Do you ever call in sick when your not?

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  • ItsCasey
    ItsCasey Posts: 4,022 Member
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    Nope. The only time I call in sick is if I have a fever. But things are pretty laid back where I work. If you wake up one morning and don't feel like coming to work, you just call in and say "I'm taking a PTO day." As long as it doesn't interfere with meeting deadlines or keeping the office running smoothly (e.g. there has to be at least one person in each department to handle "emergent" phone calls), no one cares.
  • 42kgirl
    42kgirl Posts: 692 Member
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    When I had a real job, I took a few mental health days. Now, there is no one to cover for me at 4am. I go in sick, I go in ice storms (I live in the south), I go if my kid is sick. I have gone straight from the ER to work on two occasions. It kind of sucks, but I only work 3 days per week.
  • fbmandy55
    fbmandy55 Posts: 5,263 Member
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    I have had too recently but typically no. I get 10 vacation days a year as of now but being one of two employees for this company, my boss rarely approves them. The only time she has approved them is when my son had surgery or when I have doctors appointments.

    She has denied me going on family vacations because she "would prefer me to take one or two days at a time rather than full weeks". I understand I am the only person to open and close the office daily but it's not my problem that we don't have a way for me to take vacation days.

    On the flip side, the end of the year I get a check for my unused days, which is nice, but I would rather be able to take days when I need to.
  • kvissy
    kvissy Posts: 205 Member
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    Absolutely, they're called "Mental Health Days!"

    Of course they shouldn't be abused by my company is ok w/ 5 personal/sick days out of the year (on top of vacation time). I've taken 1 this year due to going a bit too hard the night before w/ a mixture of a ridiculous week w/ no sleep and crazy exercise!
  • sjohnny
    sjohnny Posts: 56,142 Member
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    Do people really have a problem with this? I figured everyone did this.

    I don't do it often but I don't feel a bit bad when I do.

    I get 8 hours/month of sick leave and 12 hours/month of vacation time. I have hundreds of hours banked between the two not counting comp time and holiday time. If I've got the time I don't have a problem using it.
  • ItsCasey
    ItsCasey Posts: 4,022 Member
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    I get 10 vacation days a year as of now but being one of two employees for this company, my boss rarely approves them. The only time she has approved them is when my son had surgery or when I have doctors appointments.

    She has denied me going on family vacations because she "would prefer me to take one or two days at a time rather than full weeks". I understand I am the only person to open and close the office daily but it's not my problem that we don't have a way for me to take vacation days.

    This is the kind of thing that pisses me off. My first job out of college, my boss was the same way. We got a week of PTO days for each year we had been with the company (so yeah, no PTO days at all in your first year, then only 5 for your second year), plus 5 "sick days" each year, which could only be used if you or your child were sick. Unused days could not be carried over to the next year, nor did we get paid for them if we didn't use them. But still, we would be questioned extensively anytime we dared to request time off. It was infuriating.

    I just don't think it's any of my employer's business where I am or what I am doing on my vacation days. Fortunately, my current boss is one of the nicest men I've ever met, and in 4 years of working for him, he's never denied my request for PTO or even asked me why I needed time off.
  • vaderandbill
    vaderandbill Posts: 1,063 Member
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    I earn sick time but don't get reimbursed for it when if I leave so if I feel like using a day to do something else then I do. But I don't do it to avoid completing tasks. Also, I usually know a day or two before I'm going to do this so I tend to finish things ahead of schedule so my "sick day" doesn't screw anyone else.
  • cgrout78
    cgrout78 Posts: 1,679 Member
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    mental health day...so yes.
  • shannoninBC
    shannoninBC Posts: 371 Member
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    Of course, we get 12 personal days a year and dang it I'm using them.
  • ItsCasey
    ItsCasey Posts: 4,022 Member
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    Do people really have a problem with this? I figured everyone did this.

    I have two problems with it: the lying and the fact that a lot of people are really selfish and do not care at all that their unplanned absence is going to put pressure on other people who were unprepared for it.

