. Actually, I'm opposed to companies limiting PTO. I think that it can still be tracked so that managers know how much time employees are taking off but if the work is done on time and done correctly, that's all that matters. In addition, if an employee is completing tasks while taking an extreme amount of time off, that person needs more work.

(I fully understand that this wouldn't work for every profession)

[GGGG]

Many companies don't differentiate between "Sick Days" and "Personal Days." They just have one pool of Paid Time Off. As a result, if I miss a day because I'm sick, that's one less day that I'll have for a vacation (in theory).

Yeah my wife has to deal with this and I think it is wrong headed.

Vacation is important because it helps to refresh and recharge the batteries.  Sick leave is important because it helps you recover from illness.  If you have to eat into vacation because you have the flu, you have completely lost the point of vacation and why it is important. 

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Working through illness should be the norm.

Never missing a day of HS is nerdbait action. Dorkwad!!

Could go back further too. Until I was a freshman at Marquette, I don't think I missed a day since 5th grade. That's what you get when you have 2 teachers as parents.

[mu03eng]

Depends on the industry. I can work remotely whenever I want so if I'm not feeling well I'll work remotely just to make sure I don't infect others(as best I can). But definitions of well vary based on the person. I've never been sick enough where I couldn't go into work if I had to or couldn't sit on my couch and get work done.

If you are obviously sick and can, just stay home....no reason to spread disease.

[Coleman]

Work from home when I'm sick. I don't abuse it...1 or 2 days a year.

No reason to get the rest of the office sick.

[mu03eng]

Many companies don't differentiate between "Sick Days" and "Personal Days." They just have one pool of Paid Time Off. As a result, if I miss a day because I'm sick, that's one less day that I'll have for a vacation (in theory).

I'm fortunate enough that I can work from home if I'm not feeling well or have a cold. I encourage those within my department to do the same. Actually, I'm opposed to companies limiting PTO. I think that it can still be tracked so that managers know how much time employees are taking off but if the work is done on time and done correctly, that's all that matters. In addition, if an employee is completing tasks while taking an extreme amount of time off, that person needs more work.

(I fully understand that this wouldn't work for every profession)

Some day the American workforce will be treated like adults. You are paid a certain amount to get a job done, if it takes you more than 40 so be it, less so be it. If I get the agreed to job done in less than 40 hours it's up to the company and I to reassess if they want more output(at a higher price) or if what they are getting is satisfactory.' If I have to work more than 40 hours a week to get the job done then I need to determine if compensation and/or ability are sufficient for the job.

The 40 hour work week is an outdated metric and a legacy of unionized production. If a company wants a fixed work effort and outcome they should turn to Amazon's Mechanical Turk. If the company wants value add that can't be mechanized then they have to accept that some people will get some jobs done faster/better than others.

[CTWarrior]

I never missed a day of high school. Always one of those people who trudged on even when sick.

Me, too.  I would have had perfect attendance in high school, but I skipped on Senior Skip Day.  I have often gone to work when sick over the years.  Now that I can telecommute pretty efficiently, I can work from home when I don't feel well.  I probably do that a couple times a year (besides working from home when a repairman is coming or something like that).

[mu03eng]

How many people will work from home because what they are working on is just more efficient/less interruption to work at home?

I work from home probably 20-30 days a year, at least 50% of the time it's because its just better to do so than going into the office. 40-50% is because I need to be home for something.

Curious more than anything.

[Benny B]

Some day the American workforce will be treated like adults. You are paid a certain amount to get a job done, if it takes you more than 40 so be it, less so be it. If I get the agreed to job done in less than 40 hours it's up to the company and I to reassess if they want more output(at a higher price) or if what they are getting is satisfactory.' If I have to work more than 40 hours a week to get the job done then I need to determine if compensation and/or ability are sufficient for the job.

The 40 hour work week is an outdated metric and a legacy of unionized production. If a company wants a fixed work effort and outcome they should turn to Amazon's Mechanical Turk. If the company wants value add that can't be mechanized then they have to accept that some people will get some jobs done faster/better than others.

