At what point do you stay home sick from work?

[Eternal Sunshine]

I got some sort of a cold and feel pretty poorly. I managed through work on friday although I felt achy and feverish all day (and was running a fever of around 101).

 

I don't have any sick days accumulated at my new job yet so I REALLY don't want to take a day off.

 

Am I making myself sicker by working through fever? I mean it's managable in a sense that I don't feel like I am about to pass out or drop dead :/

[ja123]

I think you are prolonging your illness by not taking the time to get better properly.

 

 

101 fever? That's nothing to sneeze at. Have you been to your doctor?

 

 

Could you be a risk to pass your illness to others, such as your coworkers?

[Imported]

There has only been the one time I missed work because of being sick and that was when I almost died and spent a couple weeks in the hospital on an IV drip. Yep, I am one-up'ing you.

 

I work through fevers all the time. I don't think you recoup any faster staying home and doing nothing. Take some dayquil

 

Amazon.com: Vicks Dayquil Cold & Flu Multi-Symptom Relief Liquicaps 72 Count: Health & Personal Care

 

But you know, me never missing any work never meant a thing. I see people missing work for all sorts of reasons and that doesn't seem to mean anything either. So do what you gotta do, one way or the other.

[nofeelings22]

I got some sort of a cold and feel pretty poorly. I managed through work on friday although I felt achy and feverish all day (and was running a fever of around 101).

 

I don't have any sick days accumulated at my new job yet so I REALLY don't want to take a day off.

 

Am I making myself sicker by working through fever? I mean it's managable in a sense that I don't feel like I am about to pass out or drop dead :/

 

 

I think you are delirious with fever! (joking with you)

 

In no way should anyone carrying a 101 fever and feeling achy be in a crowded area. By being a "hero" you are lowering the productivity of the entire company by exposing other workers to this virus.

 

Stay home.

[nofeelings22]

And yes, not resting will prolong the sickness.

[Haydn]

Get some `Charlie`, that will bring you up in no time.

 

Just joking, stay home if you feel under the old weather. Like Ja said you could infect the whole office. Business could collapse!!!!!!! Have a duvet day or a big comfy chair, dull your mind with a large whisky and watch a few re-runs of your favourite show. Better in no time.

[Eternal Sunshine]

I guess I don't see work as that much of exertion since I sit in an office chair all day. If it was a physically demanding job, I could see the point.

 

But yeah, infecting others = not good

[LittleTiger]

I work through fevers all the time. I don't think you recoup any faster staying home and doing nothing.

 

That's an incredibly selfish attitude! It's not just about you!

 

When I worked in an office it used to annoy the hell out of me when people came into work with a temperature. So what if you want to battle through and kid yourself you're being a martyr? Nobody will give you a medal if you infect half the workforce with your lurgi!

[LittleTiger]

I guess I don't see work as that much of exertion since I sit in an office chair all day. If it was a physically demanding job, I could see the point.

 

But yeah, infecting others = not good

 

Is there any way you could work from home for a few days, so you're still pulling your weight, not losing money and not infecting others?

[Els]

If it's infectious but you still feel up to working, work from home IMO. Get plenty of rest and water while you do so, see the doc if the fever lasts longer than a couple of days or it gets too high.

 

I don't think people should spend a lot of time in public while sick, unless there's absolutely no way to avoid it. Nobody likes getting infected by their co-worker or friend.

Edited June 8, 2014 by Elswyth

[ASG]

As soon as I feel like I have a fever, I stay home. I am completely useless as soon as my temp goes over 37ºC/98.6F.

 

Not just that, but I dont want to get other people sick. I used to work in a place where there were no windows (walls were glass, but couldn't open them). As soon as flu season struck, it would be around ALL departments in a matter of days, because someone would always come in sick, bragging about how they didn't stay home. We'd all go down, one by one!

[thefooloftheyear]

That's an incredibly selfish attitude! It's not just about you!

 

When I worked in an office it used to annoy the hell out of me when people came into work with a temperature. So what if you want to battle through and kid yourself you're being a martyr? Nobody will give you a medal if you infect half the workforce with your lurgi!

 

Yeah, thats great...except what do you do when YOU are the boss and cant "call in sick" to anyone?

 

As a self employed person, I work through everything..Even when I "rested" on the weekend, it never shortened the duration of the bug...

 

Ironically, I practically never get sick....

 

TFY

[LittleTiger]

Yeah, thats great...except what do you do when YOU are the boss and cant "call in sick" to anyone?

 

As a self employed person, I work through everything..Even when I "rested" on the weekend, it never shortened the duration of the bug...

 

Ironically, I practically never get sick....

