How does your company handle sick time?

[MeanLaureen]

I was curious to find out how some other companies handle their employees sick time because my district manager told me something today that I think is absolutely outrageous.

I can no longer use sick time to go see a doctor, even if I am sick. Lets say that I wake up and I'm not feeling well (I suffer from an autoimmune disease) whether from my illness or a problem with my meds. I'm okay enough to get to work to cover my shift and I make an appointment to see my doctor asap (which at times with a specialist might be a day or two later). Since I was well enough to go to work I would have to cover my doctors appointment using my vacation time. For them to cover the appointment with sick pay I would have to call out the entire day sick. Not sure what they would do if I just declared at work that I was too sick to go on and I was going home and then I secretly went to the doctor.

Another example - last week I went to a meeting at our corporate headquarters in Kansas City (Hallmark) The morning of our first meeting I fell down a flight of stairs in my hotel room, spraining my ankle. Hallmark has their own medical staff so they took care of me, wrapped my ankle, etc. and told me to follow up with my doctor a week later. I made an appointment with my doctor tomorrow afternoon only to be told that I will be docked 4 hours VACATION not sick pay since the appointment was prearranged (a whole 36 hours in advance)

It's not a matter of me taking too much sick time. I did what I needed to do with FMLA and even thought I receive 30 sick days a year, I only used 10 last year. I think that is pretty good for someone suffering from an illness where at times they cannot walk.

So how does your company handle sick days?

 

[Pin Wizard]

We used to have "sick time" available for doc's appointments. It was never a problem to go to an appointment during the day. However, they eventually just lopped everything together...sick time, vacation, paid holidays, and our personal day...into one fund so to speak. We just use the hours as needed from that. It works out nicely. The only thing is that they won't pay us at all if we stay home with a sick child. Gee...let's encourage our employees to LIE! I was always honest with my boss, but some people I know did call in and say they were sick when it was really their child. Sounds like a bum deal, Lauri!

 

[caitycaity]

we get 8 sick days/year and can use them for whatever we want (personal days, doctor appts., mental health days, if your kids are sick, etc.) if we need to use more than 5 days in a row, we have to have a doctor's note.

we get vacation days pro-rated based on how long we have worked here, but can take extra unpaid vacation days if we need/want to.

this year (we run on a fiscal calendar), i took off 6 days when i had what i thought was appendicitis (turned out not to be). a month ago when i had the flu, i was able to take unpaid dyas when i was too sick to come to work.

i really like my company's vacation/sick policy. they are very pro-family.

 

[Pin Wizard]

Hey, Caity! I want to work where YOU work!

 

[doxdogy]

Where I use to work, employees were allowed to use FMLA time for doctor's appointment. As long as the appointment was FMLA related. If you just had a doctor's appointment, you had to use vacation leave if you were leaving work early or the supervisor could give them excused unpaid time off.

 

[DawnCt]

If you have an illness or an injury that requires a follow up appointment or treatments, you have the right to apply for Family Medical Leave. FML isn't just for continued absences to mitigate attendence issues, it is also for intermittant absences as needed to take care of an acute or chronic (autoimmune) condition. FML is not used for vacation so I don't see why you have to use vacation time for it. If I were you, I would apply for FML for intermittant use, have your provider complete the medical certification form and when you have an absence related to the FML request (autoimmune disorder), inform HR that you are using your FML for your illness, thus sick days. Hope that works.

 

[trayletha]

My company is really good about sick time you have 10 to 30 days depending on how long you've worked here, and you can take them for yourself or your dependents (this includes people who need time off to care for elderly parents too ) and for Dr & dentist appts. for youself or your dependents. I like my company .

 

[FOJMO]

We get 10 days' sick time per year. We can use it for actually being out sick or for doctor's appts (prearranged or otherwise). We can use 20% of it for a sick child or sick adult who lives in your home.

We get 6 paid holidays a year.

I get 3 weeks vacation time (after 5 years) and 3 personal days.

Not too bad, although I've already used up my sick time for this year already due to the flu and falling off the stage into the orchestra pit at the beginning of Feb.

Gotta use vacation time now if I'm sick any more this year...

 

[DVC-Don]

Doctors appointments are to be Personal Time. If no Personal Time is left, no pay for the time gone or you can use Vacation Time. But, Vacation Time must be taken in 1/2 day increments.

 

[Steve H.]

