Here here!

I wish that more people would do that..instead of insisting that they're "fine" as they're hacking up a lung right in front of me. If they gave themselves some rest they'd probably get over whatever it is they've got much quicker than if they push themselves to carry on as normal..and they wouldn't infect as many of us either!!!!!!!!

Are you and dharma gonna make up the sicktime out of your own pockets? Are you going to study for my finals?
Call it corporation expectations. If you're sick but can perform your job, you better well be there or else. And in this time of layoffs and cutbacks, I'd rather make you sick than be laid off. ;o)

I could not agree more! If I am ever to be in a position to manage people I will not allow them to work when obviously sick. It's so arrogant to spread the crap around. Firing the sod for coming to work having the flu would be a better course of action than to fire the guy who had the brains to stay home.

Well said....

I work at a daycare and you wouldn't believe how many children are brought sick..no, I mean really sick. High temperatures and other things. This year was the worst with colds and the flu. We end up sending the child home anyway. A few of them we sent home and they ended up going into ER for their sickness.

I also have been a working mom at those"corporate" places where they expect total attendance. Make prior arrangements for childcare before your children gets sick. Be prepared.

A few years ago, I was at this cybercafe, and this young woman who frequented it came, sat down next to me, and then went into a coughing fit. So she goes out into the parking lot, coughing up her guts, and then returns. Every couple of minutes she's like blowing her nose, then hands back on the public keyboard, right? So she says to me, brightly, "Oh, I'm really over this flu thing, I think." Cough, sneeze, sniffle, blow...

A few days later, I start floating around - or that's how it felt. No symptoms, just a fever high. Then it goes away, and I think it's over. A few more days, and I'm still feeling pretty much fine, during which I meet with a bunch of friends at our monthly breakfast, and it comes down on me like a locomotive, and wipes me out for the next couple of weeks.

One of my friends from the meeting died of it.

"If I am ever to be in a position to manage people I will not allow them to work when obviously sick. It's so arrogant to spread the crap around. Firing the sod for coming to work having the flu would be a better course of action than to fire the guy who had the brains to stay home." jelvis

That's nice sentiment. I wish I could be in the position to stay home every time I got sick. Alas, I don't think management subscribes to that theory. Welcome to the real world, may I get a swift kick in the arse? Hoorah

its actually not the winter that makes most people sick...the reason more people are sick in the spring/fall is because a lot of peoples bodies cant handle going from 35 degrees to 65 back to 35 all in the same 24 hour period, for multiple days in a row... it screws with the immune system...

[That's nice sentiment. I wish I could be in the position to stay home every time I got sick. Alas, I don't think management subscribes to that theory. Welcome to the real world, may I get a swift kick in the arse? Hoorah]

Well, I do live in the real world and I stay home when I'm sick with something that might infect others. Usually two or three times a year.

Most reasonable managers (at least in Sweden) would agree that the loss of productivity from having the entire office sick is worse than the worker staying at home. For some of us in the IT Field (I am a datawarehouse consultant, is that real enough?) there is also a possibility of working from home.

There might be occasions when you have to work anyway (you have set up a meeting with ten people that are travelling to meet you) but just coming to work to avoid the loss of salary involved in staying home for being sick is pure ego.

I'm a grunt in corporate America where quotas and deadlines are more important than the worker ants who get it accomplished.
Let me rephrase what I said though, jelvis. It's more than just the loss of salary. When it comes time to trim the fat (and the past few years seems about the season for it) if you're not as valuable as the next person, when it comes down to it..you'll get booted before them. Attendance is an important part of productivity.
And with the way taxes, bills, etc., (living the American dream is highly expensive) and children, can't forget when you have kids, salary is important. The almighty dollar doesn't make the world go round, but it sure powers the engine that does make it turn.

And not everyone has the luxury of working at home, jelvis. Perhaps your statement about "avoiding the loss of salary involved in staying home for being sick is pure ego"..sounds a bit machismo in itself. Sounds like you can afford to do it. ;o)

but just coming to work to avoid the loss of salary involved in staying home for being sick is pure ego.