 

TFY

 

I'm self employed these days too and, yes, sometimes we all have to work when we're sick but, if at all possible, you should stay away from other people.

 

If you're the boss and you have no staff - that's easy. You may feel like cr*p but the show must go on - unless you're so sick you can't move.

 

If you're the boss and you have an office full of staff, you can work from home and/or delegate. For most bosses, especially if it's their own business, the last thing they want is to pass on a nasty 'can't get out of bed illness'. That's going to result in a far greater loss of productivity if it sweeps through the office than if he/she stays at home for a day or two.

[thefooloftheyear]

I'm self employed these days too and, yes, sometimes we all have to work when we're sick but, if at all possible, you should stay away from other people.

 

If you're the boss and you have no staff - that's easy. You may feel like cr*p but the show must go on - unless you're so sick you can't move.

 

If you're the boss and you have an office full of staff, you can work from home and/or delegate. For most bosses, especially if it's their own business, the last thing they want is to pass on a nasty 'can't get out of bed illness'. That's going to result in a far greater loss of productivity if it sweeps through the office than if he/she stays at home for a day or two.

 

 

I have a crew, but nothing really happens without me there...I might as well just close up, if I wanted to call out sick...but that aint happening...

 

There is no "working from home", in my line of business..

 

But really, I understand what you are saying....But there is an entire world that functions just fine with colds and bugs... What are you going to do? because even if people that are sick stay home from work, what are you going to do about all of the people that go to the market, the gym, school, etc.../

 

The only way you can accomplish what you are saying is to walk around in a full haz mat outfit..Forget it...

 

If you are an employee and have sick days, use them..If you dont, do what you have to do...Its not "inconsiderate"....Because those people you "protected" arent going to pay your bills if you cant get the work out..

 

.02

 

TFY

[LittleTiger]

I have a crew, but nothing really happens without me there...I might as well just close up, if I wanted to call out sick...but that aint happening...

 

There is no "working from home", in my line of business..

 

But really, I understand what you are saying....But there is an entire world that functions just fine with colds and bugs... What are you going to do? because even if people that are sick stay home from work, what are you going to do about all of the people that go to the market, the gym, school, etc.../

 

The only way you can accomplish what you are saying is to walk around in a full haz mat outfit..Forget it...

 

If you are an employee and have sick days, use them..If you dont, do what you have to do...Its not "inconsiderate"....Because those people you "protected" arent going to pay your bills if you cant get the work out..

 

.02

 

TFY

 

The OP is asking 'at what point...'. So we're not necessarily just talking about colds and bugs. Real flu, swine flu etc are serious illnesses. Would you still go to work if you suspected you had that kind of 'bug'? My opinion is that you're selfish if you do - incredibly selfish! Even the doctors surgeries asked people to stay away when a pandemic was suspected.

 

If your business really can't function without you in the office, you presumably have sickness insurance in case you're struck down with something nasty? Hopefully that also covers wages for your staff while they're sitting around unable to work because you're not there.

 

Even if you're some kind of superhero who never gets sick, that doesn't alter the fact that sick days are a major drain on any business. Personally, if one of my staff is sick, I want them to stay away because 'I' can't afford to be ill.

 

My .02

[thefooloftheyear]

The OP is asking 'at what point...'. So we're not necessarily just talking about colds and bugs. Real flu, swine flu etc are serious illnesses. Would you still go to work if you suspected you had that kind of 'bug'? My opinion is that you're selfish if you do - incredibly selfish! Even the doctors surgeries asked people to stay away when a pandemic was suspected.

 

If your business really can't function without you in the office, you presumably have sickness insurance in case you're struck down with something nasty? Hopefully that also covers wages for your staff while they're sitting around unable to work because you're not there.

 

Even if you're some kind of superhero who never gets sick, that doesn't alter the fact that sick days are a major drain on any business. Personally, if one of my staff is sick, I want them to stay away because 'I' can't afford to be ill.

 

My .02

 

We'll have to agree to disagree...

 

Different people have different degrees of pain/discomfort tolerance..One person cant get out of bed with a sniffle......Others walk around with broken bones and carry on..If I was sick, you wouldnt ever even know it..

 

I work in deadlines..If one of my guys is sick, but wants to come in to see a job through, then great,,,Ill take my chances..Ill even buy him some chicken soup if he wants..

 

Again, I dont let sickness get in my way...Is it because I came from a very tough upbringing? Probably...

 

Just out of curiosity....how do you "control" all of the other people in all the other places I mentioned?? Because you know they are going to be sick and there isnt anything you can do about it, but stay home..*shrug*

 

TFY

[TylerDurdenn]

If I'm not vomiting or ****ting through the eye of a needle then I'm going in.

[LittleTiger]

We'll have to agree to disagree...

