9 to 5
Dear Community,
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
sick coworker - what would you do?
Hi
I work in a cube farm. One of my coworkers two cubes down has come to work very ill with cold/flu symptoms.
I take care of someone with a weakened immune system, so I try very hard to stay away from people who have viruses.
Working from home is an option at my place of work. Would you:
- Ask the sick individual to work from home until she feels better?
- Just work from home yourself until you feel the office is free from contagious germs.
Re: sick coworker - what would you do?
Well, I love the opportunity to work from home when I can, so that affects my answer, but even if I didn't:
I would go to my boss and explain the situation and ask if I can work from home until the person is well. And if I didn't really want to work from home, I would hope that my request (and possibly repeated requests) would have the BOSS asking the sick person to work from home.
But seriously- if you can work at home, why on earth wouldnt' that person just decide to stay home and do that if they are sick?!
~Benjamin Franklin
DS dx with celiac disease 5/28/10
Some people don't have much leave time and can't "afford" to stay home. Unfortunately, unless she is not performing or is horribly sick, most bosses (in my experience) won't send someone home.
I would make sure to avoid her, make sure to wash your hands frequently, avoid doorknobs or phones that she may have touched- or if you can't avoid them, keep some disinfectant wipes around. Make sure to keep taking your vitamins- and typically I'll just OD on Vitamin C and Zinc in hopes that it might actually prevent illness.
I would never ask a coworker to go home- I used to get harassed a lot for coming to work sick- and my illnesses weren't even contagious (asthma, and other illnesses that I've dealt with my entire life). She probably doesn't even want to be at work, so being harassed by coworkers is the last thing she wants when she is already feeling like crap.
You'd be rude and out of line to ask her to go home. Approach your boss and explain the situation.
I agree, this is a situation you should bring to your boss' attention. If you can work from home and don't want to make waves, just work from home.
I tell coworkers to go home when they are sick all the time, but it's more along the lines of, "Oh, you poor thing. You sound terrible! What are you doing here? You should go home and rest!" If you say, "Hey, I really don't want your cold, Ms. Germy" I can't imagine that would go over well.
That said, you can't really control what other people do, so if you're that concerned you should work from home.
Thanks everyone for your replies!
I am working from home for the rest of the week to avoid the germs. I've always lived by the rule that you can only control your own actions, not others. So, I was leaning toward taking myself home and not advocating asking her to leave. However, in the past, other coworkers have nicely encouraged sick coworkers to go home, as Liza pointed out.
I don't know why she came in, except that she is fairly new and might feel she can't work from home yet.
We work for totally different groups, even though we sit near each other. So, talking to my boss or her boss wasn't an option.
I know of another group that shared the flu and everyone on the team was out for 1 week or more. Sick coworkers can wreak havoc on productivity.
Thanks again!
Last updated 4/06/11
Seems like nowadays, employees either don't have enough leave to take off or that the boss makes them feel obligated to come in. I've notice that seems to be more of the case in my workplace. As much as your co-worker wants to take off, some bosses makes them feel obliged to come in.
This- I had to go to work last week completely sick. WFH is allowed at our office, but not encouraged. I did end up WFH when I had a fever, but went in otherwise because I don't have time to take off.
However, I completely see your point if you take care of someone with a weakened immune system.
Lachlan
born March 2012