The problem is to be treated like an adult, sometimes one must act like an adult.  I know several people who, if given four weeks of sick time, will take four weeks of time whether they're sick or not - in addition to their 2-3-4 weeks of vacation, whatever... so if my employees are using sick time as vacation time, why wouldn't I just combine it into one.  As an employer, it's my responsibility to ensure a program is set up that balances the welfare of all of my employees against the greed of the few, because if the plan is too rich, I'm forced to find the same productivity with fewer employees meaning that my employees - because they're not stupid - will feel more pressure to work when sick (so they don't overburden their co-workers), but the there's no check/balance to the communal mentality in this case because no one is going to call out Gayle in accounting for being out sick 5-6 days every month because nobody wants to confront someone who might really be sick.

It's a conundrum for sure.  And the only way - it seems - to ensure that everyone is treated equitably is to hire people who are vested in the well-being of the entire company and recognize that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts... easier said than done.

[BM1090]

I work when I'm sick, but mainly because if I'm going to be miserable I might as well be extra miserable. I'd rather use my sick days/PTO for enjoyable time off.

[wadesworld]

I wish my sick and vacation time were combined into 1 pool of PTO.  That way I wouldn't get "the flu" every March.

But seriously, we get vacation days, of which we can roll over a max of 40 hours into the next year, and sick days, of which we can't roll any over into the next year.  If I could roll over my sick days knowing that someday I may need some kind of medical procedure or attention that would require me to be out of work for more than 5 straight days, or for 5 days in a row and I have 0 sick hours left for the rest of the entire year, or if it were all lumped into just a general PTO, I'd be far less likely to think, "Hey, it's September and I have 32 hours of sick time left and none of them can roll over, and I know I'm going to have a really slow day at work tomorrow, so now might be a good time to 'call in sick.'"

[GB Warrior]

I will work from home, but try to never be AT WORK when sick/contagious. To me, nothing more disrespectful than someone coming to work sick and jeopardizing other people's health, weekends, vacations, etc.

[MU82]

I work when I'm sick, but mainly because if I'm going to be miserable I might as well be extra miserable. I'd rather use my sick days/PTO for enjoyable time off.

Exactly!

My saying was: "Why waste a perfectly good sick day on being sick?"

[drewm88]

How many people will work from home because what they are working on is just more efficient/less interruption to work at home?

I work from home probably 20-30 days a year, at least 50% of the time it's because its just better to do so than going into the office. 40-50% is because I need to be home for something.

Curious more than anything.

I'm in a similar boat. I probably work from home about 20-30 days each year. 60-75% are because it makes no sense to go into the office (work I can get done more efficiently at home, meetings in the opposite direction of the office, etc.), a few where I need to be home for some reason, and a couple where I don't want to spread a cold or something along those lines. If I had a boss that was a hardass about clock time in the office, I would likely start looking for a new job. There's very little need for it in my role.

[tower912]

My rule for a long time has been that if I can walk and breathe I will work.    I have worked through sprained ankles, broken fingers, broken toes, a hairline fracture in my leg that didn't show up in the initial X-ray but the result of which showed up on the MRI before I had my knee scoped for an unrelated injury a year later.   I have worked through colds if I was able to manage them with Dayquil.    If I had a fever, a cold too bad to manage with cold meds, stitches, I stayed home.   I have probably taken more days off for illnesses to family members than I have for myself.    As a result, I have a year of sick leave in the bank which, God willing, I will be able to sell back to the city and get it added to my years of service when I retire.     I have taken two days off in 26 years when neither I nor anyone in my family was ill.   

[Benny B]

I've worked through strep, a torn MCL, a severe high ankle sprain, dozens of colds, acute bronchitis, several allergic reactions, pink eye, shingles, and probably another malady or two I can't think of off hand.  But I have a private office and don't have to worry about getting others sick.  But I do get ill enough to necessitate staying home... it's just that most times I'd rather be at work than in bed.  So all but four or five of the sick days I've taken over the past 7 years have come when my kids are ill.  That's where I find value in sick time.

[real chili 83]

Some day the American workforce will be treated like adults. You are paid a certain amount to get a job done, if it takes you more than 40 so be it, less so be it. If I get the agreed to job done in less than 40 hours it's up to the company and I to reassess if they want more output(at a higher price) or if what they are getting is satisfactory.' If I have to work more than 40 hours a week to get the job done then I need to determine if compensation and/or ability are sufficient for the job.