    I hate having to wonder if a subordinate is lying to me when they call in sick. I understand that people get overwhelmed by work, by family, by life in general, and they may need a day off even if they aren't actually sick. I'm down with that. Just don't lie about it. It doesn't exactly give the impression that you care a whole lot about your job.
  • sjohnny
    sjohnny Posts: 56,142 Member
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    Do people really have a problem with this? I figured everyone did this.

    I have two problems with it: the lying and the fact that a lot of people are really selfish and do not care at all that their unplanned absence is going to put pressure on other people who were unprepared for it.

    I hate having to wonder if a subordinate is lying to me when they call in sick. I understand that people get overwhelmed by work, by family, by life in general, and they may need a day off even if they aren't actually sick. I'm down with that. Just don't lie about it. It doesn't exactly give the impression that you care a whole lot about your job.

    I don't even have to lie. I call in and say "I'm using some sick time today". I don't have to say that I'm actually sick or whatever. Just that I'm using sick time. And that's the truth.
  • jackpotclown
    jackpotclown Posts: 3,291 Member
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    I used to when I had the kind of benefits that allowed it....but right now I don't, so I'm not going to call in if I'm not getting paid \m/
  • PepeGreggerton
    PepeGreggerton Posts: 986 Member
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    I once called in "scared" said "I'm afraid I am not going to make it in today."

    My boss laughed.
  • fbmandy55
    fbmandy55 Posts: 5,263 Member
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    I get 10 vacation days a year as of now but being one of two employees for this company, my boss rarely approves them. The only time she has approved them is when my son had surgery or when I have doctors appointments.

    She has denied me going on family vacations because she "would prefer me to take one or two days at a time rather than full weeks". I understand I am the only person to open and close the office daily but it's not my problem that we don't have a way for me to take vacation days.

    This is the kind of thing that pisses me off. My first job out of college, my boss was the same way. We got a week of PTO days for each year we had been with the company (so yeah, no PTO days at all in your first year, then only 5 for your second year), plus 5 "sick days" each year, which could only be used if you or your child were sick. Unused days could not be carried over to the next year, nor did we get paid for them if we didn't use them. But still, we would be questioned extensively anytime we dared to request time off. It was infuriating.

    I just don't think it's any of my employer's business where I am or what I am doing on my vacation days. Fortunately, my current boss is one of the nicest men I've ever met, and in 4 years of working for him, he's never denied my request for PTO or even asked me why I needed time off.
    Exactly, it's MY time off, what I do with it doesn't need to be justified by someone else. I was denied a day because I wanted to go get my tattoo. I think she felt like that was a bad reason to give me time off..

    I'd like to add that she travels for work about one week a month, takes a few days off every month and takes about 2, week-long vacations a year. That time leaves ME working alone. I don't think my 10 days are too much to ask for!
  • candykay0605
    candykay0605 Posts: 1,019 Member
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    of course when my kids are sick!
  • weecazs
    weecazs Posts: 7
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    hahahaha, yes done it a few times but felt really guilty xxxx
  • auroranflash
    auroranflash Posts: 3,569 Member
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    My boss is very understanding and okay with giving us time off as long as we let her know ahead of time and there will be enough people here (as long as your work gets done and you are not behind). We have 3 sick days a year we can use toward whatever we want, sick or no, and two weeks' vacation, but we are always off for a week from Christmas to New Year's so a week always goes toward that. :)
  • Miss_dannii
    Miss_dannii Posts: 1,351 Member
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    I usually go to work when i'm sick, and save my calling-in-sick days for when I just don't want to go to work lol
  • wickedcricket
    wickedcricket Posts: 1,246 Member
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    heck yeah. I call in cause I'm SICK of working LOL
  • RobynC79
    RobynC79 Posts: 331 Member
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    We Aussies have a term for it! It's almost part of our work culture now. "Chucking a sickie" Vastly increased incidences of sickies occur after the final of any particular sporting event and whenever a public holiday falls on a Tuesday or Thursday.

    Everyone knows what's going on, and it's reasonably well tolerated. I'm sure we lose massive amounts of productivity when measured in dollars, but fortunately the Australian outlook on life is not overly informed by dollars and is more about quality and enjoyment.

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