Money Moral Dilemma: Should you risk spreading the lurgy to colleagues? 26 September 2008 at 10:41AM in Money Saving Polls 115 replies 18.5K views

MSE_Jenny

Here's this week's hypothetical situation for you to cogitate on:

Should you risk spreading the lurgy to colleagues?

You’re battling a nasty flu, but need to go to work because of cash problems (you do freelance shifts and don’t get paid sick leave). You’ll be able to make it through the day with the aid of cough mixture and hankies, but you risk infecting colleagues with the lurgy. You know it’s contagious because your husband was struck down by the same bug last week. Yet you’re in debt and need the money.

Click reply to have your say

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sandra_nz

Unfortunately it's going to depend on how much I need the money. I had this exact situation at the beginning of the week and ended up taking 2 days off work (which will be unpaid because I am a temp). However, I had looked at our budget for the upcoming month and worked out that we could afford it.

whitewing

I think that regardless of debt, people will go in, particularly as sickness records are scrutinised when redundancies are in the offing. I'm not saying it is right, merely seems a sensible long term strategy on the basis that other people will do it. However, it has to be balanced against whether you can take time in evenings/weekend to recover.

DKLS

I wouldnt go in, and as a manager I would send those with the lurgy home.
Rather lose one staff member than a whole team/dept going down .

Tarry

I know this is very bad but the last times I've been unwell I've been to work (I do shop work). I haven't really had much choice because I really do need the money and my job.

Fly_Baby

I would go to work if I absolutely needed the money.

In real life, I always had a permanent job and would be frowned upon if i did decide to stay off sick, even for the sake of others' well-being. My manageress would always come in sneezing and coughing and saying that she simply cannot go home because there is too much to do. The same attitude was expected of all the rest staff.

allybee13

My company has a policy where if you have 3 illnesses in 6 months they will put you on a performance improvement programme, send you to their doctor and dock your bonus. Of course I'd go in! People in my team come in spluttering all the time. I think it's mainly because they know that they'll just have to catch up with all the work when they get back because nobody's got time to do it - also we're pretty dedicated to getting the job done.

Jet

If people are going to get ill, they will get ill anyway.

I've always worked for small companies and if the boss doesn't take time off sick, then the staff aren't expected to either.

Beverley

Tonight I have a stinking cold - headache, runny nose, sore throat... the works

I will go to work tomorrow, I'll dose up with Sinutab and cope. I'll also warn my colleagues to stay away from me and will hole myself up in my office each day until I'm clear.

If I'm off sick, it will go on my record. Also it goes against my work ethic - I would be totally embarrassed to take time off for a cold.

elisebutt65

Actually I had to take today off as me and the kids all came down with this awful cough - my voice has just about gone as well and as I'm a teacher - I simply can't do my job without it!

Unfortunately I'm on a part time contract basis so I've just lost 4.5 hours pay and at £23/hour - that's a wodge of cash gone from my budget. I struggled through Friday and Monday already and I felt so ill on Friday that I can't even remember what I taught and it just got worse over the weekend. I would have gone in again today but with the kids hacking allover the place I couldn't face letting them go in and feel as bad as I did.

I feel really bad as theres's no one to replace me in 2 of the lessons I was doing but I just physically couldn't do it.

Sheepster

I'm sure we'd all like to say we'd stay off, not let colleagues catch it, have understanding workplaces who pay us regardless and won't think less of us if we are off sick....but it's not like that is it!

Unfortunately, in we all go, spread the germs around and just sit there with a lemsip and get on with the job.

Especially with the question though - if we need the money that much, well fraid we have to look after ourselves and our dependants. My colleague who sits next to me has been spluttering all week, I've joked with her that I'll have it next week....we just have to be adult about it, it can't be helped:rolleyes: