To Be Sick or Not To Be Sick

With the convergence of our economic crisis and swine flu fears, sick days are nothing to sneeze at. Some workers have always taken pride in never missing a day of work because of sickness. They don’t take into account the number of coworkers they’ve made sick to keep their record perfect. 

All workers are concerned about taking sick days this day and time. I mean, it could be a sign of goofing off when there are millions of unemployed people who’d get out of their death bed to come to work right now.

According to a health article in the New York Times written by an M.D., now is the perfect time to rethink an unwavering commitment to come to work while you’re sick. It’s never made any sense, but it could be particularly precarious activity if something like the swine flu should ever swing into full gear.

According to the author of the article, the foolish insistence on working while sick is one of the things that’s led to the over-prescribing of antibiotics, which has now caused antibacterial drug resistance. Most doctors are reluctant, therefore, to prescribe antibiotics, so they advise patients to take aspirin and go to bed.

The Times article ends this way: “If you show up to work sick these days, you are not going to earn anyone’s admiration.” I wonder. That kind of change in attitude will occur only if employers — supervisors and managers — lay down a new sick law to their employees.

1. 

   Shawna says:

   May 18, 2009 at 2:52 pm

   It’s a simple matter of Ethics. Sad to see those who don’t view it as such.
2. 

   Byron says:

   November 22, 2009 at 10:57 pm

   Some companiess slike Johnson controls make you come to work even when doctors write contageous on your excuse for sick time!