The 40 hour work week is an outdated metric and a legacy of unionized production. If a company wants a fixed work effort and outcome they should turn to Amazon's Mechanical Turk. If the company wants value add that can't be mechanized then they have to accept that some people will get some jobs done faster/better than others.

The DOL disagrees with you.  I happen to agree with you.

Go to the DOL  web site and see (in my humble opinion) the cartoons they put together on the new regulations on working over 40 hours. 

[Blackhat]

I'll take a sick day if I'm legit sick.  Why get everyone else sick and feel like crap...   Great time to catch up on paperwork.   All our data systems are internet based and accessible at home anyway.

Plus I treat clientele that are susceptible.

[spartan3186]

How many people will work from home because what they are working on is just more efficient/less interruption to work at home?

I work from home probably 20-30 days a year, at least 50% of the time it's because its just better to do so than going into the office. 40-50% is because I need to be home for something.

Curious more than anything.

This completely. Whenever I have a pending deadline and need complete focus on my work, I take a home office day. I get pulled in far too many directions when I'm at the office. I would be far, far more productive if I were able to work from home 90% of the time.

[MUsoxfan]

This completely. Whenever I have a pending deadline and need complete focus on my work, I take a home office day. I get pulled in far too many directions when I'm at the office. I would be far, far more productive if I were able to work from home 90% of the time.

My wife was given the option to telecommute last year. She takes the train into the city every day. Roughly 3hrs a day commuting.

When she asked me what I thought, I advised her to keep commuting because she would likely never get a promotion. Out of sight, out of mind.

Shortly after, she got a huge promotion and raise.

Working from home can be nice, but it has its downfalls

[DegenerateDish]

I work from home 100% of the time (unless I'm scheduled to travel for work). I don't think I could ever work in an office again. I love it, don't abuse it, and certainly work while sick.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

I've rarely taken a sick day over 25 years of professional work because I'm rarely sick.  I have taken time off after some minor surgeries, but I never used vacation time for any of them.  When my kids were under 5 years old I did take a bunch of work-from-home days when they got sick.  My wife and I would alternate days off when they had fevers and daycare and wouldn't allow kids with fever in.

There are days I would love to work from home because I hate the constant fire drill and distractions and I deal with a lot of deadlines and just need to get things done.  My employer likes to see everyone in the building.  This only lasted a year, but I had a flex schedule where I worked 9 hour days Monday-Thursday and a half-day on Friday.  New management came in and ended the policy.   

I know people were curious about vacation & holidays.
I got 12 days vacation after 5 years and won't get 3 weeks until 10 years and you need to be almost dead to get 4 weeks.
However, we do have eleven (11) paid holidays, and one (1) floating holiday.  (Although the floating holiday is a mixed blessing.  We had a big snowstorm in early 2015 and the facility was closed ahead of time and everyone was told they would be charged their floating holiday for it.)
You can only carry over 40 hours of vacation.

[mu03eng]

I've rarely taken a sick day over 25 years of professional work because I'm rarely sick.  I have taken time off after some minor surgeries, but I never used vacation time for any of them.  When my kids were under 5 years old I did take a bunch of work-from-home days when they got sick.  My wife and I would alternate days off when they had fevers and daycare and wouldn't allow kids with fever in.

There are days I would love to work from home because I hate the constant fire drill and distractions and I deal with a lot of deadlines and just need to get things done.  My employer likes to see everyone in the building.  This only lasted a year, but I had a flex schedule where I worked 9 hour days Monday-Thursday and a half-day on Friday.  New management came in and ended the policy.   

I know people were curious about vacation & holidays.
I got 12 days vacation after 5 years and won't get 3 weeks until 10 years and you need to be almost dead to get 4 weeks.
However, we do have eleven (11) paid holidays, and one (1) floating holiday.  (Although the floating holiday is a mixed blessing.  We had a big snowstorm in early 2015 and the facility was closed ahead of time and everyone was told they would be charged their floating holiday for it.)
You can only carry over 40 hours of vacation.

