Heraldnet.com
MONDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2009 7:29 am
ADVERTISEMENT

LocalNorthwestNation & WorldPoliticsSpecial ReportsPhotosColumnistsMultimedia 
Blog
The Buzz
The Power of Cheese
Your town news
Kristi O'Harran
Columnist Kristi O'Harran writes about people in Snohomish County.
•Latest: Snohomish artist inspired by beauty of Glacier National Park
Latest gallery

2009 Christmas House
December 4. 2009 (6 photos)
[More Herald photos]
 
WEEK IN REVIEW
Sunday


Swine flu lingers, making traditional flu seaso...
Two vie to serve as Snohomish County prosecutor
Families get an early gift: free Christmas trees
Saturday
Fears over commercial air service at Paine Fiel...
Gift charity draws Snohomish County families in...
Donated safe gives Marysville museum a mystery
Friday


From behind bars, pal tells Colton Harris-Moore...
Commercial airlines would cause few problems at...
Fund set up to benefit children of couple kille...
Thursday


5 die of swine flu in Snohomish County
Red Cross honors acts of heroism, many by ordin...
Barista clothing rules delayed by County Council
Wednesday


Father gets 13 years in 6-year-old's fatal shoo...
‘One bad choice' blamed in death of 4 fri...
Reps. Larsen, Inslee split on Obama's plans for...
Tuesday


Lynnwood swimmer turns therapy into competitive...
Highway 9 crash is worst alcohol-related accide...
Crash victim warned his students against DUI
Monday


Victims of Highway 9 crash ID'd; suspect booked...
Suspect in officer killings eludes law in Seattle
New laws for Snohomish County bikini baristas?
 

ADVERTISEMENT

Local News   Print This Article  Email This Page  Subscribe Now! facebook digg reddit del.icio.us fark stumble

 
ADVERTISEMENT

 
 
CONTACT THE HERALD
Robert Frank, City Editor
frank@heraldnet.com
 
Published: Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Don't go to work sick? Yeah, sure

There's nothing funny about a swine flu outbreak, but I have to laugh -- a sick laugh -- at some of the advice we're getting.

Among tips sent out Monday by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was this: "If you get sick, CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them."

Sick? Stay home?

For many American workers, that reasonable conclusion doesn't necessarily follow. Whether we wake up with common colds and nasty coughs or muddle into the office after minor surgeries, too many of us work sick.

I doubt even swine flu could keep some workers off the job, and that's if they knew they had it. At times during winter cold and flu season, it seems half the people within sneezing distance of my desk are battling some malady. I'm guilty, too. My desk drawer is often stocked with over-the-counter remedies, for fevers, coughs or headaches.

In part, we have our own work ethic to blame. In a time of downsized staffs, any absence is a hardship on co-workers. The longer we're gone, the higher the pile of tasks when we return. But I know personally that changes in employee benefits since my career began in the late 1970s have also played into our increasingly-sick-at-work syndrome.

At risk of biting the hand that feeds -- and I do need this job -- there's no better time than the dawn of a new swine flu scare to question the wisdom of how employers handle illness.

Sick days, remember those? If you're my age or older, you likely do. When I started at The Herald in 1981, if I was sick I called in sick. Vacation was intact.

At least since 2001, though, my employer has used a paid-time-off system that bundles days allowed for vacation, illness of workers or family members, medical and other appointments, emergencies - even weather that prevents a person from getting to work.

After 28 years here, I get a generous enough number of PTO days, 25 of them. In my head, I calculate that as four weeks vacation plus five sick days. There's also a short-term disability benefit and an extended illness account. Absences of five consecutive working days or less, though, must be covered by PTO if you have those days available.

Remember, PTO equals vacation in most workers' minds. So what if you get swine flu? You wouldn't want to burn through that summer trip you promised the kids.

Our company no longer allows us to carry PTO days over into the following year. If we've used them all, we're allowed to borrow a few from next year -- as if in 2010 no vacation will be needed.

It's only human nature --if we can possibly do it, we'll work sick as dogs to save vacation days.

The last time I spent a full day in bed was Oct. 24, 1998, the day my youngest child was born. I was in the hospital. On average, I'm guessing I stay home one sick day per year for me and two a year for my child.

I have no super-human immune system, just a drawer full of medicine and a powerful incentive to get to work -- those precious vacation days.

Any Google search of "PTO" and "sick days" will find a half-dozen discussions of the pluses and minuses of bundling vacation and sick time. Generally, human resources Web sites say PTO policies provide flexibility and curb absenteeism, but also encourage people to work when they're ill.

Yep, trust me, we do it. I've never lied to stay home sick when I'm really fine. I have put the health of co-workers at risk by being on the job when I'm under the weather.

Cost-effective and flexible? To me it looks like corporate America has bet to win with PTO plans. Is it a smart public-health gamble? In this new age of swine flu, I hardly think so.

Bring back vacation, bring back sick days, or bring a nice cup of TheraFlu by my desk.



Julie Muhlstein: 425-339-3460, muhlstein@heraldnet.com.

READER COMMENTS
Be the first to comment.
You must be a registered user and verify your e-mail address to post comments to blogs or articles on HeraldNet.

To register, click here. To read other terms and conditions, click hereLog out

1. Good grief!
2. Swine flu lingers, making traditional flu season unpredictable
3. Two vie to serve as Snohomish County prosecutor
4. Last hurrah for Huskies’ Locker?
5. Koster for Congress? He’s still undecided
6. Here’s how home foreclosure sales really work
7. A store credit card can save you cash, but is it worth it?
8. New site sought for Snohomish pool project
9. Families get an early gift: free Christmas trees
10. Prep Roundup: Lake Stevens wins two wrestling meets
Enterprise Newspaper Snohomish County Business Journal
Wildcats fall to familar foe in semis
‘Nutcracker' times three
Road warrior
Mavericks reloading
Holiday Lightings & Santa Sightings
Cities prepare for winter blast repeat
Wolfpack duo takes last shot at state tourney
This Weekend in Your Town
Tips for the stormy season
The Enterprise Online Newspaper


FREE 6 lb. Pad w/
30yd Carpet Purchase

$2.99 Chili Dog
$3.99 Fish Burger

Holiday Getaway
$99 dbl Occupancy

$2 OFF
at Box Office

Always Free
Transmission Diagnostic

$5 Off
Stylecut

Oil - Snohomish County
Low Prices - Fill Now!

Nutcracker
Family Packs Available

Buy 1 Dinner Entree
Get 2nd 50% Off

15% Off
All Repairs!

25% off Bath & Groom
New Customers

Buy 1 Get 1 FREE
Lube Oil Filter

Holiday Specials
up to 25% off!

Special Rebate Offers!
Plus Get Additional 30% OFF!

$95 Dryer Vent Cleaning!
$99 Whole House Duct Cleaning Special!

Over 1 Million Lights
Lights of Christmas

20% Off Dinner
Up to $75 Value!

75% OFF
Many Items. Hurry!

We've Got You Covered for hte Holidays!
20% OFF Re-Upholstery or Custom Furniture!

20% Off Dinner
Up to $75 Value!
Sockeye's Restaurant
TODAY'S TOP JOBS
 View All Top Jobs 
Top Cars
Top Homes

ADVERTISEMENT