Will lack of paid sick days make H1N1 worse?
November 9, 2009 by Fred HosierPosted in: Illnesses, In this week's e-newsletter, Latest News & Views, What do you think?, Worker health
PDF Public health experts say company sick-time policies may be helping H1N1 (swine) flu spread more easily.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics says 39% of workers don’t have paid sick time. Result: People who can’t afford to receive smaller paychecks go to work sick. Then they spread their illness — including flu — to their co-workers.
“Providing workers with paid sick days is essential if we’re going to get serious about the public health recommendations for swine flu — stay home until 24 hours after your fever is broken,” said George Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association. Staying home until a fever is broken may take up to five days.
According to The New York Times, workers at some retailers and restaurants say their employers’ policies discourage them from calling in sick.
Wal-Mart issues employees a demerit point when they miss a day of work. If employees get four demerits in six months, they begin receiving warnings that can lead to dismissal.
Fast food chain White Castle says its policy is that when an employee is ill, they are allowed — and required — to stay home until they’re well. However, White Castle doesn’t provide paid time off. A company VP says workers don’t have to lose pay because they can make up the missed time by working more hours after they’re well.
Supporters of a bill in Congress that would mandate companies with 15 or more workers to provide seven paid sick days a year are using the H1N1 pandemic to push their cause.
Business groups oppose the measure, saying it’s expensive and unnecessary.
Does the U.S. need to mandate paid sick time for workers? Let us know what you think in the Comments Box below.
SafetyNewsAlert.com delivers the latest Safety news once a week to the inboxes of over 270,000 Safety professionals.
Click here to sign up and start your FREE subscription to SafetyNewsAlert!
Tags: H1N1, paid sick days, swine flu
Loading ...
November 10th, 2009 at 8:55 am
There is always 3 sides to every story. On one hand, having paid sick days would be great for workers. But, also unfortunately, many people will use these days for no reason and not have any left when they are actually sick. Basically, this plan would give only the people that abuse the system an extra week vacation. We cannot mandate that an employee see a doctor. There are still a few religious groups that do not allow doctors. It will also be very costly for the companies, especially those that are short staffed after the last years economic disaster.
The only real fix would be one where an employee was trustworthy and could stay home without needing to “prove” they are sick by seeing a doctor. And the employee would simply have to be a responsible adult and have some savings in the bank for these times.
We live in a time when an employee feels that an employer should be responsible for them, so they can blow all their money week to week and not be prepared when they need it. Our society is falling behind in responsibility of the individual. Don’t you see that if we were all a little more responsible for ourselves, none of these laws would even be needed.
Go to work when you are well. Use FMLA to take care of a sick family member if you need to. And save some money for a rainy day. Life is your responsibility, we all need to own up!
November 10th, 2009 at 9:52 am
Well stated Brandon, and I couldn’t agree with you more.
My employer is actually allowing employees to “borrow” vacation from next years balance if they get sick and have no vacation left from this year. We have done everything we can think of to remove all motivation to show up sick. If they do show up sick, we can send them home.
November 10th, 2009 at 10:25 am
Looks like there is legislation being considered to address this very issue…
http://ehstoday.com/health/news/democrats-flu-emergency-sick-leave-bill-4044/
November 10th, 2009 at 11:54 am
The 7th stage of a civilization is the move from apathy to dependence and we as a society are rapidly moving in that direction. We are becoming more dependent on our government to solve our cultures problems rather than to be accountable for own selfish and immature actions. Since the private sector must deal with bottom line issue of business costs they tend not to coddle the selfish and immature. So our culture finds the solution in a new entitlement, and the government loves to foster this addictive type of mentality, which translates into more new laws and regulations, and ever larger bureaucracies to manage the entitlements.
If the work culture sees sick leave as an entitlement then the government will shortly thereafter follow with another new unfunded mandate. Unfortunately many small businesses do not have the margins to pay for this privilege and if sick leave were to become law, it would become an unfunded mandate that could be quite injurious. And in this recession any new taxes or unfunded mandates will certainly hamper recovery.
We are not forced to work for any company and if sick leave is a necessity in the employee’s work place agenda, then that person should seek work with an employer who offers that benefit. That is what makes the free market effective, not adding new unfunded entitlements.
November 10th, 2009 at 12:00 pm
I disagree. Me and my husband both work and over a year ago he got sick with a hart problem. He is only 46 and did not have sick days at work. He lost a lot of pay and yes we did have money in the saving account but it was not enough. His employer did not have health ins so we were paying for that also. There is no reason a company can not offer sick days. After he used all his vacation another week for sick days would have helped out a lot.
November 10th, 2009 at 1:14 pm
I don’t agree with either of you. In my experience most employees are responsible and are not out to cheat the employer. There will always be the bad apple or two in the barrel, but if you cannot trust that your employees are really sick when they call in then you have not hired the right employees.