Wish I could carry over vacation. When I started I got 2 weeks plus two floaters and national holidays, got my 3rd week after 5 years...I get my 4th week at the start of my 14th year(this January) and get caped at 5 weeks after 20 years. No rollover, use it or lose it. I don't do a good enough job taking days through the year so I usually end up disappearing the last two weeks of December burning up vacation.

One of the debates my wife and I have around vacation is the fact that vacation means different things to us. She works in healthcare and has an inflexible but very stable schedule, when she takes vacation someone else sees her patients or they don't come in. I have a very flexible schedule but have to travel from time to time and can be all over the map depending on how many international conference calls I have to participate in. When I take vacation, its not really a vacation, its more of a work transfer program where I either have to work harder the week before, the week after, and/or during the vacation. I never take my work laptop on vacations but I do take my smartphone and will monitor things remotely and jump in to keep things from blowing up, but try to limit it. Amazing how much easier it is coming back to work if I take 30-45 minutes over breakfast to delete, forward, and quickly respond to emails to keep the cogs moving.

[Benny B]

Wish I could carry over vacation. When I started I got 2 weeks plus two floaters and national holidays, got my 3rd week after 5 years...I get my 4th week at the start of my 14th year(this January) and get caped at 5 weeks after 20 years. No rollover, use it or lose it. I don't do a good enough job taking days through the year so I usually end up disappearing the last two weeks of December burning up vacation.

One of the debates my wife and I have around vacation is the fact that vacation means different things to us. She works in healthcare and has an inflexible but very stable schedule, when she takes vacation someone else sees her patients or they don't come in. I have a very flexible schedule but have to travel from time to time and can be all over the map depending on how many international conference calls I have to participate in. When I take vacation, its not really a vacation, its more of a work transfer program where I either have to work harder the week before, the week after, and/or during the vacation. I never take my work laptop on vacations but I do take my smartphone and will monitor things remotely and jump in to keep things from blowing up, but try to limit it. Amazing how much easier it is coming back to work if I take 30-45 minutes over breakfast to delete, forward, and quickly respond to emails to keep the cogs moving.

I wish I could carryover vacation or sick time, too.  Me, I accrue one day of vacation or sick time (my choice) every day, but if I don't use it, I lose it.

 

[naginiF]

I've worked through strep, a torn MCL, a severe high ankle sprain, dozens of colds, acute bronchitis, several allergic reactions, pink eye, shingles, and probably another malady or two I can't think of off hand.  But I have a private office and don't have to worry about getting others sick.  But I do get ill enough to necessitate staying home... it's just that most times I'd rather be at work than in bed.  So all but four or five of the sick days I've taken over the past 7 years have come when my kids are ill.  That's where I find value in sick time.

My physical injuries in my 40's - two broken fingers, a dislocated pinky, stress fractures in both feet, broken elbow, torn labrum in my right hip (diagnosed 14 weeks into marathon training finished training and ran a sub 4hr before having surgery) and shingles.  Info on the labrum is to put into perspective how horrible shingles is when i say.......i'd rather have every single other injury and rehab at the same time than go through shingles again. 

[muwarrior69]

I wish I could carryover vacation or sick time, too.  Me, I accrue one day of vacation or sick time (my choice) every day, but if I don't use it, I lose it.

 

Over the years the definition of vacation has changed. From the early '70s to about the mid to late '80s when you went on vacation we had very little contact with our bosses or workplace (no email/cell phones etc.). So we actually came back refreshed/recharged and ready to get into our next project. Today with technology the way it is you are never really away from the job. I can remember at one of the companies I worked for, our manager was constantly e-mailing us for updates and progress reports while she was at Disney World with her husband and 3 kids. When she got back, we all asked how was your vacation?  She replied, what vacation. We all knew what she meant.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

There are many people at my company who are checking e-mail etc. on vacation but I am not one of those.  I let my supervisor know that f there is an emergency call me and I'll try to help as I'll have my laptop, but I won't checking e-mail.  I have the sincere belief that if any company can't do without me (or someone else) for one to two weeks at a time then they have much bigger issues.  If I'm hit by a bus tomorrow or need surgery or cancer treatment or something, then no one will be doing my job for way much longer than 2 weeks.  Any company should be able to manage for less than 2 weeks.

That said I'm usually working OT before vacation and somewhat right afterwards, because I try to leave everything clean & settled before I go and catch-up afterwards.

