Ok, so "sick enough" won

[hrj]

Ah, the ethical dilemmas of taking sick time. On one shoulder is a little figure whispering, "It's not like you're physically incapacitated. Why, you're barely sneezing once every ten minutes. It's just a little old headache and sore throat and a bit of congestion. You're probably not even contagious -- it's just a little old head cold. You have meetings to go to; reports to write." And on the other shoulder is a little figure whispering, "Look, they give you sick time -- use it. Your co-workers are giving you the stink-eye every time you cough. There's nothing due today. You've gotten all the data off to people for today's meetings. And if you don't spend a day or two in bed now you'll just do it later. And wouldn't you hate to be sick for Collegium this weekend? Fergoodnessakes don't be a martyr ... and for what?" I'm not sure which voice is the angel and which the devil, but my co-workers all cheered when I said I was going back home to bed and might not be in tomorrow either.

Comments

[hrj.livejournal.com]

Either I've just been lucky, or the medical/biotech field is simply more enlightened about these things. (There's a lot to be said for, "And we don't want you sneezing in the cell culture medium!" as a motivating factor.) In theory, I guess the "consolidated paid time off" method offers more flexibility (and a little bit more fairness to people who simply never get sick) but it does create a significant disincentive for actually using it when you're sick.