I like to think of myself as someone who tries to do the right thing. I try to put in an honest day's work for a honest day's pay. I don't pretend to be sick when I'm not. If I'm exhausted and need to take a day off, I say so.
I think employers usually understand. So, what's a dedicated girl to do when she has the sniffles?
I've had a cold for most of the week and there was one day mid-week that I got caught in a rainstorm. I arrived at work soaking wet. Even my shoes were leaking. Obviously, it made my cold worse.
When I got up on Friday, I didn't feel like I was dying and I figured that I could "suck it up" and take one for the team and make it through the day. I'd have the weekend to recuperate, right? Wrong.
Boy - talk about "dirty looks." Everywhere I walked and everyone I ran into said, "Are you sick? Oh, My God, don't get me sick." After a couple of hours, it was obvious that I was not a welcome member of the team. Or at least my sneezes weren't.
So, I packed up my bags and went home for the day. I'm still torn as to whether or not I did the right thing.
Do you stay home when you're sick, or do you, like many others, take a deep breath and keep moving?
The economy is bad. Jobs are scarce. Employers demand more. We do the best we can.
Cold and flu season is just beginning. I'd love to hear - what would you do?
Here's to a healthy week - and remember, drink plenty of fluids, watch out for puddles and keep your hand sanitizer handy.
1 comment:
I am glad there is at least one person out there w/enough selflessness to think of others and go home when it becomes obvious that you are being penny wise and pound foolish to stay and risk contamination of at least 30% of the workforce. In addition, if someone is already coming down with a cold, you are likely the blame, when in fact, you had nothing to do w/your co-worker's cold. You did a noble deed. I wish the people in my office would do the same. And, please remember to use "Purell" before you pop a cough drop into your mouth after touching door handles, banisters at public transportation depots, etc.
p.s.
Supervisors always want you to suck it up until somebody else catches your sniffles.
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