Mama Sick Days
I’ve got two sick kids today, and so I’m staying home for the second time in a little over a week. That makes me feel ever so slightly guilty, as I do have things to do at work, but I’m fortunate enough to have an adequate number paid sick days each year to cover these things, so I don’t have to feel financially stressed about missing work.
Unfortunately, that’s not true for everyone. It hasn’t even always been true for me! I had a secretarial job previously in which I got three sick days per year! With no rollover! That meant that I generally just went to work unless I was feeling truly awful, and that I spread my germs to the rest of the office.
Businesses: Healthy workers are good workers.
Businesses that hire parents, male or female: We gotta take care of the kids. Even if we have two working parents in the household, and even if we’re single working parents. Give us a break.
My employer: THANK YOU!
This post has 2 comments
September 15th, 2008
I’m pretty lax when it comes to time off. If you’re really sick, I don’t want you here germing up my business. If I hire a parent with young children, I already know that I’m going to have to be laid back. Luckily, it all works out in the end. Not many take advantage of me and I have people who have worked here for years, so they must like it.
September 15th, 2008
When I was teaching I got 16 paid Sick days and 5 paid Personal Necessity Days so I never had to take any time off with no pay. 21 days covered it. I rarely used more than 5 or so sick days per year, but did usually take my 5 PN days every year!
I don’t know how working moms (or dads) can manage without the sick time or personal days. It really is a necessity!