How sick have you been and still been able to work?

[El Jefe]

I thought about this recently because we had a new tech start and he missed a week of work because he had the runs. I have never missed more than one day being sick in 8 years, I have taken a total of 4 days in my tenure. Last friday I started getting a cold, it hung around for the weekend, but got worse on Sunday. Monday I missed 3 hours of work but came in. I was able to deal with it Tuesday and made it to my doctors appointment today. *Keep in mind that, I am able to have little contact with employees, so I am not sneezing in everyones face.

Needless to say, I went to the Doctor today. I had a 102.3 fever, double ear infection, strep throat and a sinus infection. I got my antibiotics, took the first round and was back at work after 1 hour. I know some of you will say "that's stupid, you are getting everyone else sick" this is our family business, there is only four of us, and we need each one of us to maintain full efficiency. I can drag myself to work and keep production where it should be. Matter of fact, here in 30 minutes I will have installed a 4T65E transmission into a Rendevous that I started this morning, not bad.

How sick have you been yet still able to work? I know some of you construction guys who work for yourself have to have some great stories. Having the flu while doing roofing in 90 degree weather?

[Predarat]

Originally Posted by luv

An old employer was like that. They finally wised up and counted an absence as a period of time missed without work, instead of just one shift. Anything three days or longer required a doctor's note, or it counted as multiple absences.

My new job is salaried. Very few people in the office. The policy is "If you're sick, we don't want it, so stay home." I missed 2 days shortly after I started with a stomach bug. I hated missing work, so I tried coming in. My bosses looked at me and told me to go home. It's amazing. I managed not to puke from right before leaving for work until getting back home two hours later. I missed 4 days at the beginning of this year with the flu. That was NOT fun.

Luckily that is how it is where I work now. Though if we work from home we do not get "credit' for it, we still have to take the sick time we were out of the office.

[Mr. Flopnuts]

Originally Posted by ghak99

It's different when you're at the top of the chain.

I've puked off the side of roofs and literally had a heat stroke when it was my job putting the big cut of cash in my pocket. Running on 4 hours sleep in the spring or fall isn't unusual because it's my baby and I'm the one taking the risk & raking in the dollars. If it's my job and I see the pot of gold at the end of the day, I don't get sick.

If you're paying me wages that barely pay my bills while half the country is living off the government, why the hell would I want to show up when I feel like shit or have vacation days build up that you force me to use or lose at the end of the year?

I have some down time at certain times of the year and often get asked to help on projects. The pay is never very good and I normally know what kind of cut the lead guys is getting. If it's over 90, **** you. If I'm sick, **** you. I'm not starving and would much rather be sitting in the shade fishing than suffering though something for a few extra bucks. It's not a work ethic issue, it's a quality of my life issue.

****. Yes. The last line is gold. When it's my money, I'll be there. When it's your money that I'm barely seeing any of, **** off. I'll come when I want. You're in business? So am I, and you don't pay well enough for me to give a ****.

None of that has mattered in the last 2 years though. I get paid, but I could never look someone in the eye and say I work for a living. People can talk shit about my profession all they want. I get paid ridiculously for pretty much nothing.