So, I called in sick from work today.
I told my boss that "I am taking a sick day, I feel a virus coming on, and I have a family member's wedding to go to, so I didn't think I should try to push through it";
I also noted that I would participate in a 9 am call that I am a key stakeholder in on a project we're working on, and would try to make myself available if anything urgent came up during the day.
He replied that "I'm either sick or not sick, and that If i'm taking a sick day because I feel I might get sick soon, he doesn't agree with that"
I should also add as a caveat that I am taking a two week vacation starting the week after next, and he mentioned that in his e-mail back to me.
The bottom line is, I am sick, but if it were not for the fact that I had an extremely busy weekend, I would have pushed through it, because I would have the weekend to rest and recover.
Another note for context, I have been on this team for 6 months, and had a very good mid-year review, but I was new, so I don't think there was a large sample size to critique me on. However, I think I have continued to produce good work, maybe with a hiccup or two here or there, but nothing major, so I don't think I have had any performance problems.
Was I wrong here to call out sick? Should I have powered through? And if I was? If you were my manager is it a big deal?
You need to break your own ankle with a fucking crowbar this weekend and show up to work on Monday. It's the only way to get back in your boss's good graces. He's clearly an old school boss who doesn't take time off for employees lightly. You need to earn your sick days and smashing a joint to bits will help.
You'll make earl the gort and bill very proud. Man up, pussy snowflake!
B doesn't have it quite right. My staff could work fine with a broken ankle, but a broken wrist would be problematic. I'd have to see the x-rays, though. Just showing up in cast don't mean shit.
2. Boss is an ass.
Meanwhile, I cannot relate at all to this story. I have not had a sick day since 1995. If you are not throwing up and not dead... you go to work.
I think everyone's definition of "sick" is just different.
Someone called him up sick and said they think they might be getting sick and have a super important weekend of personal stuff ahead, so they’re going to take a sick day.
He was annoyed by it, and kinda called ‘bullshit’ on the situation.
Sure, maybe it was really a justified absence and the employee’s communication just sucked, but how’s he supposed to know that?
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Maybe a broken wrist will do...
B doesn't have it quite right. My staff could work fine with a broken ankle, but a broken wrist would be problematic. I'd have to see the x-rays, though. Just showing up in cast don't mean shit.
Strict but fair
I think everyone's definition of "sick" is just different.
This. WTF is a sick day? I think I've had one in 40 years of work.
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Meanwhile, I cannot relate at all to this story. I have not had a sick day since 1995. If you are not throwing up and not dead... you go to work.
I think everyone's definition of "sick" is just different.
This. WTF is a sick day? I think I've had one in 40 years of work.
Same. In fact, I don’t get sick time anymore because we have a cap on hours (all good because what you have counts as service time for retirement).
I think we’re blurring issues here. Nobody, including his boss, begrudges sick time. Nobody, including his boss expects him to come into work if he’s sick.
What he did, whether he meant to or not, is to tell his boss that the job is trivial and is secondary to his leisure time and that taking “I’m almost sick” time is too stay home from work just so he won’t jeopardize that leisure time.
I’m fairly certain that no boss, and likely no co-worker, wants to hear that what they do is unimportant and can be discarded for more primary things like play time. Especially, if he’s paying you he won’t want to hear that you’ll talk the check by shove the job.
YES!
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Maybe a broken wrist will do...
B doesn't have it quite right. My staff could work fine with a broken ankle, but a broken wrist would be problematic. I'd have to see the x-rays, though. Just showing up in cast don't mean shit.
HandJobs Inc ain't gonna run itself, eh comrade?
I was sick. I implied that I wasn't that sick. The truth is, whether I was full blown sick, or just felt like I could get sick, I was concerned that it could worsen, and I had obligations over the weekend, that I was concerned about but really shouldn't have shared. Bear in mind, I hate going to weddings, and it's not something I am actually looking forward to. I don't consider it fun. But he doesn't know that.
The other point of fact here is that, I have a body (or immune system to be more specific) that lends itself to getting run down. For whatever reason god dealt me a hand that doesn't give me the best stamina at times. I am very aware of the ebbs and flows of my body, and I felt this coming on for a number of days, and I have had instances where things linger for weeks if I don't nip it in the bud. I usually just have to suck it up, but there are also times I genuinely have to be careful about keeping my physical health in a good place. And sometimes that means taking a day here or there, to avoid something worsening.
The only reason I left my last company was because the commute was so long and it was affecting my physical health.
I know people don't know me, and i can just brush it aside some of the critiques, but it's kind of shitty to make broad statements about individuals work ethics and attitude about work without actually understanding the nuance to the situation. To say I'm not some person's 'material' is condescending as hell. It's one thing to recognize a lack of talent for a job/skill/career (like Tim Tebow in baseball), but it's another thing to make some broad judgement about a person's character/work ethic because they communicated an issue wrong. This is not like Yoenis Cespedes going golfing and then not being able to play.
I care deeply about my job, career, and am eager to move up, but I have
to sometimes play it safe to run this marathon.
