The Sickness Stigma

[burn_this_city]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

We had a bunch of African guys call in sick last Thursday to go watch both African Nations Cup semifinals. Is that a reasonable excuse?

F no.. Thats the worst of all.. If I'm gonna go watch a sports game its bank time or time theft.. Depending if my boss is coming too..

[Dion]

Originally Posted by burn_this_city

Don't they negotiate a contract with the province? If they are so underpaid why don't they hold out for something better on the next go round..?

Yes, it's with the province. Not sure why they don't hold out the next round. I do understand, from what i've been hearing, is that their business costs have increased dramaticly and the govt doesn't want to recognise that. My GP said that is the main reason why a lot of his colleagues have closed up shop and have either retired or moved to another province to set up business.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

We had a bunch of African guys call in sick last Thursday to go watch both African Nations Cup semifinals. Is that a reasonable excuse?

Most bosses would fire them on the spot if they knew what they were doing. Take a vacation day if you have too.

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by Dion

Most bosses would fire them on the spot if they knew what they were doing. Take a vacation day if you have too.

Bosses had no idea. Of course most of my bosses are English and I usually see them dissapearing on the odd Wednesday afternoon.

[Agamemnon]

Originally Posted by Dion

Most bosses would fire them on the spot if they knew what they were doing. Take a vacation day if you have too.

That might depend on the situation of the labour market... a boss would be a fool to fire someone over a misused sick day if they're difficult to replace.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Agamemnon

That might depend on the situation of the labour market... a boss would be a fool to fire someone over a misused sick day if they're difficult to replace.

That would be true, but at the same time you can be sure that boss is probably looking around for new hires to replace those employees. I know i would as i wouldn't won't dishonest employees working for me.

[PowerPlayoffs06]

Originally Posted by I-Hate-Hulse

PowerPlayOffs - what kind of a job do you work in? I find it varies by job, and of course Boss that you work for.

If one of my staff comes in wheezing and hacking, stay the hell at home, I don't want to get sick. That said, it ultimately comes down to trust. I've had staff that stayed home for a minor throat tickle and ones that tried to come in that were hacking up a lung. Those that had my trust were never questioned.

I'm a senior operator with a plating company doing nickel coatings for oil field parts. Things are very time-sensitive and we have deadlines to meet with orders so I understand the need for all employees to be at work so we can get things done. I've only been at this job for about eight months now, so I haven't really been sick before to show that I'm honest about when I need time off for illness.

I've taken maybe three sick days in the last six years. I don't get sick often at all, and usually when I do I'll plug through it unless I obviously need rest. I never go to the doctors for anything anymore. I learned young that all they'll give you is that amoxicillin crap.

It really is the losers who abuse their sick days that ruin it for everybody. We have one new guy who just finished his three months probabtion and had called in sick three seperate times in those three months. He'd be gone if we could actually find anybody to replace him. Friggin' labour shortage.

[SarichFan]

I'd actually probably rat on someone if I knew they weren't sick.. gain some trust with the ol' Boss and when you actually need your sick days he'll believe you.

Why not?

[J pold]

Originally Posted by SarichFan

I'd actually probably rat on someone if I knew they weren't sick.. gain some trust with the ol' Boss and when you actually need your sick days he'll believe you.

Why not?

Because that sucks

If I where a boss of some sort and you rated on someone for not being sick my concern would be how loyal you are to your fellow coworkers, not the person skipping out

[You Need a Thneed]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

We had a bunch of African guys call in sick last Thursday to go watch both African Nations Cup semifinals. Is that a reasonable excuse?

Definately a reasonable excuse. Major soccer tournaments, March Madness, and oylmpic hockey games should be mandatory national holidays. The boss who didn't give them the day off in the first place is clearly the one at fault here.

[SarichFan]

I think loyalty to the company gives you much more ground to stand on.. easily. Why should I let one person screw me in the end? Taking too many fake sick days leads to a generalization by your boss that he can't trust his employee's when they are ACUTALLY sick.

I wouldn't do this based on a presumption, but if I knew someone was doing it 100% I would absolutely do something about it, if it was happening regularly.

Loyalty to your fellow co-workers? The person who abuses sick days is pretty much pointing his middle finger right at his co-workers.. Where's the loyalty there?

[Dion]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

Bosses had no idea. Of course most of my bosses are English and I usually see them dissapearing on the odd Wednesday afternoon.