That being said, we do not have paid time off at the manufacturing company I work for. We know that sick employees come to work because they can’t afford a short paycheck. It has devastated production in prior years because of course one sick employee expands to many sick employees rapidly.
I have proposed an emergency (temporary) sick leave policy that would run from 11/01/2009 to 5/31/2010 that grants 3 paid days off when an employee is ill. I believe this is a reasonable compromise to the issue. I have also proposed identifying key employees who could work from home when ill and have encouraged management to adopt a stay home if you are sick culture at a time when many feel their job may be in jeopardy if they do not report to work.
We have to keep our sick employees from infecting the entire staff. Paid sick time and other measures can go a long way toward keeping the workplace well.
November 10th, 2009 at 1:55 pm
To Denise L.
I am sorry to hear that your husband lost his job over a week of sick leave. But, if he had a heart condition and was seeing a doctor, he should have qualified for FMLA(Family Medical Leave Act), which gives an employee 12 weeks a year off for medical reasons or to care for a relative without losing your job. Perhaps his company was too small, didn’t tell him, or didn’t care about this benefit?
In the company I work, we have too many people that live week to week. They never seem to have any money to fix their cars or even their teeth for that matter. But, they always seem to have money for cigarettes and a 12 pack of beer on the way home. Granted, this only applies to about 5% of the workforce, but I think we all make choices in our lives that we do not take responsibility for. Most things in life are a result of a choice. You can always choose another route, you just have to be willing to deal with the outcome. I chose to cancel my Dish Network subscription(which was 34 dollars a month) when the economy was failing. I chose to sell my motorcycle and prepare for a cut in pay. It didn’t happen for me, but I took steps just in case. That was my choice. I know people that pay 100 dollars a month for cable, but say they don’t have money for clothes. I think you understand my point. Life is a choice, stop looking to the government for answers and take charge of your own life. The more the government gets involved, the more it costs the taxpayers, and the more small freedoms we lose as a country. Do you like your freedoms?
p.s. I’ll stand down from my soapbox now. Everyone is entitled to their own views and opinioins. I am just saying mine. Thanks for listening. And feel free to enlighten me on yours.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:56 pm
I never said my husband lost his job and no he does not smoke or drink although I am not sure what that has to do with what my 1st e-mail had to say. I am not sure what you are talking about but it sounds like you have some issues other than sick days. Again I do not see why a company can not offer sick days even if it is only a few. I do not know any one who goes through life with out being sick at some point.
November 10th, 2009 at 4:18 pm
Brandon,
That is a very narrow-minded startement. You automatically “assume” employee will take advantage of paid sick days. Have them provide a Doctor’s note/report. I certainly don’t want to get sick because my co-worker was forced to work while sick. You also “assume” that employees have extra money to save. Even before this ecomomy tanked, it was hard to save money. I don’t know where you live but, people are not “blowing” money week-to-week where I live. Can’t say what is fair. Don’t know if a law would change anything (we’ve got so many on the books now that aren’t being inforced) but, thank God we live in a country where we can voice our opinions no matter how “irresponsible/dumb”?
November 11th, 2009 at 12:43 pm
The United States is one country that offers the least amount of vacation and sick time for its employees. I come from a country that gives you 4 weeks vacation per year to start and 10 days sick…. come on now… give it up a little bit. Reward hard working employees with a little benefit. I am all for legislature providing for 5 days of sick pay. I hate using my PTO for sickness.
November 11th, 2009 at 1:35 pm
Sick days would go a long way and I believe we do have to trust our employees are sick when they use them. Like others have said, there may be a few “bad apples” but in the end you will know quickly who they are and weed them out of your company. As someone pointed out, by not having sick time available companies risk spreading the virus through their workforce which ultimately affects their customers and the company’s bottom-line.
I do disagree with making our employees bring a doctor’s note. One of the issues with the H1N1 is how quickly and easily it spreads. Doctors and hospitals are instructing people not to come to them unless absolutely necessary. They do not want their own resources overwhelmed by sick people or by companies who need a doctor’s note. They are instructing people to stay home and get well, not to spread the sickness through the healthcare system. Most people do not go to the hospital with the seasonal flu, there is no need to with H1N1. This could cause it too spread more rapidly through our country.
Stay home if you have a fever.
November 16th, 2009 at 11:25 am
We offer sick leave to our employees and most of the hourly employees do stay home when they are truly sick. However, our exempt employees…particularly a VP and our CEO and a handful of others…seem to think it’s their duty to come to work when they are sick. They either have some weird idea that they are leading by example (bad example!) by toughing it out and coming to work, or they are trying to show how hardy they are. The result is that a large portion of the workforce gets sick because of a few who won’t stay home when they’re contagious. And unfortunately, these inconsiderate leaders don’t like it when others stay home due to illness because it’s an inconvenience to them.
Until this short-sighted mindset is eradicated from the brain of all managers everywhere, it won’t matter if you offer sick leave or not. People will come to work sick because they feel the pressure to do so.
