A&C stupidity

[Lace Neil Singer]

My store has a policy that if you take 2 or more days off sick in a year, you get an Advice & Counselling session. I've taken 2 days off, with 5 months in between; one in July, where I got a migraine and one a week or so ago when I had a virus. So, me and a supervisor, who agreed with me that this policy is bullshit, had to go off and fill out a form saying that I'd had such a session. We also made sure that on the form was the small fact that I've had migraines for ages and there's nothing I can do to prevent them cuz I can hardly change the weather. Unless someone's skiving off constantly, I really don't see the point in such a cretinous policy.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

I bet that policy changes really quick if somebody comes in and and does a Mr. Creosote and chunders all over everything and everybody. Or if somebody comes in with a nice contagious cold or flu and gets half the employees sick.

[Becks]

What a lame policy.

[protege]

Unless someone's skiving off constantly, I really don't see the point in such a cretinous policy.

Methinks Catbert is the HR director

I just wonder what the company would have done if someone was out 2 weeks straight...like I was in 2004 for hernia surgery

LNS, as a migraine sufferer, I know what it's like. Some days, many things (lighting, weather, the diesel trucks idling nearby) can set it off. So far, I've been able to lessen the effects with caffeine.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Hey, I think it's a great idea, provided that one of these wonderful sessions then makes you immune to the flu or whatever bug is going around. I'd love that.

[Worker-Intellectual]

2 sick days a year?

S*** happens more than twice a year... are they stupid or something?

[myswtghst]

That is nuts. I had FMLA-Family Medical Leave Act approved last year for my migraines, so I didn't use too much of my "unscheduled PTO" when I had to miss work with a migraine. Given how many extra shifts I pick up, they tend not to give me a hard time when I do get one. Lately I've been taking Imitrex, and seem to have them under control, which is nice.

But I hate policies like that, which pressure employees to come in when they're sick, and then to get coworkers and even customers sick as well. Personally, I'm kind of useless when I'm really sick.

[counterjockey]

Sick day? This concept sounds intriguing to me. Please explain...

Sadly, I seem to do this more and more often the longer I work at the gas station.

"Time...off? Off of what? Tell me more..."

"Vacation...vay-cay-shun? Is that French? Wait, hold up. What do you mean you 'get away,' how are you supposed to get to work if you're in Florida?"

"Living...wage? Who to the what now?"

Even more sadly, one day I might wake up and say some of these and mean it.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Two sick days is a joke. I was out two days last week with strep throat. Would your boss like me to come in with strep throat? Feh.

And it's only January.

Customers at the Olive Garden used to complain, and rightly so, that the hostesses up front looked like they had the flu. They did have the flu. They were there because they were pressured to come in. "Would you like a side of influenza with your Chicken Marsala, sir?" How stupid is that? I used to hand them a comment card with a pen and say "I agree. Please, please take the time to write your thoughts about that here. I will see to it the manager gets it. I don't think sick folks ought to be forced to work in a restaurant, either. "

[BookstoreEscapee]

Methinks Catbert is the HR director

I just wonder what the company would have done if someone was out 2 weeks straight...like I was in 2004 for hernia surgery

LNS, as a migraine sufferer, I know what it's like. Some days, many things (lighting, weather, the diesel trucks idling nearby) can set it off. So far, I've been able to lessen the effects with caffeine.

Caffeine and tylenol (and sometimes sudafed if I'm stuffy too) usually work for me. Usually I'll take the pills with a coke and it helps settle my stomach too.

Advice and counselling session after 2 sick days? That's ridiculous...my job gives full timers 5 paid sick days. My store asked for a doctor's note if we were out more than 2 shifts in a row but we didn't get in trouble for being sick....I rarely call out sick so if I do I'm really sick. Last time was for severe tonsillitis, and before that I was out after my car accident cuz I was on muscle relaxers and painkillers and could barely turn my head; and I've occasionally gone home early if I wasn't feeling well and the store wasn't too busy. Since I've been in my current position I've left early once (last week to go to the doc for tonsillitis, again) but have yet to actually call out. I understand that some people abuse their sick leave but it's insane to expect someone to work when they can barely function and/or are contagious.

I say breathe on 'em...

[morgana]

We get four hours per two-week payperiod. These guys would've had a field day with the week I was out for sinus surgery.

[AFpheonix]

I think last year was the most I've had to take unexpected time off. Well, considering before last fall I had never taken a single sick day in the 3 years I've been at the same place, and I hadn't taken one at all at the last place.
My workplace was very acommodating between bereavement time when Dad died and 2 days I took off due to a kidney infection. A lot of that has to do with the fact that I've been more than dependable, but still, they treat me pretty well.