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I am on a team of 4. I have one coworker with the same job title and we work on different, yet related accounts. The job used to be on persons job but when she started they split it in half and I got the larger account and she got a smaller account. My company offers unlimited sick days which is great if you have surgery or something. However in the year I have been here my coworker has taking around 20 sick days. When she isn't there I have to pick up all the slack and do her job. Thursday she was bouncing around and talking to everyone but when 2:00 rolled around she was sick and had to go home and hasn't been back since. Someone forwarded me and e-mail that she had sent since she had made a mistake. It said "I need all drop offs before 2pm", this was sent in the morning before she had a sudden illness. Now I was sick today and I was planning on coming in for Monday morning stuff and taking a half day. Well, co-worked was still sick so I had to stay the whole day even though I was sick. So now, not only do I have to pick up her work, but I can't even take a sick day when I am actually sick. I am kind of at a loss of what to do or how to approach my boss to say I think she is taking advantage. Should I say something? Or should I just butt out and let it run its course.
Did you ask to take the sick day or did you just assume you couldn't?
Well I brought myself in and was planning on asking to take a half. But when I walked in my boss asked me if I was feeling better because she knew I was sick. She also said she hopes I take care of myself because we need someone here at my level. I ended up leaving at 4:30 instead of 5.
Ha! I lived your exact life for six months. My co-worker got cancer, yes, it was awful...for me! I was basically stuck doing both jobs. I could not do it. I was working 60-80 hours a week to keep up, forget about me going to the dentist, or even taking a day off. Finally, I just stopped doing the work of two people, and started documenting each day for the supervisor the things that were not getting done. I said nothing about the co worker, that was not my business. But it was my business to document things not getting done, and leaving it up to the supervisor to deal with. I requested a week off, not because I was going any place, but just to have time off.
The worst part is we have these write ups due Monday 9am. So we usually get in around 7:30 to format and write them up. I usually get in at 8 because what I am in charge of is FAR shorter than the one she has taken on. I had to BEG to get part of the work. The reason being is we turn in the write ups to our VP and who ever turns them in first is basically the "favorite" for a few days. But now she is never hear to do any of them so I end up doing all of them. On the Mondays she is here she is always late in turning everything in because "the system was busy" or "the computer crashed".
If you are sick, call off sick the whole day or go home early if you are sick. What your co-worker does as far as sick days is between the boss, HR and the co-worker. Are you trying to win an award for putting the company before your health?
When you are the boss, then you worry about the number of sick days taken by your direct reports. For now, you have the freedom to only worry about yourself.
You have unlimited sick days and you are working sick. Don't do that any more. And don't expect everone else to do it either.
It's never a good idea to track the time off of co-workers. It will just stress you out and could cause friction with the co-workers.
Ha! I lived your exact life for six months. My co-worker got cancer, yes, it was awful...for me! I was basically stuck doing both jobs. I could not do it. I was working 60-80 hours a week to keep up, forget about me going to the dentist, or even taking a day off. Finally, I just stopped doing the work of two people, and started documenting each day for the supervisor the things that were not getting done. I said nothing about the co worker, that was not my business. But it was my business to document things not getting done, and leaving it up to the supervisor to deal with. I requested a week off, not because I was going any place, but just to have time off.
So, I suggest you start doing something similar.
Sorry to hear about your rough time Jasper. Maybe you'll be the lucky one next time, and get cancer instead so your co-worker will have to suffer.
If you are sick, call off sick the whole day or go home early if you are sick. What your co-worker does as far as sick days is between the boss, HR and the co-worker. Are you trying to win an award for putting the company before your health?
When you are the boss, then you worry about the number of sick days taken by your direct reports. For now, you have the freedom to only worry about yourself.
You have unlimited sick days and you are working sick. Don't do that any more. And don't expect everone else to do it either.
It's never a good idea to track the time off of co-workers. It will just stress you out and could cause friction with the co-workers.
I agree with this. I am currently in a similar situation. I work side-by-side with one person who has 4 kids. She's out at least once a week.
Last week, I was in bad shape due to a sinus infection and went in to turn in some reports and planned on leaving after. Turns out that my coworker called in because one of her kids was traveling to a basketball game that afternoon, so she decided to just take the day. In the past, I've always sucked it up and dealt with being the responsible one. Last week, I left early anyways. Sorry, but I'm not going to feel like crap at work while someone else goes to watch a game.
Believe me when I say that your bosses know what's going on. If your boss knew you were ill, they know you weren't just playing hooky. If you really need to take time, take it. Sitting at work building resentment towards her will only make you more prone to feeling poorly.
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