Anyway, end rant
The issue is you didn't tell your boss you were sick. You told him you felt like you MIGHT be getting sick and had a wedding that you needed to attend this weekend.
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In comment 14208879 adamg said:
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Maybe a broken wrist will do...
B doesn't have it quite right. My staff could work fine with a broken ankle, but a broken wrist would be problematic. I'd have to see the x-rays, though. Just showing up in cast don't mean shit.
HandJobs Inc ain't gonna run itself, eh comrade?
LOL. Got me good on this one. Savage!
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In comment 14208884 Bill in UT said:
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In comment 14208879 adamg said:
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Maybe a broken wrist will do...
B doesn't have it quite right. My staff could work fine with a broken ankle, but a broken wrist would be problematic. I'd have to see the x-rays, though. Just showing up in cast don't mean shit.
HandJobs Inc ain't gonna run itself, eh comrade?
LOL. Got me good on this one. Savage!
Damn hoya. Didn't know you were the duper for Billy Boy.
Regardless, your bitch squad is going down tomorrow afternoon in the Dome.
Oi. I'm in my twenties, and I know enough to not tell my boss I'm taking a fake sick day.
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?
Oi. I'm in my twenties, and I know enough to not tell my boss I'm taking a fake sick day.
hahahaha.
Don't add I have to do X and I have Y. Because then it seems like you are making excuses.
I'm Sick. If I take the conference call, I will have to run to the bathroom in the middle.
We believe you buddy.
I would have stuck with the exploding diarrhea story, that was working, and now you fucked up a perfectly good lie.
but we still believe you.
You should probably link this thread for your boss so he knows you weren't fucking around.
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In comment 14208879 adamg said:
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Maybe a broken wrist will do...
B doesn't have it quite right. My staff could work fine with a broken ankle, but a broken wrist would be problematic. I'd have to see the x-rays, though. Just showing up in cast don't mean shit.
HandJobs Inc ain't gonna run itself, eh comrade?
Not a problem, I'm ambidicksterous
However, I’ve managed large staffs for close to 15 years. It’s really essential for the manager to understand the personalities of his staff.
If you really are in good standing as you suggested, then I’ll come to your defense here a bit - your manager acted like a jerk off. He could have kept it lighter by simply saying “hey no problem...I get it...get some rest and hope you feel better...” And if there really is a problem, address it in person when you get back Monday. It’s a fairly simple read that you were trying to over-justify being out, and wanted to hear him basically say it was okay.
What did the doctor say about working with walking pneumonia?
However, I’ve managed large staffs for close to 15 years. It’s really essential for the manager to understand the personalities of his staff.
If you really are in good standing as you suggested, then I’ll come to your defense here a bit - your manager acted like a jerk off. He could have kept it lighter by simply saying “hey no problem...I get it...get some rest and hope you feel better...” And if there really is a problem, address it in person when you get back Monday. It’s a fairly simple read that you were trying to over-justify being out, and wanted to hear him basically say it was okay.
What did the doctor say about working with walking pneumonia?
Haha. Settle down. Dr. Fill over here waxing poetic with straight Bullshit.
I find myself imagining any of the people I've worked for responding like that, and the only one who may have was a dick.
We’ll see about that! There appears to be a chance that we aren’t that terrible this year.
Should be a good game.
Think less. Post less.
2. Boss is an ass.
Meanwhile, I cannot relate at all to this story. I have not had a sick day since 1995. If you are not throwing up and not dead... you go to work.
I think everyone's definition of "sick" is just different.
Most company's definition of sick is don't come in and get a bunch of other people sick because you have some tough guy streak of coming to work.
Those are the people who come to work sick and get other people sick.
The multiple people end up sick and missing time, thus having a larger negative impact on the company.
I can share it was pretty easy to figure out which employees were really sick when they (rarely) called out, and those who were pussies who needed (regular) sick time, for days when they were feeling a little “less than” and needed to stay home and cuddle with their dog or whatever.
Only you know which category you fall into based on prior work performance. But as others have shared, perception matters, and explaining your staying home because you need to feel better for a weekend is not a good look.
It’s akin to joining everyone for happy hour Thursday, then calling out on Friday. We’d refer to it as a “CLM” - a career limiting move.
Let him hear your commitment directly. Then he’ll hopefully see you as you want to be seen.
I'm not sure what your planned vacation has to do with it though.
Also, for a 6 month period a few "hiccups" is not really insignificant depending on the nature of the "hiccups".
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Regardless, your bitch squad is going down tomorrow afternoon in the Dome.
We’ll see about that! There appears to be a chance that we aren’t that terrible this year.
Should be a good game.
It ended up being a great game. PE has the Hoyas playing really well.
2) I don't agree with those saying it's your time to take. Your office distinguishes sick time from vacation time. You said you weren't really sick, but took a sick day. This isn't about pushing through or not because you weren't really sick. It was about wanting to rest up for the wedding. That's fine...if you take a personal day and don't overshare why. Otherwise, you say you are sick and you take sick time.