We have no specified number of sick days in our policy. The general policy in our company is, "If you're sick, stay home." If it's more than 5 days in a row, you're required to file short-term disability. If someone is determined to be abusing the policy, then the company has the right to request proof of illness (e.g. doctor's verification, etc.).

We're also given, officially, 5 days for care of family members during their illnesses.

 

[Disneylvr]

I work in a medium size public library and we earn 12 sick days/year. We are allowed to accumulate up to 80 days which can be used for extended illnesses or in my case paid maternity leave. We are also allowed to use our sick time for doctor and dentist appointments but not for a child or spouses illness. If we are sick more than 3 days we are suppose to provide a doctor's note, but no one ever does. For maternity leave my OB/GYN had to sign Family Medical Leave papers allowing me 6 weeks off plus I taking 2 extra weeks of vacation time.

 

[jamsmom]

I don't currently work fulltime, but this is what the company did where I was:

1/2 day sick leave per month- can be used pretty much for any reason

Vacation days accrued based on how long one has been with the company.

Neither vacation days or sick days can be carried over for any reason! Although, I think they might make exceptions, they will not admit it nor have I seen it. I was with the company for almost 10 years.

 

[tc]

I get paid the same every month regardless of how many days I take off, sickness, vacation, appointments, etc. I have unlimited vacation time, but I also don't abuse that. I work for one attorney and there are only the two of us here. I respect her enough not to abuse it, and she appreciates me enough to make working here worth my while. I guess I have it pretty good.

 

[Gail T AGAIN]

I work 30 hrs and I get no sick time. I think even if I worked 40 I wouldn't. they are a cheap family business but it suits my health and what i can do in my life.

 

[CourtasanSatine]

I have as needed days off with the cartering service(does that for the college students on the staff).I usually use it for exams and things like that

 

[DonnaS]

Where DH works (and where I used to work) he gets 10 days sick per year and I think you can accrue nearly an unlimited amount as they will pay you half of it out when you retire. You can use the sick days for doctor's appointments, ill family members, etc. DH uses a lot for mental health days so I don't think he'll be getting any paid out when he retires.

His classification (but not mine) also can take up to 4 hours per day as paid executive leave. This is an unlimited benefit, but I'm sure they'd crack down if everyone was only working 4 hour days.

Vacation time is based on time worked with the company-- beginning with 2 weeks. DH is getting 4 weeks, I think. He also gets 2 weeks paid executive leave. Because of this he is not eligible for overtime (I was though).

You also can take "lost" time, which is unpaid time off as needed with your supervisor's okay.

 

[ChibiJones]

The university's policy was that sick time could be used for Dr. app'ts. I used sick time for my physical therapy appointments. I was going 2-3 times per week at a time. I really hoarded my vacation time during my last year there because I wanted it paid out to me when I left for law school.

The issue hasn't come up at my new job yet. I'm only part-time, but I still get 5 vacation days, up to 10 after my 1 year anniversary. I think I have 2 sick days. There's only 3 of us so it's pretty flexible. If I got really sick, my boss would probably take my word for it & not require a doctor's note. I would need one for school though.

 

[LindaR]

Wow, I am pretty lucky to work for the people that I do. I had two back surgeries in two years (LOTS of time off before and after). I usually average 2 weeks of vacation per year. They give me lots of time off.....like when there is a school holiday, so that I can have fun with my daughter (age 14).

We have a private joke about "benefits." They say that they don't complain about the time I've taken off for my back because the week after I started working for them I had to start carrying a weapon for security reasons (long story!). We have a unique situation here. I do many unusual things as part of my job and am well rewarded for it.

 

[DonnaS]

DH's employer also has a sick time donation program. People can donate their unused vacation time (most people will donate 1 or 2 days) to someone with a catastrophic illness such as cancer or to someone with a spouse who is very ill.

 

[Mskanga]

I work only part time and get no benefits, not that I need them anyway. DH on the other hand works for a company who are extremely cheap and only gets 7 sick paid days that he can use any way he wants , 3 personal days and 3 weeks vacation a year.
Last year when his parents died he had to take vacation time for the funerals so basically his vacation time went to that.
Just recently with all the snow days we got , on the last big snow storm his company decided that they would not close ( although state of emergency was declared in NJ and PA ) , so his company won't pay him unless he went in because "they were open" or he uses one of his vacation days but get this....he's not allowed to use more than 2 sick days or personal days per quarter!! , so what happens if you are sick for 3 days??
His company really sucks but it's a job and it pays decent.