I appreciate that you’re sick. I know you have a cough, but if you refuse to do anything about it, I’m not going to have much sympathy for you, especially when, every single time you cough, you either say “oh, I hate being sick” or “when will I stooooooooooop coooooughhhhhiinnnnnngggg?” with a pout and a whine and often, a small stamp of your foot. You’re 32 years old, not 6.
Also, I appreciate very much that you have the urge to cover your mouth when you cough. That helps me out in the ‘staying healthy’ department. However, we share a computer. When you cough and hack, you cover your mouth with your right hand. Then you immediately put that hand back on the mouse. This makes me nervous. When I cough, I use my forearm or shoulder to cover my mouth, you might want to try this, or alternatively, you could try washing your hands once in a while.
I have thoughtfully provided you (and myself) with alcohol wipes for the major surfaces of the keyboard and mouse. I’m not a total germ-o-phobe, and I understand that the money we handle is nasty and germ ridden, as well as most of our customers. But, we’re in a very small room together for eight hours each day, and your germs are not welcome in my body. Please utilize them and at least give me a semblance of security against your nasty virus. Everyone in the building has been getting sick, and I’m going on vacation this month, I’d rather avoid it, thanks.
Get the Lysol wipes (or whatever brand) and disinfect everything, frequently. Get a pump bottle of Purex hand sanitizer, and use it frequently. Wash your hands all the time. Avoid putting your hands near your face (even rubbing your eyes can get the viruses into your mucous membranes). Don’t chew on pens or anything else. Give your co-worker subtle hints that she should use any sick days that are available to her. Maybe you working with a virus-level respirator on would give her the message.
(This is a peeve of mine. If you’re sick and you know it, stay home.)
She has no sick days left. Plus, she’s the supervisor and there are only two of us. I’d rather have her here and sick then gone because when she’s gone I’m not allowed to leave the room.
You’re absolutely right in theory, but in practice it’s not always possible.
For instance, I currently have a raging cold, but have not been staying home from classes. While I certainly don’t want to get anybody else sick, I also can’t afford to miss the (at least) five days of class it would cost to stay away from other people while I’m waiting for the symptoms to die down. I imagine that for at least some jobs it may be a little easier to take off, since there are usually people to cover your work…but if (as in FilmGeek’s coworker’s case) there are no sick days left…
Well, all I’m saying is: it sucks, but often there’s not really a choice.
If she has that intch-in-the-throat kind of cough, get her a bottle of Triaminic Anaestetic spray. It numbs up the itchy spot and stops the coughing. Take it from someone who knows. It’s a major relief!
I agree - if we’re going to live in a culture where everyone feels the need to work sick, then let’s start just hosing the place down with disinfectant in front of the sick people. (I mean that seriously, not sarcastically.) They know they’re infectious, we know they’re infectious - no need for hurt feelings here.
Oh I do. And I leave the wipes and ask her to wipe things down when she’s done. She doesn’t, because she’s rude and a bitch, but that’s another story and another pit thread (which I’ve already been through).
She gets a certain number, but she keeps leaving for other reasons and using them up. We are also on a different schedule because we’re affiliated with a college, so the “year” ends in June. Plus, she’s moving later this month and using up more time off for that.
See, that’s what my complaint is about - you get sick days FOR BEING SICK!!! Not for moving, or holidays, or when your mother visits, or when you just don’t feel like coming in (okay, I can buy a “sick of work” day). They’re for WHEN YOU’RE SICK, SO YOU DON’T INFECT EVERYONE ELSE! (I’m getting very protective of my health as I get older, I find.)
That’s why I switched over to a PTO (Paid Time Off for any reason) system. The sickies can burn all their time off that way and my healthy vacationers can use it their own way. They accrue as they consistently work day to day …it doesn’t come “all at once” at some point in the year, only to be used up in the first 3 or 6 months.
featherlou, two weeks ago, I missed most of a week of work. The problem is, my employer only gives me two sick days. One reason I went in on Wednesday even though I knew I was still sick and feverish was because I was completely out of them. I managed to work several hours; on the other hand, I probably made things worse by going in sick. I’m still not quite over this thing.
On the other hand, I did cover my mouth when I coughed and I do keep a large bottle of hand sanitizer on my desk which I do use after coughing and sneezing. I also did what I could about it, including finally seeing the doctor, taking 4 prescription medications, and spending about 2 weeks only going to work and the doctor, although on Sunday morning, the 7th day of the plague, I did make a crack-of-dawn prison break to go to the grocery store a mile away. (The gentleman I’ve been seeing made grocery runs, etc.)
Excuse me. I’m hijacking. By all means, yes! If you must come into work while you’re coughing, etc. use hand sanitizer, tissues, etc. to make sure your coworkers don’t have to share your suffering! Just because you feel like death warmed over doesn’t mean your coworkers have to!
By the way, yes, the two other guys in my department were spared this, including one guy who’s computer I use for some things.