EEEWW! Just stay the F*ck home!

[The Captain]

Sitting on the train right now heading into work. Have been listening to someone two seats behind me for 15 minutes with a
VERY WET hacking cough. Turned once to look and saw they weren't even bothering to cover their mouths.

GROSS!

I will be sick within a week.

[wvugurl26]

That's unfortunate. Some people have no manners.

I've had a sinus infection for the better part of eight weeks complete with the awful cough and coughing stuff up. Tomorrow is my third trip to the doctor and third round of antibiotics. The last one worked and then I forgot the Mucinex for a few days and I'm back to square one.

I can't stay home for eight weeks. I don't take public transportation though. And the person should be covering their mouth.

[The Captain]

I get it that not everyone can stay home. But really!!! cover your mouth.

At my prior employer we had PTO days (as opposed to vacation and sick days). I had an employee who refused to use PTO for sick time since that was her vacation time and she didn't care if she got others around her sick. It was an open office environment and two people actually requested to be moved away from her. Unfortunately we were not able to accommodate them

[wvugurl26]

They should cover their mouth. Anyone should when they are coughing.

I don't want my coworkers to be sick. I cover my mouth, keep my space wiped down with bleach wipes and try to avoid touching communal stuff as much as possible.

[chiver78]

sorry....I hope you don't end up with whatever that person had.

[Deleted]

I am constantly shocked at how many adults have absolutely no home training.

[NancysSummerSip]

I work with someone who has that chronic hairball-stuck-in-the-throat kind of cough. She's not a smoker, so I have no clue what it is from. But dang, it's horrible to listen to. One of these days, I expect a fully-grown cat to just leap out of her mouth, proof that there's been a genuine issue all along.

[Bluerobin]

I used to advocate for sending sick workers home. Upper management couldn't see the practicality in that. It was really quite simple - send them home and keep the others well. Instead of losing 200 man days of work, limit it to 3-5 days. Black Frank or Black Mary used to get iron man awards each year, while being responsible for ensuring all of their coworkers got ill.

[movingforward]

Soft kitty, warm kitty
little ball of fur
happy kitty, sleepy kitty
purr purr purr

[The Captain]

Nov 28, 2012 10:13:20 GMT -5 NancysSummerSip said:

I work with someone who has that chronic hairball-stuck-in-the-throat kind of cough. She's not a smoker, so I have no clue what it is from. But dang, it's horrible to listen to. One of these days, I expect a fully-grown cat to just leap out of her mouth, proof that there's been a genuine issue all along.

*snort* Hey, not fair when I'm drinking my coffee!

(Thanks for the laugh!)

[Deleted]

[formerroomate99]

The zinc supplements have been clinically proven to help you fight a cold.

And most colds are spread by your hands touching something dirty and then touching your face. You can't control what's in the air, but you can control how often and how well you wash your hands and whether or not you touch your face.

[The Captain]

(Looks at cracked knuckels and dried out hands from repeated washings) I know!

[Iggy aka IG]

Nov 28, 2012 9:28:21 GMT -5 @moneyjenny82 said:

I am constantly shocked at how many adults have absolutely no home training.

Like my client who burped mid-sentence yesterday and didn't excuse himself.

[zibazinski]

You can carry a spray Lysol can with you. I spray people, or at them, or around me, when I get around the Typhoid Marys. If they don't like it, stay away from people.

[cronewitch]

Nov 28, 2012 12:23:17 GMT -5 Iggy aka IG said:

Nov 28, 2012 9:28:21 GMT -5 @moneyjenny82 said:

I am constantly shocked at how many adults have absolutely no home training.

Like my client who burped mid-sentence yesterday and didn't excuse himself.

A woman had her little girl with her standing in line when someone passed gas loudly. After a few seconds the little girl tells her mother "somebody sarted and didn't say scuse me". Even small children know to ask to be excused when they do something like that.

[NancysSummerSip]

I work with someone who has that chronic hairball-stuck-in-the-throat kind of cough. She's not a smoker, so I have no clue what it is from. But dang, it's horrible to listen to. One of these days, I expect a fully-grown cat to just leap out of her mouth, proof that there's been a genuine issue all along. [image]


*snort* Hey, not fair when I'm drinking my coffee!

(Thanks for the laugh!)

You're welcome. But you wouldn't laugh if you heard her make that noise, trust me. The boss hates the noise too, but he gets to close his office door. I don't have an office door.

And Cookie Dad - LMAO on the picture!

[The Captain]

You're welcome. But you wouldn't laugh if you heard her make that noise, trust me. The boss hates the noise too, but he gets to close his office door. I don't have an office door.

And Cookie Dad - LMAO on the picture!

BUT I can't SEE the picture just a big empty box (shakes fists at work filters)

[8 Bit WWBG]

...:::"I had an employee who refused to use PTO for sick time since that was her vacation time and she didn't care if she got others around her sick.":::...

I firmly believe that some company policies encourage this mindset. We've had some interesting discussions here about how inflexible some employers are, and I can't say I blame something for putting his/her own good above the good of a company when the company does the same thing.

[NancysSummerSip]

Captain, your avatar is a scream, BTW. Love it, just love it.

And WWBG, I agree. The Hag (aka our office manager) thinks the company will fail if she is out for even a day. She can work from home if she needs to. Truth is, she is just a nosy beyotch who has to know what's going on, and assumes she's not being included in things when she's not here (which is true, whenever possible).

