How sick is too sick?

[Thornton Melon 544]

Yea - that's what our firm did, went straight PTO.

 

I get 5 weeks a year to do whatever - but we can carry it over up to 8 weeks. I have about 6 saved up.

 

My previous company did that, and what ends up happening is people come into work when they really shouldn't, and end up getting other people sick. Workers invariably end up considering PTO as all vacation days, and I'll be damned if I'm gonna use a vacation day when I'm sick - I'm going into work, dammit!

[Cruzer 1,992]

 

My previous company did that, and what ends up happening is people come into work when they really shouldn't, and end up getting other people sick. Workers invariably end up considering PTO as all vacation days, and I'll be damned if I'm gonna use a vacation day when I'm sick - I'm going into work, dammit!

Yea - like I said, if you can't get out of bed or are contagious - stay home.

 

On the flip side.... we have people who've been here 20 years, with no PTO... First of the month, every month - you can bank on them being out.. I don't get it.

[TD Ryan2 314]

On the flip side.... we have people who've been here 20 years, with no PTO... First of the month, every month - you can bank on them being out.. I don't get it.

 

OK then, I'll tell you a story to make you understand the other extreme... so I know a few guys that worked for years for Bank Boston.

Good guys, smart guys, hard working family men, not scammers or double dippers by any means.

They saved their "sick" time over the years - never really called in. The idea being that if they ever really got sick or hurt, they'd have a a bank of hours to help in a terribly unfortunate situation.

Some of these guys had 100 to 300 days saved up over 20 - 25 years. These were the guys that made it in every day pretty much, loyal company men.

 

And in the Bank of America merger, one swipe of a pen and - POOF - all accrued sick time gone.

[Cruzer 1,992]

 

OK then, I'll tell you a story to make you understand the other extreme... so I know a few guys that worked for years for Bank Boston.

Good guys, smart guys, hard working family men, not scammers or double dippers by any means.

They saved their "sick" time over the years - never really called in. The idea being that if they ever really got sick or hurt, they'd have a a bank of hours to help in a terribly unfortunate situation.

Some of these guys had 100 to 300 days saved up over 20 - 25 years. These were the guys that made it in every day pretty much, loyal company men.

 

And in the Bank of America merger, one swipe of a pen and - POOF - all accrued sick time gone.

Always a possibility for sure.

 

But if I had to bet - I'd wager the odds of you getting cashed out for your accrued PTO are significantly greater than you getting bought out and losing them... Plus, I just like having the security of several weeks saved up in the event of need... But that's just me - some folks don't plan for contingencies.

[mighty_thor 115]

there are a few things that I use in my decision:

 

Am I puking? Stay Home

 

Do I have a fever and chills? Stay Home

 

Some Combination of coughing, hoarseness, sore throat, tiredness, low fever - See below:

A. Going on a vacation shortly? Stay home (who wants to be sick on their vacation - stay home and sleep and get better quicker)

B. I have a critical deadline coming up at work? (gotta take care of business- battle through it)

C. Its a little slower at work? (stay home and get better quicker)

 

If I go to work a little sick, I'll make an attempt to limit the exposure of my coworkers. I give a lot of direction to other people but I can do it over the phone and by email if I am sick and limit the time I talk to them at their desk or mine.