Your department's policy on "sick days" ?

Question

My department wont allow us to call in sick when a member of our family is sick ? Just curious to hear about other departments ?

Answer 1

Same here. We're only allowed to call in sick if we, ourselves, are ill. We can take a personal leave day to help in case we are needed by our family, however. Our sick leave and other days off are lumped together.

Answer 2

At our department we earn a sick day each month. Normally they build up fast and I think most people, to avoid a hassle, just call in sick if a family member is sick. We are granted family emergency days but it is at the discretion of the supervisor whether or not your family member or the circumstance constitutes a family emergency day... so it's just easier to use a sick day or if the shift is full take a personal day or comp time... so as a rule of thumb no we can't call in sick if a family member is sick but it happens anyway.

Answer 3

Well then I guess you better be the sick one then. Sick days are for you and is there for your protection to ensure you are covered should you get sick. Is the family member going to come in and cover your work should you get sick? Of course not. All companies have different policies. I worked for a company that counted each time you were out sick as an occurrence whether it be one day or 3 days, but you were only allowed 3 occurrences a year and then your employment with that company came into jeopardy.

Answer 4

The PD I used to work for wouldn't allow it, either. We also couldn't call in sick the day before or the day after a calendar holiday, or our first day back on shift after a calendar holiday, or our first day back after a scheduled day off (vacation or personal day). We had to call in at least 4 hours before the beginning of our shift--as if we'd get up at 2 a.m. and do a wellness check every morning--and once at work, we couldn't go home sick unless there was "evidence" we were ill. I don't even want to know what they considered evidence. I no longer work there.

The FD I work for now is a lot more understanding, although we can still use our sick days only if we ourselves are sick. For family members we can use personal days or trade time. (Finding someone to cover your shift, & then you cover theirs in return.) It's a much more family-friendly environment.

Answer 5

In our mini Southern Metropolis (Alabama) sick time is allowed for family members.

We are allowed up to 960 hours sick time, average 274 hours vacation, and 480 hours comp. Plus personal leave days and Holidays.

Upon retirement we are paid for half of our sick time, most of our vacation, and all of our comp.

If you are in a situation where you have a sick child or elderly parent, I can understand the need to use the time. But you might want to have back up plan in case you cant be the one toplay nurse maid to the ill family member, just to be practical and plus it would help eliminate some of your anxiety and worry.

Answer 6

We could use our sick time for familiy illness, as long as minimum staffing level is met for the shift. If the shift came up short a doctors note was required because they called someone in to work OT to replace you. A dr. note was also required if you missed more than two consecutive days of work using sick time.
We were able to accumulate 480 hours of sick time. 480 hours of comp and unlimited vacation time.

Answer 7

the several I worked for, would only allow it, if they did not have too many others off sick, Often they wanted you to come in and check and go home if there was enough people on shift.

They would even not allow you to be off sick unless you actually went to a doctor.

And fo course if too many were out sick, the shift that was suppose to be getting off were required to work a second shift, and they were not happy at all.

Answer 8

My department is like Shaman's. Some Dept. are more understanding than others.

Answer 9

No reason just call at lease a hour before starting time,Nor. Grum. corp.

Answer 10

Where we work we have ETO (earned time off). After you accrue so much you use it however you want to, vacation, family illness, your illness, whatever you want to use it for. You have earned it!