co-worker sick 6 days with flu

[Jocephus]

I know if I have something due, I have to be on my deathbed to not be in the office.

People like you are the people who get everyone else sick. I can't stand it when I sick person comes to work. I think its rude.

i was about to say this in the poll thread in social...

[TheoSqua]

I'm a bit of a hard ass when it comes to missing work, i average about 1 day missed a year, so i don't really have a lot of sympathy for missing a lot of work.

We're currently on a huge deadline here at work. It's basically the cumulation of the entire years work, and it's due on the 22nd. We have way more than 3 weeks worth of work to do in the next 3 weeks.

My co-worker, who happens to be the best programmer on our team and an integral part of this process, didn't show up to work on wed, thurs, fri, or today. Apparently he pulled a muscle in his back and it's caused him to be out of work for 4 days.

I could understand if he worked construction or landscaping and was having to move 80 pound rocks all day. But this is a computer job. He uses his brain and his fingers. The most strenuous activity involved in the job is walking 2 blocks from the parking lot to the building. And considering this is like the absolute worst time possible for him to be missing work, i just don't get it. Maybe he wretched his back so bad that he can't even stand up, or something. I just have a hard time figuring out what he could have done to himself to where he hurt himself so bad that he is physically incapable of working on a computer for six days during the most important two weeks of the entire year for our department.

[StatmanCrothers]

if i'd be sick for more than three days, i'd come in to work with a blanket over my shoulders, a box of kleenexes, and start a non-stop process of sneezing and honking green snot into the kleenexes. if my sinus infection had creeped out and caused open sores on the outsides of my nostrils, i'll ask "does this look infected to you?" , or show a kleenex full of bright red and green and shout "hey! Christmas!" until i'd finally pass out at my desk ... but come on, stay home in that condition? no way.

[StatmanCrothers]

I'm a bit of a hard ass when it comes to missing work, i average about 1 day missed a year, so i don't really have a lot of sympathy for missing a lot of work.

We're currently on a huge deadline here at work. It's basically the cumulation of the entire years work, and it's due on the 22nd. We have way more than 3 weeks worth of work to do in the next 3 weeks.

My co-worker, who happens to be the best programmer on our team and an integral part of this process, didn't show up to work on wed, thurs, fri, or today. Apparently he pulled a muscle in his back and it's caused him to be out of work for 4 days.

I could understand if he worked construction or landscaping and was having to move 80 pound rocks all day. But this is a computer job. He uses his brain and his fingers. The most strenuous activity involved in the job is walking 2 blocks from the parking lot to the building. And considering this is like the absolute worst time possible for him to be missing work, i just don't get it. Maybe he wretched his back so bad that he can't even stand up, or something. I just have a hard time figuring out what he could have done to himself to where he hurt himself so bad that he is physically incapable of working on a computer for six days during the most important two weeks of the entire year for our department.

man, i pity the karma that will come back to you on this one.

desk jobs are terrible for your back, especially if you are out of shape. it creeps up on you, and the final straw can be just bending over to tie your shoes. Once the back goes out, you are screwed. if he could be there, he would be. he's probably so drugged up on muscle relaxers and narcotics that you would not want him working on code.

go big picture on this one, buddy.

[JCShutout]

I'm a bit of a hard ass when it comes to missing work, i average about 1 day missed a year, so i don't really have a lot of sympathy for missing a lot of work.

I'm kind of this way too. I've probably missed 4 days over the last two years, and that's a lot for me, but I was sick 3 times.

[Popeye_Card]

I know if I have something due, I have to be on my deathbed to not be in the office.

People like you are the people who get everyone else sick. I can't stand it when I sick person comes to work. I think its rude.

To be fair, I stay away from everyone when this is the case, and if I have something contageous I try my best to take work home with me. I also keep a can of Lysol in my desk to spray everything off. To my knowledge, I've never made anyone else sick.

[Michael]

There's nothing heroic about digging a ditch for these companies. Relax people.

[AWvsCBsteeeerike3]

But, if you have not much going on and want to take a 3 day weekend to go do something or just want a day off, I have no problem with people calling in sick.

I still do. That's what vacation days are for.

EDIT: This is worthy of a poll.

What if I told you that the company fully expects you and accounts for you taking those days off. You're not hurting anyone including the company by doing it. Why not do it? What if instead of two weeks vacation and one week sick leave they gave you three weeks vacation and no sick leave but expected you to always have a week of vacation to spare in case you need it if you get sick?

In my experiences, that is pretty much what they do.

[JCShutout]

There's nothing heroic about digging a ditch for these companies. Relax people.

I don't really see it as heroic, I see it as showing up when you're able because you agreed to in your contract.

[JCShutout]

But, if you have not much going on and want to take a 3 day weekend to go do something or just want a day off, I have no problem with people calling in sick.

I still do. That's what vacation days are for.

EDIT: This is worthy of a poll.

What if I told you that the company fully expects you and accounts for you taking those days off. You're not hurting anyone including the company by doing it. Why not do it? What if instead of two weeks vacation and one week sick leave they gave you three weeks vacation and no sick leave but expected you to always have a week of vacation to spare in case you need it if you get sick?

In my experiences, that is pretty much what they do.

It probably depends on the workplace. I've heard of places like this, and if that's the MO, then I'm not going to argue about a business model I haven't encountered. Outside of retail, I've worked exclusively for small businesses, or been a part of a small support staff. While everyone is fairly cross-trained to do each others' jobs in case someone is out briefly, there are some things which just can't get done if people are out for an extended period of time.

I'm not saying this is the best model, I don't really care at this time. Just trying to finish school.