I've always found that if you went to your boss and explained your situation and all, most times they give you the day off. Plus a thank you being honest and not using a sick day.

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by You Need a Thneed

Definately a reasonable excuse. Major soccer tournaments, March Madness, and oylmpic hockey games should be mandatory national holidays. The boss who didn't give them the day off in the first place is clearly the one at fault here.

And world juniors. I know a tonne of people who skipped work to watch Canada.

And thanksgiving.. my boss is a HUGE Packers fans and she took us all for lunch during the game.

It's amazing how any work gets done around here

[Redline]

Originally Posted by SarichFan

I'd actually probably rat on someone if I knew they weren't sick.. gain some trust with the ol' Boss and when you actually need your sick days he'll believe you.

Why not?

I would think your boss would trust you less. Identifying your willingness to sell out your fellow employees for personal gain.

That's just how I'd see it.

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by SarichFan

I think loyalty to the company gives you much more ground to stand on.. easily. Why should I let one person screw me in the end? Taking too many fake sick days leads to a generalization by your boss that he can't trust his employee's when they are ACUTALLY sick.

I wouldn't do this based on a presumption, but if I knew someone was doing it 100% I would absolutely do something about it, if it was happening regularly.

Loyalty to your fellow co-workers? The person who abuses sick days is pretty much pointing his middle finger right at his co-workers.. Where's the loyalty there?

If I was your boss I'd tell you to mind your own business, or I'd at least think it. That kind of ass-kissing turns people off.

As for the doctor's note, can't you just fake it anyway? When I was in school I got a few "doctor's notes" to get extensions on big assignments that weren't as important as drinking booze and I just went in and said "geez, I don't know what it was, I just felt crappy. Puked, had the trots, the sweats..."

Worked every single time. What are they going to say? "No, you weren't sick"?

[J pold]

I suppose it would matter to the work you do but where I work I have my projects and tasks to work on and if some else in my group is sick than it doesn’t effect me

And if it is happening regularly it should be your bosses responsibility have enough awareness and confront the employee

Also if your boss makes general assumptions about one employee and frames it upon all the others than he is a bad boss

Nobody likes a rat

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by J pold

Also if your boss makes general assumptions about one employee and frames it upon all the others than he is a bad boss

I had a boss like that recently. Would never address anything on an individual level.

If a couple of guys came in late for work,
A general email would go out "dont be late for work"
If a couple of guys went for lunch for too long,
A general email would go out "don't take a long lunch"
If mistakes were made in processing,
A general email would go out "Not trying to blame anyone but don't make mistakes"

I did nothing wrong all day and got about 5 emails warning me about stuff.
Most chickenspit boss I ever worked for.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

I had a boss like that recently. Would never address anything on an individual level.

If a couple of guys came in late for work,
A general email would go out "dont be late for work"
If a couple of guys went for lunch for too long,
A general email would go out "don't take a long lunch"
If mistakes were made in processing,
A general email would go out "Not trying to blame anyone but don't make mistakes"

I did nothing wrong all day and got about 5 emails warning me about stuff.
Most chickenspit boss I ever worked for.

He/she is abviously making you and other employees aware of what is going on. Maybe a heads up that if this stuff continues people will be let go.

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

I had a boss like that recently. Would never address anything on an individual level.

If a couple of guys came in late for work,
A general email would go out "dont be late for work"
If a couple of guys went for lunch for too long,
A general email would go out "don't take a long lunch"
If mistakes were made in processing,
A general email would go out "Not trying to blame anyone but don't make mistakes"

I did nothing wrong all day and got about 5 emails warning me about stuff.
Most chickenspit boss I ever worked for.

But that also depends on the situation. One place where I worked I had an employee rat out other employees who were ripping us off; in the same kind of context as stealing office supplies. So not grand theft, but enough that something had to be done. Problem was if I identified the people who were doing it; the snitch would also have been identified.

So the next day before the shift I sat everybody down; explained that I noticed the issue, and we would be monitoring it from now on. Never had a problem with it ever again.

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by Dion

He/she is abviously making you and other employees aware of what is going on. Maybe a heads up that if this stuff continues people will be let go.

Yes that was her idea but she should have just addressed these people individually in her office. Or bring it up in our weekly meetings. I hate constant emails about staffing issues that have nothing to do with me.

This was also the case for people not showing up to work, sometimes without any notice and she did nothing. Just another general email about how we have to phone in if we're not going to come in.

Eventually upper manangement also thought this was ridiculous and she was let go.