Stupid Award

[Aggie_Ama]

I spend much of my work day wondering if it is allergies or a new cold. Working in a cube farm is second only to teaching in the germ sharing world. I was rarely sick before I took an office job, even though I was working retail.

When I get sick, I am lucky to be able to work from home. In January I had a nasty viral infection, I felt about 70% but was highly contagious. I talked to my manager and put in two days from home to keep my germs all to myself. I do not like calling in, but I really hate when people come to work with the flu, strep or other contagious illness. UGH!!

My husband is immuno compromised and I constantly worry when he tells me his co-workers have been at work sick. Luckily, since he has had this concern he has stayed pretty healthy.

I agree- STUPID AWARD!

[DirtDiva]

This year I have paid sick-leave for the first time in seven-and-a-half years. I'm damn well staying home and enjoying it should the opportunity present itself.

[carpaltunnel]

I'm just getting over a horrible cold I caught because my supervisor and our department head have been working sick for weeks on end. Both make tons more money and have more days off than the rest of us do, but the're saving it all up to vacation, fish and hunt, so they come to work sick. I think it's unethical for management to do that.

[Blueberry]

When I was in high school, we got to skip final exams if we had perfect attendance. Yep - I faked being well more than a few times.

Now I'm in a large law firm. If you stay home sick, you get phone calls all day long (and sometimes a come into the office now order). So....practically everybody is sick all winter.

CA

[firenze11]

My school used to have individual awards for perfect attendance kids. It always made me feel bad for not sucking it up and going to school when I was sick. I think a traveling trophy is pretty stupid. Methinks they should focus on other achievements.

I have a sick at work story. This was when I wasn't strong enough to say "that's it, this is ridiculous."

I worked at a place that served food. One day I was sick and had been guilted into going to work. While I was there I just kept feeling worse and worse and was constantly telling the manager that I shouldn't be there with people's food and handling money.

No one listened until finally I was making a drink and a guy at the counter said "Hey! Are you sick? Are you making that drink?"
"Yes."
"I don't want a sick person making my drink"
I said "THANK YOU!," threw the drink in the garbage, walked to the back room, and told the manager "That's IT I'm leaving" and went home to lay in bed.

Going to work sick can be irresponsible. I understand why some people go, though. And I think ignoring some illnesses just makes them last longer and reduces productivity in the long run anyway.

I hope when I have kids one day, perfect attendance won't be worth going to school sick for.