[mu03eng]

Over the years the definition of vacation has changed. From the early '70s to about the mid to late '80s when you went on vacation we had very little contact with our bosses or workplace (no email/cell phones etc.). So we actually came back refreshed/recharged and ready to get into our next project. Today with technology the way it is you are never really away from the job. I can remember at one of the companies I worked for, our manager was constantly e-mailing us for updates and progress reports while she was at Disney World with her husband and 3 kids. When she got back, we all asked how was your vacation?  She replied, what vacation. We all knew what she meant.

I think some companies are starting to recognize that. My BinL works for Intel and every 7 years they get a 2 month sabbatical in which their phones and laptops are physically confiscated and unless a VP approves the employee can't be contacted during their sabbatical. I've seen other companies try to control the contact while on vacation as well.

Another issue I have is around paternity/maternity. I was lucky because I had a boss that didn't believe in following the letter of the HR law and let me take a week of "sick time" and then a week of working from home when my son was born but if I didn't have that I would have gone back to work 2 days after my son was born. Maybe it makes me an outlier but I think that's ridiculous and quite frankly sexist.

[naginiF]

I think some companies are starting to recognize that. My BinL works for Intel and every 7 years they get a 2 month sabbatical in which their phones and laptops are physically confiscated and unless a VP approves the employee can't be contacted during their sabbatical. I've seen other companies try to control the contact while on vacation as well.

Another issue I have is around paternity/maternity. I was lucky because I had a boss that didn't believe in following the letter of the HR law and let me take a week of "sick time" and then a week of working from home when my son was born but if I didn't have that I would have gone back to work 2 days after my son was born. Maybe it makes me an outlier but I think that's ridiculous and quite frankly sexist.

I agree with you, it's an outdated POV at the least.  The last large company i worked for (Sprint) gave 12 wks maternity and 6 weeks paternity.  I think companies are coming around.

[Benny B]

I think some companies are starting to recognize that. My BinL works for Intel and every 7 years they get a 2 month sabbatical in which their phones and laptops are physically confiscated and unless a VP approves the employee can't be contacted during their sabbatical. I've seen other companies try to control the contact while on vacation as well.

Another issue I have is around paternity/maternity. I was lucky because I had a boss that didn't believe in following the letter of the HR law and let me take a week of "sick time" and then a week of working from home when my son was born but if I didn't have that I would have gone back to work 2 days after my son was born. Maybe it makes me an outlier but I think that's ridiculous and quite frankly sexist.

I took two weeks of paternity leave for my son, one for the first week my wife was home and the other the week she went back to work.  The latter was one of the best weeks of my life: took him to a Brewers game one day, carted him around the zoo the next, went to the mall another, and most importantly, drove him around MU's campus.... kid did more in his 11th week than any of the other 51 his first year.  Granted, he slept most of it, but it was quality time for at least one of us... and the secondary benefit was that it really made me appreciate the job I had and gave me the motivation needed to plow through those sometimes 10-12 hour days that usually followed only 2 hours of sleep.

Now he'd just rather play on the iPad all day... I think I burnt him out too soon.

[🏀]

You're an pretty boy if you go in with a contagious sickness.

I have a two-year old daughter, and many of my co-workers have young kids. Just because I didn't get sick doesn't mean my daughter isn't puking curdled milk all over her bedsheets because you think you are tough.

You are not tough, you're an pretty boy. Stay home and be sick, don't spread it. My manager respects this and our children. If you say you are sick or look sick, he orders you to go home.

[Strokin 3s]

My companies vacation policy is set up such that we get 8 paid holidays, 4 floating holidays and then:

1-4 years: 15 days
5-9 years: 17 days
10-14 years: 20 days
15-19 years: 22 days
20- 24 years: 25 days
25+ years: 30 days

We can rollover up to 10 days per year.
We have unlimited sick time which you are supposed to just log as sick time, but am lucky enough that I have a manager that just says if you are sick you are sick don't worry about it.

Also work from home 1 day a week, sometimes two.  2 weeks paternity leave.

[Benny B]

You're an pretty boy if you go in with a contagious sickness.

