I work at a university where we are explicitly instructed NOT to come to work if we are feeling off AT ALL for the last 3 months. There are public annoucement boards everywhere and Purell dispensers everywhere too. They are doing their best to keep us healthy here, especially with all the students (many of whom have been pretty sick).
My much older co-worker (who knows I'm expecting) has been going on and on for the last few days about how sick she feels, but when someone takes the bait she says, "its just a cold I'm sure." And she doesn't shut up about it--I work in an open room environment with half walls in cubes, so its not like I can NOT hear since we sit like 2 feet from each other. She's of that generation that looks down on moving from job to job or taking actual sick time or "work-life" balance--things like that.
Meanwhile, I have heartburn down to my kneecaps, and am having my first bouts of morning sickness, and I am PISSED that she is here at work putting my co-workers and I at risk of getting sick. I DO NOT need a cold on top of everything else, or worse. The H1N1 vaccine I got is not kicked in until about 2 weeks after the shot, I'm not even 1 week post-shot. There's virtually no excuse--HR is allowing people to go negative into sick time if necessary. They don't want sick people here and many of the students have had H1N1 already--they want to keep it from spreading as much as possible.
I do not think I will be able to keep my mouth shut if I hear one more time about how much "chicken soup" she is eating for her "cold."
Re: Pissed at coworker (vent)
My job offers no paid sick time, so people come to work DRIPPING with sickness all the time. I just don't touch ANYONE, wash my hands up to the wrists many many times a day, try to avoid touching my face, and I try to avoid skin to surface contact with anything communal like the water cooler or microwave.
You're coworker just sounds straight up annoying though
I feel for ya. I did temping for 7 months once, and came with flu to work at a hospital, no less.
By contrast, 12 sick days a year is basic here and there is no maximum accrual. One day per each month. This co-worker has worked here for over 20 years and has accrued quite a balance (this I know from conversations).
But even if she didn't, she can go into the red with HR's blessing and the days don't have to be paid back until late 2011. The workplace here is committed to keeping everyone home if they're are sick because its been pretty bad here.
My thoughts are this: if you are going to sneak to work sick, then SHUT UP. At least I won't have to worry about it everytime she starts up again.
This. I'm giving her until Monday to get well and if I keep hearing about it, I'm giving it a mention to my boss. That's the plan for now. I hate being a jerk, but I know she's not going to go destitute if she gets sent home.
This. I'm giving her until Monday to get well and if I keep hearing about it, I'm giving it a mention to my boss. That's the plan for now. I hate being a jerk, but I know she's not going to go destitute if she gets sent home.
I just had a cold on top of my normal pains and m/s, and I was MISERABLE. Coughing gave me pains in my lower abdomen, my m/s went into overdrive and I was vomiting up everything, and even after I started feeling better I had to deal with the congestion and runny nose and all of that fun stuff.
I got mine from my DH (who brought it home from work), and it sucked. Do whatever you need to to make her go home. Hell, I'd bring in one of those masks and put it on her desk as a hint!