When are you too ill to go to work?

Question

Honestly, how ill do you have to be before you take sick leave? Would you do it for a bad cold where your nose is constantly streaming etc? Do you have to have a high temperature and a dizzy head before you go home early? What do you see as acceptable? I have carried on working through high temperatures, refused to slow down for colds, sometimes I don't know how I've driven home at the end of a day. However the last time I had a bad cold and I didn't take it easy I made myself much worse, and it would have been better to just have the day off in the first place to recover from the cold. When do you think you are too ill to go to work?

Answer 1

Truthfully, it is a matter of personal preference, and what your mood is at the time. Some days, I have braved rigorous work through fevers, the flu, and a whole host of other diseases. I've learned from that because I have gotten really sick from doing that. Nowadays, if I have the slightest headache, I'm reaching for the phone to call in sick.

If it is something small and singular like a headache, you should go to work. Serious sicknesses, and those that warrant that you stay home or go to the doctor, usually have several symptoms, and if you don't take proper care of yourself, you will get worse before you get better. If you feel really horrible, check your temperature. If you don't have a high temperature, the way you feel is probably situational. If you do have a high temperature, you may have caught a bug, and should rest the day. If your condition persists, consult a doctor. The faster you do this, the quicker you'll be ready for work again.

Answer 2

I think it depends what kind of environment you work in. My last job I hated and would quite happily take at least one day off every month for a headache/vomiting/earache/what ever ache I could think of LOL. Then they brought out a new rule that you could not phone in with a minor illness. They say you might wake up with a headache but sometimes they will clear up in an hour or so after some painkillers and a bit of fresh air! If after you have put in an appearance of at least and hour and you still don't feel good you can go home!

My present job however I love and in 7 years I have only had 5 days off. 4 with flu where my boss sent me home and one day for sickness. Any other time if I have just been under the weather I've gone in anyway and have felt better as the day went on. I have to say last winter I picked up a really bad virus and never took any time off at all. It took me over 3 months to totally recover from that and I really think I should have taken some time off when it was at its worst. I have learnt my lesson from that. I think you know your own limits but sometimes you just feel guilty for taking time off, like you are letting people down. Remember you work to live not live to work and your health comes first... always

Answer 3

9 times out of 10, I use my sick days for personal days. I work all day 7-6 every weekday and 9-6 on Saturdays. It is next to impossible to get anything done during business hours. But if I am sick, and I know that I will be useless, I will stay home if there isn't going on that day that I would need to be there.

Answer 4

People that go to work sick are scum, simple as that.

Ive lost count of the number of times ive got a cold/flu because certain dimwits are determined to keep coming into work.

I suppose it depends what work you do, if you work outside and its winter the last thing you want to do is work in those conditions when you have a cold or feel sick.

Answer 5

It depends. I work for doctors, and the office joke is that we're not allowed to call in sick, we have to call in dead or come in and puke on the boss to get sent home.

Anytime I have a fever, I have to stay home. I don't want to infect my coworkers. It's not fair to them. They all have kids and get enough of that anyway.

If I can function at work (i.e. sniffles, a cough, etc.) I go in, at least for part of the day. If it's where I can't function and will be absolutely useless, I stay home.

I've worked injured and in a lot of pain, and I've worked with pneumonia.

Answer 6

I think if you have a fever you should not go to work. I think if you love you, you should take care of you. I think if you care about your co-workers, you will not put them at risk of a contagious illness.
In the very eloquent words of Erma Bombeck (written after she found out she was dying from cancer), " ~~I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the earth would go into a holding pattern if I weren't there for the day.~~" Listen to it : http://www.eakles.com/if_i_had.htm
I have gone to work in so much pain (collapsed cervical disc) that I was unable to sit at my desk. I got no medals and I neglected personal duties (family) in order to be a "good" employee.
No one, and no job, is more important than your health. Once it is gone, it is gone. Good Luck !

Answer 7

i think this is a question only YOU can answer as its you that knows what is normal or fit for you like for example i have a friend whos worked on the lorrys for 20yrs and as never took a day off but........the one day he woke up at 3am and felt completly rough he automatically knew he wasnt fit for work so didnt go in but..........he,d ignored other illnesses like yourself going into work regardless of how ill he felt the result??????? he had a serious heart attack had to be brought back TWICE and for the last 2years as never worked since and never will again! so my advice would be rest if you feel the need!

Answer 8

I live by this rule. If Im running a temp over 101 I stay home. If I have vomiting or diarrhea or both I stay home. Depends on the type of work you do as to whether or not you should stay home

Answer 9

I consider myself too ill to go in when I can not effectively do my job b/c of my symptoms or when I have something that I may expose my co-workers to (other than common cold). Fevers, vomiting, diarrhea, pink eye, etc.

Answer 10

Where I work, they will send you home if you have a high temperature. You are also not allowed in work if you have had d&v - you have to have been free from it for 48 hours beore returning.

I work in a hosptal..... :-)