I have a two-year old daughter, and many of my co-workers have young kids. Just because I didn't get sick doesn't mean my daughter isn't puking curdled milk all over her bedsheets because you think you are tough.

You are not tough, you're an pretty boy. Stay home and be sick, don't spread it. My manager respects this and our children. If you say you are sick or look sick, he orders you to go home.

If you're referring to norovirus (i.e. puking all over the place)... that's an easy one: stay home.  But for me, if I have a mild cold due to an immune system weakened by recent allergy issues - and given that I'm not working, talking or touching anything near anyone else - we're talking statistical improbabilities here.  Most of the minor stuff doesn't travel well through the air (short of sneezing or coughing directly on someone)... the virus spreads almost exclusively via direct or shared contact.  Sure, not everyone took microbiology 101, but it's not hard to keep yourself in a virtual bubble - whether sick or trying to avoid getting sick - by using a little common sense.  But of course, I hear what you're saying because the instinctive response to getting sick - for most people, anyway - is the desire to be coddled, i.e. selfishness... so at exactly the time when one should be thinking of others (and how not to infect them), most people are only thinking of what other people could be doing to help them feel better... which is the twisted irony of the OP link which found that co-workers who work while sick are doing so in many instances in order to be unselfish.  So if you're going to paint everyone with a broad brush, then yes, your advice is golden; however, personally, if I'm sick at work, I'm pretty much the same risk as someone in full quarantine.  And our company is small... nobody I work with (or any of their families) have compromised immune systems, and we all have our own offices.  We've all worked when sick when we've had (or wanted) to, and we all stay home when it makes more  sense to do so; I realize that isn't a universal solution.

Not to mention, I'm such a germaphobe myself that by the time I get infected with something, everyone else has already been exposed to it several times at least.  Example... several years ago when there was a bad cold virus or something going around Lake County, it seemed like everyone was getting sick on rotation for a couple months except me.  Except I did... 3-4 weeks after everyone else in the county had long since recovered.  In other words, the downside to not being sick is not developing the immunity.

[MU82]

I once worked two consecutive days.

Yes, I was a workaholic!

[real chili 83]

I think some companies are starting to recognize that. My BinL works for Intel and every 7 years they get a 2 month sabbatical in which their phones and laptops are physically confiscated and unless a VP approves the employee can't be contacted during their sabbatical. I've seen other companies try to control the contact while on vacation as well.

Another issue I have is around paternity/maternity. I was lucky because I had a boss that didn't believe in following the letter of the HR law and let me take a week of "sick time" and then a week of working from home when my son was born but if I didn't have that I would have gone back to work 2 days after my son was born. Maybe it makes me an outlier but I think that's ridiculous and quite frankly sexist.

You can take up to 12 weeks of paternity leave under the protection of the FMLA.

[Jay Bee]

I receive neither paid time off nor holiday pay.

[real chili 83]

I receive neither paid time off nor holiday pay.

But you have other fringe benefits where you work.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

My companies vacation policy is set up such that we get 8 paid holidays, 4 floating holidays and then:

1-4 years: 15 days
5-9 years: 17 days
10-14 years: 20 days
15-19 years: 22 days
20- 24 years: 25 days
25+ years: 30 days

We can rollover up to 10 days per year.
We have unlimited sick time which you are supposed to just log as sick time, but am lucky enough that I have a manager that just says if you are sick you are sick don't worry about it.

Also work from home 1 day a week, sometimes two.  2 weeks paternity leave.

I want to work where you do.

[4everwarriors]

I receive neither paid time off nor holiday pay.

I feel yo pain, kin, hey?

[warriorchick]

You can take up to 12 weeks of paternity leave under the protection of the FMLA.

But they don't have to pay you for it.  And depending on the culture of the company, you might get a lot of crap for taking it if you are a dad.

[chapman]

Could go back further too. Until I was a freshman at Marquette, I don't think I missed a day since 5th grade. That's what you get when you have 2 teachers as parents.

    Once I got a job, I pretty much had my parents' blank excuse note.  Heck, when they were out of town, I'd be armed in advance with a couple of notes ready to go for missing a day, arriving late, or needing to leave early. 

How many people will work from home because what they are working on is just more efficient/less interruption to work at home?

