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