Sick Leave

Many companies provide a benefit called “Sick Leave.” Sometimes it is combined with another benefit labeled “Vacation” creating the newly termed benefit “Personal Days.” Mathematically, Sick Leave + Vacation > Personal Days. Companies which recombine the benefits in themselves have created a benefit for the company.

There was a time when Sick Leave accrued forever. Now companies limit the accrual to 10 days after which accrual stops until an employee takes a sick day.

When Dad and I worked at Boeing, the benefit was unlimited. Accrual never stopped. You received 10 days per year, and if you did not take a “Sick Day” it rolled over into following years. Rolled over Sick Leave was divided into two categories – reserved and unreserved. When you left the company – regardless of circumstance you were given your reserved Sick Leave and if you retired you also received a portion of your unreserved sick time. I don’t think this benefit exists any more – but it was nice when we had it.

Some times I take a “mental illness” day and charge it to Sick Leave. Mental Illness is a confirmed sickness so I think this is okay. However, if a person calls in and says “I am not feeling well” I don’t interpret that as being sick. Am I wrong about that? There are lots of days I come to work “not feeling well.”

One philosophy of managers is to say “if you are not feeling well, stay home – we don’t want you to get everyone sick.” I think, if you are sick, stay home – if you are not feeling well – come in – 4 hours of productivity is better than none… If someone gets sick because of that – they will stay home… Maybe it is not a good philosophy on my part, but I have noted over the many years of management many of the same people “don’t feel well” until their Sick Leave is used up – then they seem to “feel fine” or come into work “sick.” I have also seen many people who never get sick – and generally that in itself is a sickness so I make them take a mental illness day.

My Dad claims he only took one day of Sick Leave in 30 years at Boeing. He had a big “unreserved” and “reserved” check to show for it. Mom, Greg and I all know though that Dad actually took two days of Sick Leave. It had almost no impact on the checks he received upon retirement. This means he went to work “Sick” if for no other reason than being “Mentally Ill” for not taking Sick Leave.

I wonder how many people he infected going to work sick. How do you spell Bubonic Plague?

- Craig