I work from home probably 20-30 days a year, at least 50% of the time it's because its just better to do so than going into the office. 40-50% is because I need to be home for something.

Curious more than anything.

Pretty much the exact same; about a day every other week/half day a week average.  Which is somewhat abnormal; my company has a ton of people who go into their "local" offices once or twice a year, and have no reason to since nobody they work with is actually there.  Same split between needing to be home for something or deciding it'll be more efficient/less frustrating.

[Jay Bee]

But you have other fringe benefits where you work.

Oh man, you're not lying!!

[WI inferiority Complexes]

I sell cars.  Don't make a dime unless I'm at work, (and some days, don't make a dime even when I'm at work).

I get two "paid weeks" of vacation a year.  Every year on my work anniversary, (which happens to be near Christmas), I receive a check for the average of two weeks of my commission.  I count this as a Christmas bonus, and rarely, if ever, take a day off.  Knock on wood, I haven't had any health problems.

[real chili 83]

But they don't have to pay you for it.  And depending on the culture of the company, you might get a lot of crap for taking it if you are a dad.

You can use accumulated PTO or vacation/sick.  Rarely does that add up, unless you are in civil service.  For example, teachers have been allowed under many contracts, to bank unused sick time.

On the crap thing, it depends on your company's culture.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

You can use accumulated PTO or vacation/sick.  Rarely does that add up, unless you are in civil service.  For example, teachers have been allowed under many contracts, to bank unused sick time.

On the crap thing, it depends on your company's culture.

CPS doesn't allow you to bank sick days anymore. My mom was saving up so she could retire a year early but that got shot down 2 years ago.

[MUsoxfan]

CPS doesn't allow you to bank sick days anymore. My mom was saving up so she could retire a year early but that got shot down 2 years ago.

I had an AP US History teacher who banked so many sick days that she may have only worked 40 days combined in her last 2 years before retirement

[MU82]

When I'm sick, most of the time it's that I'm sick of working!

[warriorchick]

You can use accumulated PTO or vacation/sick.  Rarely does that add up, unless you are in civil service.  For example, teachers have been allowed under many contracts, to bank unused sick time.

The law allows your company to require you to burn any accumulated vacation time during your FMLA leave.  In other words, a company is well within its legal rights to say you can't take 12 weeks unpaid, and then take your two-week paid vacation later in the year.

 And most places won't let you use sick time for FMLA if you aren't the one that actually gave birth.

On the crap thing, it depends on your company's culture.

I believe that is exactly what I said in my post.

[Benny B]

Not to mention, FMLA doesn't apply if your company employs something like less than 40 or 50 FT employees, which has to be something like half of employers in this country.

[real chili 83]

The law allows your company to require you to burn any accumulated vacation time during your FMLA leave.  In other words, a company is well within its legal rights to say you can't take 12 weeks unpaid, and then take your two-week paid vacation later in the year.

 And most places won't let you use sick time for FMLA if you aren't the one that actually gave birth.

I believe that is exactly what I said in my post.

I think you mean disability pay instead of sick time.

Some states, like Wisconsin, have a law that make it the employee's choice if they burn vacation, etc. 

[warriorchick]

I think you mean disability pay instead of sick time.

Some states, like Wisconsin, have a law that make it the employee's choice if they burn vacation, etc.

I was specifically referring to FMLA, not any state law.

And I meant sick.  Most places won't let you use sick time for FMLA unless you personally have a medical issue.

[Coleman]

I had an AP US History teacher who banked so many sick days that she may have only worked 40 days combined in her last 2 years before retirement

Doesn't really seem fair to the kids trying to prepare for an AP exam. Would rather they just pay it out to her at retirement.

[mu03eng]

You can use accumulated PTO or vacation/sick.  Rarely does that add up, unless you are in civil service.  For example, teachers have been allowed under many contracts, to bank unused sick time.

On the crap thing, it depends on your company's culture.

I can't build vacation to get to 12 weeks, as there is no carry over nor PTO nor sick days. Most I can get to is 4.5 weeks starting next year. So I'd have to take at least 7.5 weeks as unpaid time off which just wouldn't fly since bills have to be paid and such.