[The Captain]

Nov 28, 2012 14:16:31 GMT -5 8 Bit WWBG said:

...:::"I had an employee who refused to use PTO for sick time since that was her vacation time and she didn't care if she got others around her sick.":::...

I firmly believe that some company policies encourage this mindset. We've had some interesting discussions here about how inflexible some employers are, and I can't say I blame something for putting his/her own good above the good of a company when the company does the same thing.

WWBG - FYI at this company a new hire (no experience) received a total of 20 PTO days a year. Personally since most places I've worked only give 10 days vacation and 5 sick days I though the 20 days total were pretty generous.

This particular employee believed she should be entitled to unlimited days for personal illness and child's sickness in addition to the 20 days which was very clearly NOT the policy. She made sure to make everone around her suffered for her beliefs.

[The Captain]

Nov 28, 2012 14:21:54 GMT -5 NancysSummerSip said:

Captain, your avatar is a scream, BTW. Love it, just love it.

Thanks Nancy - I may have to keep it!

[movingforward]

captain - I would love to have 20 PTO days! We get only get 10 PTO days the first 3 yrs of employment and then 15 PTO; however, I just negotiated a couple of weeks ago with my supervisor to start receiving 15 PTO days in 2013 even though I have only been here 2 yrs. I am with you. I think 20 PTO days is a sufficient amount of time.

[8 Bit WWBG]

...:::"WWBG - FYI at this company a new hire (no experience) received a total of 20 PTO days a year. Personally since most places I've worked only give 10 days vacation and 5 sick days I though the 20 days total were pretty generous.":::...

20 PTO is definitely above average. I wasn't attacking that company specifically, just saying that some company policies absolutely encourage selfish behavior.

The other piece of the puzzle is how accruing works. 5 sick days annually, that can be saved and accrued, may be more valuable than an extra 10 PTO hours that go poof on Dec. 31st. Then there is also the emotional aspect of it: feeling like you are "wasting" something that "could" have gone to something fun.

Some employers do not allow any accrual. So the person who plans the 2 week trip at Christmas, but gets sick in November, could have to make a tough, and potentially costly choice. Now granted, employers who allow perks like working from home, might be flexible and work with you.

[The Captain]

Nov 28, 2012 14:34:39 GMT -5 movingforward said:

captain - I would love to have 20 PTO days! We get only get 10 PTO days the first 3 yrs of employment and then 15 PTO; however, I just negotiated a couple of weeks ago with my supervisor to start receiving 15 PTO days in 2013 even though I have only been here 2 yrs. I am with you. I think 20 PTO days is a sufficient amount of time.

Almost - now remember those days have to include sick time. It goes up to 25 days at 5 years of employement and 30 days after 10 years.

[movingforward]

Nov 28, 2012 14:42:02 GMT -5 The Captain said:

Nov 28, 2012 14:34:39 GMT -5 movingforward said:

captain - I would love to have 20 PTO days! We get only get 10 PTO days the first 3 yrs of employment and then 15 PTO; however, I just negotiated a couple of weeks ago with my supervisor to start receiving 15 PTO days in 2013 even though I have only been here 2 yrs. I am with you. I think 20 PTO days is a sufficient amount of time.

Almost - now remember those days have to include sick time. It goes up to 25 days at 5 years of employement and 30 days after 10 years.

Our 10 days is for both sick and vacation which I do think is kind of sucky and why I negotiated for 15 next year. Time off at my last job was a ton better; however, the overall environment at my present place of employment is much much better.

ETA: You can also make time up here so if you are sick and miss 2 days you are allowed to work extra hours on other days so you don't have to use as much PTO.

[8 Bit WWBG]

...:::"ETA: You can also make time up here so if you are sick and miss 2 days you are allowed to work extra hours on other days so you don't have to use as much PTO.":::...

Factors like that can certainly augment the policy. Its nice to be able to make up, say, a dentist appointment with an extra hour or two over a few days. But if it was just 10 PTO days with no other options... yeah, as long as I could stand, I'd be in the office.

[hoops902]

In regards to the PTO discussion, I work for a company which has 20 PTO days, 25 after 5 years, 28 after 10 years. No sick leave (as it's basically built into the PTO) as well as 10-ish paid holidays, plus 5 days of volunteer time to devote to charity work.

Overall, that's about 2 months off of work. And it doesn't change a THING in terms of people showing up sick. PTO translates to "vacation", and nobody wants to use their vacation time being sick.

I've also worked at places that split up the sick and vacation...and people just end up using the "sick" as "unscheduled time off". Like "oh i'm sick today, won't be in" and they come in and you find out they used it because their kid was sick. Or they were "sick" during the winter when it was a blizzard and they couldn't get to work, but didn't want to use their vacation time for it.

I think it's very difficult in most systems to motivate people to stay home when they're sick.

[wvugurl26]

We can use our sick time for a sick kid or spouse.

There are some people who just won't stay home. If you do go in, you should try to keep your germs to yourself.

[973beachbum]

Nov 28, 2012 17:18:59 GMT -5 8 Bit WWBG said:

...:::"ETA: You can also make time up here so if you are sick and miss 2 days you are allowed to work extra hours on other days so you don't have to use as much PTO.":::...

Factors like that can certainly augment the policy. Its nice to be able to make up, say, a dentist appointment with an extra hour or two over a few days. But if it was just 10 PTO days with no other options... yeah, as long as I could stand, I'd be in the office.

I know two engineers who have that exact same policy. Ten days for everything, for the entire year. Unless they are in the intensive care unit, or their kid is, they are going to be at work. The fact that they are so sick that they really don't accomplish anything, is besides the point.