Bringing illnesses into the workplace

[Undertherockpool]

I work in an office and 90% of the employees do roles that could be done entirely remotely. Today the colleague to my left has been coughing and sneezing all day while colleague to my right tells me that her entire family is currently
down with the nursery vomiting bug and she’s feeling queasy.

is it unreasonable to suggest that if you are ill you work from home? Both of these colleagues can perform their work equally easily from home. I am singing in a choir performance this Friday and I will be so sad if I cannot take part due to illness.

How do you know they can work easily from home?
Maybe their manager has told them to work in the office, or they have asked to.
Do you know about their living space at home? Do they have a suitable space and internet access?

This, do they have appropriate work space? Someone else at home? It's the school hols here so lots of people's home are full of noisy dc, not very conducive to working!
It's like in that time a while ago... op a. Assuming you're currently avoiding all other human contact as chance of infection is everywhere!!

Totally with you OP, so fucking annoying when people roll into office jobs full of minging germs.

Catch 22 though, some places will really hold the absence against you.

And those same people complain when other people don’t drag themselves in off their death beds.

An old boss of mine was desperate for coming in and coughing up a lung etc. she was no good to god not man when she was that sick, and no doubt spreading the lurgy, but there was no stopping her! She was a lovely woman though.

I read this as bringing a Lioness into the office

😂😂😂

This, and I’m immune-suppressed so it is a big deal for me.

I loathe it as well.

I picked up the worst ‘flu of my life a few years ago, missing out on Christmas and New Year because of a colleague’s presenteeism. Proudly boasting about her symptoms while coughing up a lung and sweating like Prince Andrew. Just take the day off ffs!

I can understand people who can’t WFH or aren’t able to avail of sick pay, 100%. But for those who aren’t going to be negatively impacted, it’s massively selfish under the guise of being diligent and reliable.

I've gone to management and asked them to send someone home who was clearly very unwell, coughing and nose streaming, feverish and looking appalling.

It wasn't fast enough and almost everyone caught it. One coworker was terribly with it during her holiday. 😡

My colleague would have had 💯 pay. It was pure presenteeism. She was very tied to the job.

It’s hard because then eyebrows are raised if wfh- sometimes we have to prove we’re ill. I also had a post viral cough for 8weeks, how long should I have stayed home?

That's v true, I suppose it depends where you work. I was public sector and I get the sense it's much easier to be sick there than private.