Time Off Sick

[sophie_1003]

Having read through Ratters post below it made me wonder- is it all work places where you are made to feel bad if you need time off sick?
I've been in schools both in employment and on placements and the teachers roll their eyes and tut when parents send their children in poorly as it usually means that the illness then gets passed around all the other children and staff. However; if a member if staff is poorly they are expected to continue working even if it means everyone else gets poorly and if they have time off there are often snidey comments made or knowing looks passed. Is this common across all professions?

[Postdog]

I'd say yes. I remember at work once a guy came in really ill with a cold or flu because he felthe had to (not for the job, to avoid being penalised if he went sick) and a few days later half of the sorting office went down with it.

[DrFilth]

i think it is, we used to have a few that would come in with the flu and pass it on to the others

[China Doll]

I've never been made to feel bad for being unwell where I currently work. I had five weeks off this year cause of an op and they were incredibly supportive and even sent me flowers. Although other than that instance I'm not sick very often. Personally I'd rather a sick, and probably contagious person stayed at home and didn't come in and spray with their germs.

[craft1948]

If I was ever 'contagiously' sick I was expected to work from home :-(

[vodkancoke]

As an employer, I would rather my staff took the time to get better. Your health is so important and its important to not pass it on to anyone else!

[China Doll]

We had a girl at work who had D&V and was trying to come in! (She's a bit odd like that), my manager had to tell her to stay at home and quote bloody hospital policy to her about not prancing about around there if you're haemarraging both bloody ends... I'd have gone home if that muppet came in!

[boxtops]

As I said on the other thread, in the NHS we monitor sickness rates very closely - to the extent that we now have to have a return interview even if someone's been off one day, which IMO is a bit over the top - and managers have in their objectives to reduce sickness in their teams. Hard for me when all of mine only have two days in total last year - we tend to come if you feel a bit dodgy, and work it off.

[sophie_1003]

I feel the same as you China; hate it when people come into work sick but then I would feel awful ringing in sick with a cold and one of the times I did have a bad cold (was more like flu) I did ring in sick was told "Well, we've already had too many people ring in sick; you have to come in" (I didn't realise being poorly was on a first come first served basis!)
Boxtops, I can see why workplaces try to target sick day rates but it does tend to create that culture where you are expected to 'work through it' even if this is at the expense of everyone elses health!
Interesting to know an employers perspective vodka; what industry are you in if you don't mind me asking?

[Prudie]

Where I work, which is public sector like boxy, we have exactly the same policy - return to work interviews after even a day off and a tally of sick days that can result in being put on 'report'. Having said that many manage to take their 'given' 14 days a year sick leave!
Sophie when I was teaching we hated other staff being off sick as you lost your free periods to cover their classes. I'm sure it's all done differently these days?

[sophie_1003]

I'm early years/primary so don't have any free periods and it is frustrating when people are off; I actually feel more sympathy for the TAs who are expected to cover consistently when this is not part of their jos but that's managemnt issues; not the fault of people who are poorly! But if for example; it was 'my' TA I would rather they have the day off than give me their sickness and force me to work through feeling like rubbish because they've given me whatever they had! Then again there's me saying I'd work through it!

[sophie_1003]

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