Is it or isn't it?

[hrj]

My rule of thumb for my temperature-on-rising tracking is that "normal" is anything under 98.0F (unless I've lolled in bed until 9am or so, which it's higher). This morning I was 98.1 and later in the morning the back of my throat is tickling. I did a Covid test, which was negative, but as a precaution I've told the boss I'm not working on-site tomorrow (which I'd been scheduled to do), and I dropoped messages to the dentist's office (where I was yesterday afternoon) and the masseuse (where I was Tuesday evening). (Both were appreciative of the note.)

I have previously noted that WFH makes questions around sick leave a bit different. Whereas the previous balance involved "am I sick enough to not work at all," now there are two levels: "Am I sick enough to not go on site" and "am I sick enough to justify not working at all." WFH means there's that option of "there's stuff I really need to get done, but I don't want to expose people" (which we all used to make Bad Decisions around). But it feels (to me) like the bar for "not work at all" is higher.l

In any case, maybe the warmer weather had provoked some flowers and it's allergies, but I'm glad to be able to make better choices that I felt like I had in the Before Times.

Comments

[cellio]

I've noticed an increase in "sick, will work as able" email, as opposed to "out sick today". Maybe those are borderline cases where in the Before Times one wouldn't have taken the sick day, or maybe the expectations have changed. I can't tell. (My employer doesn't have a set number of sick days; it's "if you're sick, stay home and take care of yourself". WFH wasn't a norm when that policy was set...)

My own group's practice is, basically, "be sensible, and communicate about changes in availability".

[hrj]

In the Before Times there were definitely days where I thought, "I think this is allergies, though it might be a cold, but I feel able to work so I'll classify it as allergies and go in." Now, I'd definitely say, "I'm not coming in because there's a chance I'm sick, but I'm feeling perfectly up to WFH." But conversely, there were days back then when I *knew* I had allergies, but my brain was leaking out my sinuses and there was no way I could concentrate to work, so I took a sick day. Not sure how I'd handle that differently since I haven't had that level of allergy attack in the last couple years (possible side-effect of masking, possibly I'm being better at catching the first symptoms and taking an antihistime.)