I agree. Nobody could convince me otherwise, that an employer would truly can someone who is so obviously ill. (Note that I didn't recommend staying home every time you got ill.) See, colds are different. They are a pain in the ass, but are not very harmful compared to flus or other airborne sicknesses. More money is lost from people spreading these around than those who come in to collect their money for the day. These communicable illnesses can be life-threatening as Phil pointed out. Let's not mention your productivity level when you are so obviously sick. What's the point? As for school finals? Give me a break and quit reaching. You've got to be pretty out of tune with your body if you don't know the difference between having a cold, and having something more serious.

Attendance is an important part of productivity.

Again, how productive can you be when you are seriously ill?

I've worked harder than my fellow co-workers while struggling under several different illnesses all at the same time. Sure, I almost died..but that was on my day off.
I earn more than them, as well. Go figure.

Some things you can live and work through.

"Dear TB Queen (and everyone else who is 'just feeling a bit under the weather')"-Now let's take a look at this. Sinus Infections sure can make someone feel "under the weather"..but they can last for a week or more. Not everyone has a cushy job in which they have personal time or even vacation time. You have policies where "You've missed three period of work days while being ill, you're suspended..or fired" Sometimes life has plans you cannot avoid or schedule time off from.

And an important factor not discussed here, you can be spreading the illness BEFORE you have signs of it. During the incubation stages alone. What then? You're going to start being the boy in the bubble?

I'm not attacking you, but I will say this. No matter how selfish you think it is for someone to come to work sick, you're being just as selfish by telling them not to.

Are you feeling all right? Or do you need some sort of affirmation or acknowledgement that you are right about absolutely everything that you say?

You may not be attacking me, but you're certainly trying pretty damned hard to prove something wrong that is simply an opinion. If you're bloody well hacking up a lung, stay the hell away from me. I don't think it's selfish to want to remain healthy so you can collect a check. Yeah, I could catch something before it shows, but for crying out loud, what I was ranting about was those who were obviously sick from a flu, or something more serious. Have some respect for others. Have some guts to talk to your boss about how ill you are. If you can't see how wrong it is to show up that ill, then... it sucks to be you.

"Let me rephrase what I said though, jelvis. It's more than just the loss of salary. When it comes time to trim the fat (and the past few years seems about the season for it) if you're not as valuable as the next person, when it comes down to it..you'll get booted before them. Attendance is an important part of productivity."

Just how productive are really sick people? We are not talking about a slight sniffle, we are talking about really sick. I do not think that anyone could be blamed for spreading disease they are not aware of during the incubation period. As NickyG said, it not what this was about. It's about people going to work when they are having symtoms a few inches short from Ebola.

"And not everyone has the luxury of working at home, jelvis. Perhaps your statement about "avoiding the loss of salary involved in staying home for being sick is pure ego"..sounds a bit machismo in itself. Sounds like you can afford to do it. ;o)"

Nah, but I do not live the american dream either. However, I must confess that it is easier for me to be firm on the subject. The laws protecting workers' rights in Sweden are very strong and you can't fire anyone for being home sick. When people are fired due to downsizing, the list of resignations must be based on the LIFO principle. Firing people in Sweden is much more difficult compared to the US and firing people for taking sick-leaves when sick is illegal.

But implicitly or explicitly placing a demand on people to come to work when they are sick is simply bad management, IMO.

Someone being really truly sick at work is just plain foolish for all involved. It is short sighted for the worker or manager to think that insisting that the person work is good for productivity while you are really causing much more harm. You can start a cycle of illness in your work place. You come in sick, pass it to a coworker, they pass it to their family, it goes around the family or office and comes back.........repeat. Not good for anyone! If you have a fever, it means your body is fighting off something that shouldn't be there and shouldn't be introduced to anyone else......stay home!