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Dodging the Coughers

Cough Cough, that's what I hear this week in this hell. This is totally the company's fault. About 2 years ago, they took away sick days. More specifically, they rolled sick days in with vacation days and called them PTO days (Paid Time Off). So before there specific days set aside for sickness and specifically time allocated for vacation. Two different things right? Not any more! They're one in the same.

Now it seems that the people are not as willing to call in sick and would rather go in - and of course make every one else sick. This was going on long before the PTO thing, but it's gotten worse since that. In the meantime I am dodging the coughers but one of them is in the office next to mine, and I hear her day - cough wheeze, etc. One thing for sure, the slightest sign of a sniffle other than allergies, and I'll be home sick. And I won't return until I feel better. There is nothing worse than coming to this hell when you're sick; it's bad enough when I'm well!

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Yes, it is a desease
Submitted by Bent II on Sat, 02/23/2008 - 01:22.

Any company whose sick time policy brow beats their sick employees into coming to work can only lose. They do this by having no paid sick time, or at least the bare minimum allowed legally.

How many of us can afford to lose a days pay? I mean honestly...that hurts no matter what. And how many of us want to sacrafice even one sweet, precious day of our vacation days, which are the only reason we are still sane?

So, unless people are on their deathbed, they drag their infectious asses into work. It's not their fault. It's the greedy, bastard fucking company that refuses to acknowledge that we are not machines. We get sick. Even the healthiest, most robust people among us will at one time or another be temporarily felled by illness. Not serious illness, but usually infectious, nasty illness, like vomitting or diareah (stomach flu).

The worst thing a company can do to itself is have this kind of sick policy, I know because I work for one.
It does not cut down on sick time taken. It increases it. Because all the troopers who come in spread it and then the others who get it have to take a day off. Unless they too, decide to be brave in order not to be short on their this weeks mortgage payment.

And then you have a viscious cycle of suffering which gets to flow through the entire staff eventually. With none of them taking any sick time, or getting any relief, because the company is archaeic in its policy.

Ultimately, it just increases the resentment, anger and frustration that is already present. And just reinforces the idea that the company does not give a fig for the worker bees that makes their honey. They are machines, to be used until they are useless and then be replaced.

There should be a minimum 5 days paid sick time by law. In the long run, people tend to use them very carefully in my experience.

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