During The Worst Flu Season In A Decade, Workers Across The Country Can’t Stay Home Sick

[LanternWaste]

8. I think my own office dramatically illustrates this...

I think my own office dramatically illustrates this. In my department, there are 26 hourly employees-- no sick time, comp, time or flex time, and we're currently working 60-weeks (have been since 1st week of Dec, and will be until 1st week of Feb). Don't get me wrong, the employees love the overtime.

In late Dec, just prior to Christmas, one employee came in with flue symptoms, but stayed at her desk to avoid losing any pay. Currently, I'd hazard that 20 of my co-workers are sneezing, sniffling, coughing, hacking, and wheezing... but all working 12 hour days to avoid losing pay while continuing to spread this horrible cycle of the flu.

Now that we've finally spread to their families, a number of female workers (never guys though... I've wondered about that) are forced to take time off to care for infants and school children who cannot go to school or stay home unsupervised.

I've advised everyone to take a day or two off if they feel bad, but I can't (or wouldn't if I could) enforce that, and they can't afford it anyway-- the overtime is a blessing for most of them and they don't want to lose even one day of work and reduce their hours. It's a crappy situation all the way around.