[mu03eng]

Quite frankly I think the Fins have it right.....the first year both parents should have some sort of mandatory paid time off. Not necessarily because I think a year off is a great idea but because after a year the physical parenting differences between men and women largely disappears (ie nursing). From a career standpoint that could go a long way toward balancing the inequality in the workplace between the genders. There is definitely a mommy penalty in the corporate world.

[Strokin 3s]

I want to work where you do.

If as your name suggests you probably are already paying my company something (at least the parent company that is).  Parent company of mine is Exelon (owner of ComEd).  I work for different bus unit though.

[warriorchick]

Quite frankly I think the Fins have it right.....the first year both parents should have some sort of mandatory paid time off. Not necessarily because I think a year off is a great idea but because after a year the physical parenting differences between men and women largely disappears (ie nursing). From a career standpoint that could go a long way toward balancing the inequality in the workplace between the genders. There is definitely a mommy penalty in the corporate world.

It's an employer penalty in Finland, apparently.  ;-)

I wonder how they stop companies from giving hiring preferences to folks that are beyond their childbearing years.

[mu03eng]

It's an employer penalty in Finland, apparently.  ;-)

I wonder how they stop companies from giving hiring preferences to folks that are beyond their childbearing years.

Very good question and I really don't know. Probably do it via data like every other bias check for EOA compliance. Not sure how they handle back fill for employees who are off but I could see a significant market for contract employees to cover people on leave.

[muwarrior69]

But they don't have to pay you for it.  And depending on the culture of the company, you might get a lot of crap for taking it if you are a dad.

Yup! This was back in the late '90s. A co-worker of mine in IT took 3 months paternity leave. When he returned he did not get his job back as a new hire took his place. They gave him a position with all the same responsibilities, but he had to work in Europe every other month. Oh, and this company was rated one of the top 5 for working mothers.

[MomofMUltiples]

If as your name suggests you probably are already paying my company something (at least the parent company that is).  Parent company of mine is Exelon (owner of ComEd).  I work for different bus unit though.

Ha - I read your initial vacation schedule and said "s/he must work for a utility -- looks exactly like my vacation schedule when I worked for Xcel."  Trouble is, when you're there long enough to get to those upper reaches of vacation, you likely have too much work/responsibility to take it all.

I currently work for a smaller company with an "enlightened" owner where basically, we are all treated as professionals.  If you want to go on vacation, you go on vacation.  If you're sick, you go home.  We don't really count "days" but we keep track, and those who abuse it are shown the door (has happened twice so far).  Like many of you, I stay home when I'm sick but can also work while I'm home, unless I'm really sick.  I used to go in to the office sick all the time (had to save the sick leave for sick kiddos), but at my advanced age I have learned that I get better way faster if I stay home and rest.  I'll trade a day or two off for a three week cold any time!

I have a strict policy (personally) of not expecting my employees to work while on vacation, except in extreme emergency.  My boss, however, doesn't have the same policy (in fact, expects you to be available pretty much 24/7 in case he needs you).  As a result, I've resorted to taking vacations in places that are very difficult to reach,  although there are getting to be fewer and fewer of those places.  Overall, I think sick leave, vacation and other employee flex policies go a long way to create a happy and productive workforce.

[Herman Cain]

I never missed a day of high school. Always one of those people who trudged on even when sick.

That is a great work ethic and will serve you well.

[Strokin 3s]

Ha - I read your initial vacation schedule and said "s/he must work for a utility -- looks exactly like my vacation schedule when I worked for Xcel."  Trouble is, when you're there long enough to get to those upper reaches of vacation, you likely have too much work/responsibility to take it all.

While I don't work for a utility itself (they are a company under the parent company for which we have very strict rules about not communicating) I think our vacation/leave policy is a function of those utility companies being part of the parent company.  As you mentioned though I am currently in my 11th year with the company.  I end up forfeiting several days each year and rollover the maximum because it becomes quite difficult to take them all.

My thought's on it are more along the lines of....We are salaried, if you have time and have worked ahead to take vacation then take it, why do we track it at all other than (and I agree about abusing it) to make sure it isn't being abused.

[GWSwarrior]

If i have court I can't really miss it.  If like i'm in the hospital that is one thing, but if i'm just sick i'll go conduct the hearing and then decide afterwards if it is best to go home or power through.