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For example. I work in a very stressful job where we place orders, fix sales reps mistakes, answer emails non stop. When people call in we have to cover their locations. There is no attendance policy so there are about 3 people that have every excuse in the book to call off or leave early. Car problems, their sick, kids sick,etc....you can work from home but most people say they are too sick to work. This probably happens once a month or every 2 months. One person actually was caught by another coworker out and about (it was posted on FB) when she was supposedly home sick. I need to go to a chiropractor for the nonstop typing I do with my own work let alone covering others. Also the strange thing is, the unreliable people get away with it...and then also are promoted or get new positions. The reliable ones are never granted the days off they want, always have to stay when others can leave early during the holidays etc....it’s like if you call sick every month or 2 with “car problems” and conveniently left your laptop at work so you can’t work from home, or just decide not to work even when you can.... you are more respected. It’s really odd. I personally think that if there is no attendance policy there should be a limited # of days you can take off. I don’t think it is right that someone can take 10 to 20 sick days plus 3 week vacations.
Sorry you haven't yet learned that the terms "work" and "fair" are in completely different realms (same could be said of "life" and "fair"). If you Expect someone else to be "fair" with you, you will always get the raw end. Always. Took my wife 20 years to see this truth, if she swapped shifts to help someone else that was fine, but if she needed to swap shifts for herself no one was willing (even after several to the benefit of the other person).
As for time off, if company policy has unlimited time and the work is getting done, who cares? There is NO reason to work yourself to death, or worry about others unless they Directly impact you. The work will still be there, no one is going to die (even in the healthcare field, someone else will pick up the slack to prevent that). The company obviously doesn't care, why do you? Back to that misguided sense of "fair"? So long as you cling to that notion, you're going to be the doormat that everyone else wipes their feet upon. Some people put up with that position their whole lives, a few "go postal", most learn that you simply MUST take care of yourself first.
Forget about peer coworkers and what they do, it's of no relevance to you, or your life. Take care of YOURSELF first and foremost. My wife has a very high work-ethics standard and refuses to slack off like the others (her boss knows and allows more liberty in other areas, just a convenient situation for a few years), so she's not going to hang out and slack off. But she has no issues in calling in sick when she's actually sick, and only Slight issue in calling in for "mental health" days (I can still usually talk her into staying home and relaxing). She doesn't do it nearly as often as the rest, but that's simply her work ethics.
Now, if you're just wanting to complain... don't expect any guy to understand. Find a girl to vent to... guys are more pragmatic. Fix the problem or fix your attitude (which, IMHO, is the "problem" in this instance), but do something to effect a change for the better/positive.
Unfortunately, it's on management to address such possible abuses of the system. If it's consistently the same people who abuse this policy, it'll likely catch up to them and management will have sit down with them about it.
There is no answer to how many sick days are reasonable. If you have chronic health issues or autoimmune diseases that impact your health unexpectedly, there's not much you can do to avoid those sporadic flare ups. Our brand new CEO was diagnosed with throat cancer and was out for a lot of time after he had just taken over. Meanwhile, the company was being undermined and terrorized by a self-promoting, power hungry C-level exec. Obviously, we couldn't wait for the CEO to return, but he was ill. So what could you do? Ride out the storm and hope like hell that the antagonists will be "rewarded" for their bad behavior.
Unfortunately we have to cover others work when they call in. If we don’t, it’s on us not the person who is out.
Have you considered addressing your concerns with management and proposing an alternative solution?
If you think that management just doesn't care, then I think your best solution is to remove yourself from the situation. Time to tidy up the resume and look for a new gig. If management is so nonchalant about the abuse of this system, then it is likely to never improve for those impacted the worst.
Another option is that, if management doesn't seem to care, then you can start calling out sick as well. When all else fails, stick it to the man by exploiting the vulnerabilities they created.
You have to speak to your direct supervisor and ours usually doesn’t have our back. She would say something like. “Well I’m not sure what you want the outcome to be”. “I don’t know what you want me to do”.
You have to speak to your direct supervisor and ours usually doesn’t have our back. She would say something like. “Well I’m not sure what you want the outcome to be”. “I don’t know what you want me to do”.
Suggest something. If you have a better idea.
Otherwise, it's pretty clear that they don't really care about this perceived issue. So you need to make a decision if this is a place you want to continue to work. It's okay to quit a job that doesn't align with your needs, goals, happiness, etc.
There is no one size fits all answer to this. I have friends with chronic health issues who probably miss 10 days a year easily in offices that give that much sick leave. I know other people who take off time for a combo of reasons to care for themselves and/or a family member and may take off more than one day a month. At my job we get one sick day a month. I think most people will probably miss a day every month or two. As long as that is the norm, it sounds like your company has decided it works for them better than having people come in sick and getting everyone else in the office sick.
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It could just be FMLA. It's the law, and employers must follow it. The law prevents the employer from talking to anyone about the medical issue, but provides for frequent recurring time off for the worker or certain family members. That's up to 12 weeks/year. You would have no way of knowing whether the people you are complaining about have applied for FMLA and are either having medical problems, some kind of treatment, or helping a sick family member unless they tell you.
It’s not FMLA. Constant car problems but not working from home would not add up. And it has nothing to do with coming in sick because you can work from home....but people always find an excuse not to.
For example the one girl who calls in or leaves ever couple months due to being sick also always has other emergencies. Car accidents, car being towed because she parked it where she shouldn’t and more.
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Find a girl to vent to... guys are more pragmatic. Fix the problem or fix your attitude (which, IMHO, is the "problem" in this instance), but do something to effect a change for the better/positive.