 

Different people have different degrees of pain/discomfort tolerance..One person cant get out of bed with a sniffle......Others walk around with broken bones and carry on..If I was sick, you wouldnt ever even know it..

 

I work in deadlines..If one of my guys is sick, but wants to come in to see a job through, then great,,,Ill take my chances..Ill even buy him some chicken soup if he wants..

 

Again, I dont let sickness get in my way...Is it because I came from a very tough upbringing? Probably...

 

Just out of curiosity....how do you "control" all of the other people in all the other places I mentioned?? Because you know they are going to be sick and there isnt anything you can do about it, but stay home..*shrug*

 

TFY

 

Believe it or not I'm very similar to you and most people never know when I'm feeling rough either. I also had to learn during childhood to put on a brave face and be stoic. Even so, I have been put completely 'out of action' for several months by something I couldn't just ignore. Unfortunately, it happens.

 

That wasn't my point though. There are some contagious illnesses that you really shouldn't be out in public with - and, many of them would put you in such a state that you couldn't drag yourself out of bed to save your life, never mind to go to work.

 

Obviously you can't 'control' other sick people going about their daily lives and crossing paths with you but, spending ten minutes talking to somebody in a shop or walking past them in the street is very different from sitting next to them all day (or for several days) in a stuffy office with central heating or air conditioning circulating.

 

If you haven't yet been ill enough to be forced to stay off work, it's not because you're 'tough' (although you may be), it's because, so far, you've been very lucky!

[whichwayisup]

I got some sort of a cold and feel pretty poorly. I managed through work on friday although I felt achy and feverish all day (and was running a fever of around 101).

 

I don't have any sick days accumulated at my new job yet so I REALLY don't want to take a day off.

Am I making myself sicker by working through fever? I mean it's managable in a sense that I don't feel like I am about to pass out or drop dead :/

 

Yes you are and also you'll be exposing others to your cold. When you have a fever you're very contagious.

 

Go into work for an hour or two then tell them you don't feel well at all and need to go home.

[Phoe]

I called out last winter when I had pneumonia. I had a doctor's note from my doctor forbidding me from working.

 

I got written up and put on a "final warning" for it. Even with the doctor's note.

 

 

 

 

I got injured 2 weeks back and crutched/wheelchaired myself through work. My manager's manager asked why on earth I was there! I explained how I'd been written up after calling out with pneumonia. He was FURIOUS.

 

 

I am hesitant to ever call off again, after getting in trouble that first time.

[SoonMyFriend]

I tend to work through a lot of illnesses, but I do stay home to rest if I have a fever, and/or a bad enough sinus infection that I am not sleeping from not breathing properly.

 

This winter I had strep throat and you bet I stayed home. I wasn't about to unleash that hell onto my office. I went back when I was no longer contagious and my fever had broken.

 

My mom earlier this winter had bronchitis, went back to work too quickly and soon developed pnuemonia. You do have to be careful with certain illnesses if you do not take care of yourself properly. Not just for the safety of others but for YOURSELF.

[pink_sugar]

A cough or sore throat is one thing. But if you're achy and lethargic, you need to be at home. You cannot give your best work in that state. Also think about the fact that you're very contagious.

[seren]

As someone with a compromised autoimmune disease I think it irresponsible for anyone to go into work if they have an infectious illness. That should always be considered when deciding on going into work or not, a doctor can confirm if you are infectious and if so that can be your reason for staying away. My staff were always asked to ring in if they were ill, if we could arrange it, and they felt well enough they could work from home for a few days rather than rack up sick days, if not then they sent in a sick paper.

 

No one should be made to feel guilty about being sick, no one should think it a good think to soldier on when they can spread what they have.

[Emilia]

As someone with a compromised autoimmune disease I think it irresponsible for anyone to go into work if they have an infectious illness. That should always be considered when deciding on going into work or not, a doctor can confirm if you are infectious and if so that can be your reason for staying away. My staff were always asked to ring in if they were ill, if we could arrange it, and they felt well enough they could work from home for a few days rather than rack up sick days, if not then they sent in a sick paper.

 

No one should be made to feel guilty about being sick, no one should think it a good think to soldier on when they can spread what they have.

It's nice in theory but I would be fired if I stayed at home with a contageous cold. Luckily don't get sick often but went through a brief period over the winter when I got sick about 2-3 times in quick succession. It would not have been tolerated if I had stayed at home just because it was contageous.

 

Having said that my desk is a fair distance from the others so it's easy to keep myself to myself during those days.

[xxoo]

When I'm sick, I go in unless I am so sick I can't drive in.

 

When my kid is sick, one of us MUST stay home, so we soldier on when we are sick and save the sick days for when the kid is sick.