People coming into work sick

[TheGrinchIsComingToTown]

WHY? WHYYYY?!

Just a moan. Turn up this morning and the girl who's been on holiday for the last week is coughing and sneezing all over us all. It's 9 days until Christmas you utter idiot, why risk making us all sick?

(We all get paid sick pay, so she could have stayed off)

It's so unfair. They all complain when it's someone else, but then they do the same

Because l can still work.
And l was brought up to soldier on through.

Although I sympathise and agree that people should be able to take time off sick as needed,especially in situations where they get paid, it’s not real world though is it? Im sure most parents of school age kids would agree, we are nagged from day 1 to send our kids to school with all manner of illness so presenteeism starts to be indoctrinated young…. but most people are going to prioritise their job security over a cold.

You would have thought the Govt would have learned from Covid. Many workplaces only offer SSP, which you don't get for the first three days. As a consequence, you have food service employees nipping to the loo from the cafe floor or kitchen to vomit, then going straight back to work, because they can't afford the time off, even though H&S regs mean that they should be off for two days.

During 2020, SSP was offered from day one for COVID cases to stop people from being forced through poverty to expose others. This policy exception required the Govt to recognise that poverty causes people to endanger others by working whilst sick, yet SSP still isn't paid until day four for every other type of illness.

No doubt you've sent him to school to spread it everywhere

Depending on what the women are in clinic for, it may be less risky for them to catch that cold than to have their appointment cancelled.

I'm genuinely astounded by how many people think it's okay to be spreading your germs all around, so soon after covid.

Even on the train there's people coughing their lungs up, into their hands and then touching everything. If you're immunocompromised or vulnerable you don't stand a chance

Yeah, I work in a school. You know there will be raised eyebrows if you didn't drag yourself in off your deathbed, because it means dumping on your colleagues who have to cover for you, or if you're a teacher, paying for supply, being generally disruptive to the flow of everything, cancelling meetings etc etc. But if you DO turn up, you feel guilty because you know that even more staff (and some of the kids) will be off sick because of you.

It's a no win situation.

And if you don't, the school start writing letters home threatening to report you for truancy and your child misses out on education.

Blame capitalism.

Why would you not send a child in who has had a phlegmy cough for weeks? As long as it isn't a chest infection and the child feels fine, what exactly is wrong with sending them in with a cough? For some people coughs just take a while to go sometimes. Especially if it was COVID. Doesn't mean to say they're infectious anymore.

If it’s that important to you then take some action and go tackle it at work, it’s pointless just complaining on mumsnet.

But we go out and touch stuff all day long that can result in transmission of colds. Touch a desk, a door handle, press the button on the lift. I mean it’s just going to happen isn’t it. Unless you are utterly fastidious you are probably going to pick up a virus.

One every two months? That sounds like utopia! If I am sick twice in six months, the process starts.

Higher education, btw.

No-one wants the hassle, or can spare the time away from work to have to attend silly meetings. And then be on a "watch" list. It's easier to just drag yourself in.

If a child isn't well enough to stay in school, the teacher will ask for parents to be phoned to come and collect them. Unless it's clear that your child can't get off the sofa they're that unwell, send them in if they've just got a bit of a sniffle and a sore throat.

What exactly is the alternative here? My sons have had a phlegmy cough for the last 4 weeks but are perfectly fine in themselves. I know you keep going on about how your work is fine about people taking sick days, but would they really be happy with you taking a month off in this scenario?
And please don't mention working from home unless you've ever tried it with 4 year old twins 😆

I always thought that if you felt capable of going into work and seeing the day through (even if not on top form) you were expected in.

I do appreciate no one wants to catch anything from next weekend onwards though as I couldn't share whatever with family/friends at Xmas. I had to work in a tiny airless room yesterday with someone who I assume has a cold. Also, has a customer with a very snotty nose to deal with. Luckily I feel OK right now.

The problem in most of these cases is not the individual. It’s uncaring, process-driven managers and a stupid, shortsighted system that punishes people for being ill. Blame the systems and organisations that demand people drag themselves to work when they are quite clearly very poorly. But if it’s all about results, results, results & company profile who gives a shit if the whole office comes down with it? Not these managers for sure.

@CurlyhairedAssassin

Unless it's clear that your child can't get off the sofa they're that unwell, send them in if they've just got a bit of a sniffle and a sore throat.

No.

One thing we have learned is that our immune systems need constant priming to actually function. If you avoid everything you'll be much more sick whatever you do catch.

People can be contagious without any symptoms & people can have lots of symptoms but not be contagious.

Didn't we all learn that when covid was controlled?

@LostittoBostik but that's just not true, is it

Op, people can't just stay home whenever they have a cough or a sniffle or the world would stop wouldn't it? Be logical. It isn't Covid anymore thank god. There are germs everywhere, all the time. Just take your vitamins, crack on and hope for the best.

Yes, it really pushes my buttons too. It’s so thoughtless. I think it harks back to the ‘in at all costs - flu, pneumonia, whatever - and working through the evening to look good for promotion’ sort of work world. Very 80s!
Also, immune compromised people also need to work and/or their partners do. We don’t all WFH all the time. It’s dreadfully selfish.