Attendance policies

[ADDisme2010]

I think that attendance policies suck. I work in healthcare, am around sick people that cough all over me, don't wash their hands, etc...and I should only be allowed to miss 6 (MAX) days of work per year?? Even WITH a doctor's excuse! Something here doesn't seem right.
Ever hear of autoimmune disease, weakened immune system, etc
How is that NOT discrimination? I can not even believe that policies such as these are legal. I feel like calling up OSHA and asking them if they know these policies exist, and if so, why it is allowed, isn't that basically forcing me to come into the hospital (or work setting) sick?
Now I know that on occassion people take a day off when they really are not sick. But with a doctor's excuse, that should be an excused absence.

[Blue Paradox]

I like my work's policy--sick days and vacation days all count the same. So if you're sick a lot, you get less vacation, but you're not technically penalized for being sick. And if you have sick kids, you get less vacation. It all works out the same from the employer's perspective--you're not working regardless.

I agree that some policies encourage the spread of disease. I wish employers would recognize that!

[Canuck223]

My employment contract has a fairly generous sick plan. We get 24 sick days a year. Those we don't use, we bank up to 240 days. Half of the unused total for the year is added to a retirement gratuity account, up to a max of 120 days.

If you suck it up and show up to work, you don't need to worry about falling ill later in life, as you've already accumulated all the sick time you'll need to recover. If you are 60 years old and wind up needing 6 months off work to recover from colon cancer surgery, you'll have the days banked.

If you max out your banked days, you get a check when you retire for almost 6 months salary.

Still, as generous as the plan is, we have people who figure it's vacation time.

We now have an attendance management program which kicks in after 11 sick days in the same calendar year. Hospitalization, workers comp are exempt. All else count.

You should hear the ****ing and moaning.

[Bex88]

I hear you about the working in health care thing! I was a lab tech/phlebotomist for years. One day I was collecting some samples from a kid. Flu swab up the nose and she sneezed on me. Strep swab down the throat, she puked on me. Both tests came back positive. I got sick a day and a half later. Got put on probation for missing 4 scheduled shifts. Even though I followed all protocol and told them when it happened not to be surprised! Sorry - just a little rant on my part!

[sarek]

I am rather amazed that such strict rules are enforced in the healthcare system. It appears to me a very dangerous state of affairs. Common sense would dictate keeping sick and possibly contagious people away from patients who may have a reduced immune system in the first place.
I would think such a practice even potentially exposes the hospital to litigation by infected patients.

Things are rather different in my country. When you get sick, you get sick. Your employer has to continue paying you and in general he is not allowed to deduct any time from your vacation days.
In addition, if you get fired during the time you are sick, and the judge finds out that your illness is the reason, then your employer can expect to pay very heavy compensation or be forced to keep you employed.

[stef]

wow that's terrible!
in France you get a form from the doctor, that you give to your employer, stating you are ill for x number of days. The health care system pays back the employer or if it's long term, the employee directly (I think!)
and you don't lose any vacation time.

the only thing is, if you have a bad cold and you know you just need 2 days of rest, you have to go see a Dr anyway...

also as you can imagine, a lot of people abuse the system!

[Spikey 723]

I've had good and bad experiences in the uk.

In public sector - time off as needed with no pay deductions.

In manual work - time off totally unpaid (I hadn't been there long). Even though I was injured as part of my work!

At uni - some modules deduct marks for absences without doctors notes. Cost about £8 - but last time I needed one doctor gave it free! (Said to hide it in my pocket so admin staff didn't see!)

[JollyBadger]

My former job required me to be talking on the phone for my entire shift.

That made it rather problematic when I lost my voice due to a cold. It wasn't just a raspy cough, I literally could not get a sound out. Didn't matter to my employer, they expected me to report for work anyway. No sick day options at all. You either worked or you didn't, and if you didn't work you had to find someone to fill in for you. Either way, there was no pay but if you couldn't find someone to fill in for you, you'd get a bad mark.