Fighting Sick Day Temptation: Should You Call In?
6 things to think about before you call in sick
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It’s 7 a.m. on Saturday and your alarm goes off. You’ve been at school all week and you could really use a break. Two hits of the snooze button later and you’ve worked out exactly what excuse you’re going to leave on your boss’ voicemail that will keep your weekend full of fun in the sun.
It’s not a big deal to call out once in a while. Why shouldn’t you get a sick day? While it’s true everyone gets sick, not everyone stays home. Putting in the extra effort might just earn you a one-way ticket to Successville. Population: YOU.
3 good reasons to go to work:
1. Your paycheck: You know the saying, “the early bird gets the worm?” Well, depending on the type of job you have, you probably won’t get paid if you don’t show up. Your sick day might seem fun, but when you’re ready to cash your paycheck, you will probably be regretting it.
2. Your boss: Most employers report that they’re more likely to favor the requests of employees with better attendance records. You’re just starting to establish your work experience and it’s important to put your best foot forward. Because you’re trying to impress your boss, chances are you should go to work.
3. Your job: According to a survey of U.S. employers, nearly 70 percent say they notice patterns in their employees’ absenteeism. The trends are easy to spot, with nearly 40 percent of call-ins happening between Friday and Monday and another 20 percent near a holiday. That means they probably know what you’re up to. Is a day of Price is Right or a weekend at the pool really worth it? Probably not.
But, like we said, everyone gets sick. Here are some rules of thumb that will help you determine whether daytime soap operas might be in your future.
3 good reasons to stay home:
1. Your doctor said so: So you made it to the doctor, and he told you that you’re contagious. Do yourself and everyone around you a solid and curl up with some chicken noodle soup. Especially if you are in a customer service position that requires you to handle food or merchandise, it’s probably best if you stay home.
2. Your medicine: It doesn’t matter if it came from the pharmacist or from the shelf at the drugstore; if the medication you are taking impairs your abilities, it’s a good idea to stay home. Work safety is important, and you don’t want to put your safety or anyone else’s at risk. Stay home and get healthy, Space Cadet.
3. Your germs: So maybe you haven’t made it to the doctor yet, but you have that scratchy-throat-sniffly-nose-watery-eyes thing going on. The Center for Disease Control says that even with the common flu, you’re most contagious the day before symptoms start and up to 5-7 days after you get sick. You run the risk of infecting everyone around you! Best to stay quarantined and call in sick.