sick days 2007

OK, I must have misunderstood the OT/comp time thing. Apologies.

 

I had to get a lot of dental work done this year, some of the "oops, something's wrong" variety and some preplanned, and my company allowed me to use sick days for several of those. Plus I got one the day after I totaled my car to take care of that business.

It used to be that like once a year, I'd take a "mental health" sick day at some places and basically just hang out and/or go to a saloon. I don't really think of that so much anymore, because I've found at this point in my career, it's just not as much of a guilty pleasure as it used to be, the drinks don't taste as good, the conversation isn't as fun. So there's no point.

 

We're a family-owned paper and they have a pretty cool system regarding off time.

There are no separate vacation days and sick days. Based on how long you've been with the paper you accumulate paid hours off (what we cleverly call PHO). I've been here 7 1/2 years and get about a day's worth of PHO with ever paycheck. Our fiscal year for whatever reason ends in September and we're allowed to carry 150 hours of PHO over to the next year. So you can take time as needed without having to explain why. It's a great system.

 

We get, I think, six sick days a year (not sure of the exact amount since I rarely use any). The policy is use 'em or lose 'em.
However, whatever you don't use you get paid for on your first check of the new year. I might have used one this year, which means an extra week's pay in my next check. Yahtzee!

And I wonder if part of the reason sports guys don't take a lot of sick days is because of our goofy schedules. I'm at a smaller shop, and as long as I don't get sick late in the week I'll just make up the lost time on a desk shift or by covering an extra high school game or something. In other words, do flexible hours make it easier to horde sick days?

 

I only took one sick day this year. Didn't want to infect the rest of the office with the flu bug. I have Quark at home on my laptop, so I got my pages out on time, even though I wasn't in the office that day.

 

Which finger, sir?

Since I began working at 17 -- seven-plus years ago -- I've never taken a sick day. Thankfully, I'm rarely sick. I've been battling a bad cold this week, and coincidentally, have a couple days off to get better; though it's nothing that would come close to keeping me out of work. I've had to switch shifts to make appointments or classes or go to concerts, but I've never called in sick or stuck my work on someone else.

I'm sure it'll happen sometime, but I don't see it happening anytime soon. Hopefully.

 

I used a bunch of sick days this year. Probably the most ever. Hate to do it because there's really no one to cover for me, but if you're sick you're sick.

That said, and I'm not intending to piss anyone off, there seems to be a difference between deskers and reporters. When I worked desk, it wasn't as bad to go to work because I knew when my shift was going to start and end - and there was a bathroom and/or vending machines nearby.

It's absolute hell being sick as a reporter because Murphy's Law always goes into effect. Always. You go in thinking, 'Oh, I'll knock out a story then come back and crawl in bed" and it turns out some catastrophe keeps you out somewhere until 9 p.m. and you haven't even written your story yet.

It's just easier on everyone if you just tell them ahead of time you won't be in.

 

i can't wait to hear from our bloggers on this fucking topic.

 

At least we kept the language clean -- you know, for the kids.

 

In 2007 I've used only 1 of my 10 sick days. That's low for me. Usually I get sick or am not feeling well and wind up using 5. I'm a desker and we're very short-handed on the desk, so I've gone in sick several times this year on days that in the past I would have likely called in sick for.
However in 2007 I did use all 3 personal days and all 4 weeks of vacation.

 

Jan. 13 will be my 22nd anniversary at my place. Still have not taken a sick day.

Took two days one time at my old place . . . when I broke two bones. Doctor said take three weeks off, but I began feeling useless after two days.

God gave me Dudley Moore's body on the outside, and the Terminator's immune system.

 

I tried to cover an event this year while running a 101-degree fever. Knocked my ass flat for the next two days after that, so I ended up burning two sick days when I probably could have used one and then been fine. Never again.

I'm healthy most of the time (knock on wood), and I've worked when sick -- usually a cold or sinus crud or something like that. Sometimes, you're able to man up and get through a shift, though I'll echo the person who said it's easier to work sick when you're pulling an inside shift.

But if you're puking your guts up, for God's sake, just stay home.