November 17th, 2009 at 9:52 am
The company that I work for would be devistated if we had an out break. We have in the past had a problem with employees waisting sick days, but even so we can not afford to have a whole department sick. When the pandemic began we changed our policy to allow employees who are sick to stay home. They are required to go to our on site first aid provider if they are feeling unwell. If the employee presents with flu like symptoms (or some other contagiouse condition such as strep throat) the provider will send them to one of our local clinics and pay for them to see the doctor. If the doctor feels they should not return to work he faxes a note stating that the employee is contagious and gives us an estimated return to work date. The missed days are not counted against the employee, however they are not paid days off. The employee may choose to use paid sick leave during this time period if they have not already used all of their days earlier in the year. Any supervisor who notices an employee exhibiting symptoms or looking ill may also require that employee to be seen by the first aid provider. So far we have sent out 1 or 2 employees a week, most return in 3-5 days, but that sure beats the 20-30 employees per day that we had absent during this time last year. We also see the occasional person who is trying to abuse the system, but if they do not present with any sypmtoms we tell them that they may choose to go home, but they will have to use their sick leave or take an attenance point.
November 17th, 2009 at 11:21 am
Same here, R.B.
November 17th, 2009 at 5:00 pm
Wow! After review of the many comments on this subject, it’s clearly evident the diverse political stances and division among our country. I believe this division has grown much wider over the past few years as opponents from both sides become more vocal. As an HR professional for over 20 years, I’ve had the opportunity to observe the differences of opinions on both sides of the fence. Both sides usually have legitimate arguments. The problem lies in finding a solution equitable to all which I’ve come to conclude, is not possible. The best that can be achieved is fairness to the majority. There will always be employees trying to take advantage of the system and there will always be employers who don’t consider the best interest of their employees. In my opinion, it all comes down to trust. Employees do not trust employers to provide them with the best benefits possible and employers do not trust employees not to abuse the system. Unfortunately, corporate downsizing, layoffs, lawsuits, workers compensation abuse, etc. has eroded trust between both entities. So how do we solve the problem? There’s no easy answer.
I agree with Steve, we are becoming a nation where entitlements are expected. At some point employees must take responsibility. The majority of companies offer paid time off (to be used for any unscheduled absence) and many offer some sort of sick leave program. The problem, as referenced by many, is people either don’t want to use their paid time off for illness or they’ve used it for other purposes and no longer have it available. One employer I worked for had to mandate a minimum PDO bank for this very purpose. FMLA protects the rights of employees, including many with H1N1 and serious illness. Why put another burden on employers? Anyone working in industry realizes such a mandate will likely result in a decrease of other benefits i.e, less PDO time, increase in voluntary benefits, etc. Why do so many have such a difficult time in looking at issues from a global perspective? It’s nieve to think employers will continue to hand out additional benefits without cutting costs elsewhere. At some point, it might be the employee’s own job. Consider this before supporting the next legislative mandate. At some point the government has to stop interfering with the rights of the private employer. In this tough economy many business are already struggling just to keep their doors open. When it comes to a choice between mandated paid sick leave for 5 days or having a job, I choose my job!
After 20 years in HR, I don’t assume employees will take advantage of the system, because I know many do and those numbers increase each year. Just because employees aren’t aware of the abuses doesn’t mean they don’t occur. I also don’t assume people have large pools of extra money, but I know I have many creature comforts that are luxuries and not a necessity (do you own a TV or cellphone?). We are a rich nation and rich people as compared to other countires. We are always wanting more and never satisified with what we have. Do others have more sick or vacation time? Sure, but what are their taxes, quality of healthcare, cost of living, etc? Let’s focus on issues where a real difference can be made like removing pre-existing condition exclusions or wait periods for benefits!
December 22nd, 2009 at 8:58 am
There are some employers who would just as easily work people to death and not care if someone has a family or not. I think paid sick leave should be a standard. Some people live check to check and they come to work anyway because if they don’t they can’t make ends meat. I hate being at work when I’m sick because I don’t want to make anyone else sick, and the human body needs time to recuperate sometimes. Just like any fine oiled machine we do break down. If an organization invests in their people with an act of kindness, the long term benefits and company loyalty that result can be worth the investment. Especially in a fast food chain. These workers are handing out food to your customers, risking sickness, and ultimately identifying your business as a source. Is the possible liability to multiple consumers less expensive than a sick employee making minimum wage. For Pete’s sake give people paid sick time. If fakers are a big issue, make paid sick time payable upon the employee providing a doctor’s note. I’m a disabled vet and anytime I’m out of work is because I have a doc appointment or I don’t feel well and I go to the doctor because I have several medical issues. I always bring a doctor’s note because I don’t want my employer thinking I’m goofing off. She tells me it isn’t necessary but I don’t want people thinking I’m enjoying myself or shirking my responsibilities. I’m all for work because we need to contribute to society but when I’m sick, I’m sick.