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An interesting dilemma?

Tourmeister

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Howdy,

Was cruising another forum and came across the topic of sick days. The question is what do you think of using them as days off when you are not sick? In this particular case, it was to go riding. Opinions?

Adios,
 
You should be allowed to call in well.

I actually have a boss that supports this :dude: , just not all the time, natch. :bigokay:
 
But you have not addressed the issue. Do you think it is okay to call in sick when you are in fact not sick?

Adios,
 
Tourmeister said:
But you have not addressed the issue. Do you think it is okay to call in sick when you are in fact not sick?

Adios,

Um, well, no, I don't. :suicide:
 
As a confirmed job jumper (7 jobs in the last 10 years -- jumped for bigger and better things), here is my twisted view of the world of employment.

I've worked for a company that it was encouraged to work long hours (pretty normal), but if you weren't there for at least 8 hours in a given day, then you had to take vacation time -- 12 hours on Monday + 7 hours on Tuesday = 1 hour of vacation.

I worked for a company that we were forced to take vacation the week between Christmas and New Years because "so many people are out that it will be unproductive to open" -- that was a small software shop (I didn't stay long)

If you feel stressed enough to take a day to ride to get your self back to normal, relaxed, etc. on occassion (insert common sense here) then I think it's OK and is good for both you and your employer.

Of course if your company has a very explicit policy regarding sick time, then let your concious be your guide :shame: (I'd still call in sick and ride)
 
I don't recall ever calling in sick when I wasn't. Then again, I haven't ever been in a position to do that. The army doesn't go for that sort of thing and neither does school. :doh: Now that I'm employed, I may use that in the future. Well have to see. ;-)
 
Too complex to answer with a yes or no. It amazes me how often an employer keeps close count of time off, but provides no compensation for excess work. In this case, sick days should become a form of compensation. The civil service contract take into both issues.
 
I'm sick of work , I just wish I had a boss that care......OH wait , I'm the boss . SEYA
 
I say it is ok. You've earned that as a benefit of your job. When you leave, some places don't compensate you for all or part of your sick time.

I usually either am sick or sick of coming in (mental health day) so I'm not lying.
 
That is exactly why I don't give sick days at my company. Now we just give "earned days off." You apply them to vacation, sick days, wellness days, or whatever you want call them. You give sick days and too many people lie. Originally I had no sick days, but just forgave those absences and paid them. Nothing formal, just trying to be nice. However, you guessed the problem with that. My generousity and good nature was taken advantage of, so that stopped.

It is amazing how "sick" days have decreased under the new policy. uhmmm.....
 
No..it is wrong. If you're sick, you're sick....if you aren't sick, then you are lying to your boss....and in my line of work that can get you fired most quick quick.

In fact I knew an officer who was fired just for that. He called in sick to go to a party. A supervisor asked him about it, he said he was home sick and put it in a memo....now he has lied on paper. He was fired in about a week.

Now an issue I will have to deal with in 15 years or so is accrued sick leave. There is no limit to sick leave accrual so I can build up thousands of hours but the kicker is I only get paid for 720 hours when I retire so I could end up giving a couple of thousands of hours back to the city....but that's a bridge I will have to cross when I get to it.
 
Fort Worth provides 5 "sick days" per year. When I'm sick of school, I take a couple sick days. That has happened 3 times over the past 7 years. When I fill out the paperwork, I do write "sick of school" in the appropriate blank. I missed 5 days after driving through a brown tornado, but that was after spending a night on the floor with convulsions and fever so bad I couldn't use the phone to call for help. I have also given several of my sick days to a fund for those with long-term medical absences.

Texas provides 5 "personal days" per year. I have yet to take a personal day. All told, of the 80 days I have earned while teaching in Texas, I still have 62 left.

Why should I work every day when people who miss 10 days per year make the same money I do? Teachers do not get paid vacation and holidays, either.
 
Now an issue I will have to deal with in 15 years or so is accrued sick leave. There is no limit to sick leave accrual so I can build up thousands of hours but the kicker is I only get paid for 720 hours when I retire so I could end up giving a couple of thousands of hours back to the city....but that's a bridge I will have to cross when I get to it.
That will resolve itself; as you get older the body will tend to break down more often and you'll be glad you accrued those extra hours because they will come in handy.
 
I'm not a big fan of the idea (though I have made an early morning recovery or two in my day after calling in sick), but have seen them treated various ways at different jobs. My hospital days, you got a quarter of accumulated sick time as additional severence pay. My current job, you are alloted 5 sick days for family care days.

I expect no matter what you think, the equally important question is what your boss thinks, and how likely they would be to find out.
 
But you have not addressed the issue. Do you think it is okay to call in sick when you are in fact not sick?

Adios,

NO. Unless it is specifically allowed by corporate policy it is NOT okay. Some organizations allow you to take off a certain number of days per year and don't care what the reason is. Most organizations still have a prescribed number of sick days in addition to a prescribed number of vacation days. You are hired with an understanding of what the employer expects and you should live up to your end of the bargain regardless of what you think of the policy later on. Besides that, what are you going to do if you've used up all your sick time, to do whatever, and then you really get sick and need more time off? I would recommend that anyone read the book "That's Why They Call it Work" if you haven't already. I would also suggest that if a person needs to take off another day every now and then, that they talk to their manager about occasionally working four 10-hour days during the week that they need to take another day off. Most managers won't mind if they think you are especially productive day-in and day-out.

David
 
I generally would say no, it's not ok. Fortunately my employer gives us "PDO" or Paid Days Off, depending on how long you've worked for them determines how fast you can acrue these days, as a percentage of your worked hours (up to 40 a week :( ). So sick days and vacation is all one lump, you sick a lot, no paid vacation for you. Also, you can either roll over your accrued PDO or cash part or all of it out at the end of each year. At least my employer does something that seems the right way to do it, some other areas they just have me scratching my head.
:zen:
 
A lot of corporations have done away with sick days. We now have "Personal days". You accrue them at different rates according to how many years you have been with the company. I believe the first two years is 6 days a year, and it goes up from there. These are in addition to vacation and you can use them as you please.
 
No, it is lying.

A big +1 from me. It's lying plain and simple. No ifs ands or buts about it.

I'm lucky with my company. We just have PTO (personal time off) days that cover everything.
 
Just for the record, I agree with the, "It's lying" position ;-)
 
personally.I have seen people fired over using too many sick days.yes they are sick days but they are not free to use as vacation.from what i see the more professional the job is the more they care about how many sick days you take.i have about 15 sick days saved up.no we are not paid for them when we leave.i would expect to be fired for using all my sick time every year.A LOT of employers do not like people taking a lot of sicktime.since texas is "at will" employer do this lieing at your own risk.

Also i once worked in the financial industry.it was a well known fact if you had a credit card through the credit union and the day you take off sick they look up where you bought stuff that day and audit your bank account at their own wants and they didnt have to tell you.
 
my record speaks for itself. My current sick leave balance is 1352 hours. I have used 20 hours in the last year, after Jill has surgery on her shoulder. When I retire, all the sick time just goes away. I have many coworkers, with similiar sick leave totals, and some, with 20 years service, no major illness and NO sick leave saved up. I also have 650 hours of annual leave saved up also, so I have plenty of leave to take without calling a day off to a sick day. BUT, ! work 4 days at 10 hours a day, telecommute several days a week, and when we have travel money spend 8 weeks on the road in a row.

I look at it as an insurance policy...

Howard
 
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