Back in August, my family planned a Christmas Fl trip. We are doing the Disney and Harry Potter thing. All kids excited.
Then in Oct, I ended up having emergency surgery. I don’t have the all clear to go back to work until Jan 2. Set it up with work, FMLA and am using up all my vacation and sick leave.
My Dr said I could still go to FL, I just can’t ride the rides and to rest as much as possible.
Since I’m basically out on sick leave, can’t go back to work yet…is it unethical to still go on vacation?
As with just about any ethical question, you’ll probably find at least one person with just about every possible opinion on this, but here’s mine.
I say that, because your doctor has said you can’t go back to work yet, you have to be out on sick leave. There’s nothing in any sick leave policy I’ve ever read saying you have to stay home while on sick leave so I would have no qualm about going on vacation with my family. It isn’t as though, if you didn’t go on vacation, you would be at work; you would still be out sick.
Not even a little unethical if you were just on sick leave, but since you’re taking your vacation time to cover the time you’re off - there shouldn’t even be a question.
In my opinion, you are unwell, and you will still be unwell in Florida. I don’t see any ethical dilemma in going to Florida.
Is it that you feel weird about people at work knowing you went to Florida? Did they know you had a trip planned? I wouldn’t lie about it, but I think you can be candid and frame it as “what a great trip for the kids, what a shame I wasn’t back to 100% health.” I think that is a little different from the ethical dilemma – if I were in that position, I wouldn’t feel unethical about going on the trip while I was on medical leave, but I would still want to be sensitive to my work environment and not have it appear to coworkers that I was gallivanting about Disney while on my medical leave.
If you’re cleared for Disney but not cleared for work, I see no ethical issue. I think it might look weird to people you work with, depending on the specific issue, but you’re not doing anything wrong.
It’s not like you’re under some obligation to punish yourself because you aren’t at work.
I think that’s where the rubber hits the road - how this will appear to co-workers. I’d maybe give them a little information to keep the peace, like some of what your doctor has told you (no work until Jan. 2, travelling is okay but no rides), and that the vacation was planned long before the surgery, but in the end, it really isn’t their business. You’re not doing anything wrong or sneaky - it sounds like you’ve been in discussion with your work and your doctor, and they’re all okay with everything.
There’s a big difference between work and a vacation. You can’t work presumably because exerting yourself for 8 or more hours a day will hinder your recovery. When you’re on vacation, as long as you’re still getting plenty of rest and not over doing it, what difference does it make if you’re resting in bed at home or resting somewhere else, especially if you had already planned it?
Even if you are completely recovered and able to go back to work by then, since you’re also forced to use vacation time, I don’t see an issue with that either. Vacation time can be used however you like, so whether you’re home sick or on vacation is really none of your employers business.
So, as long as you’re following your doctor’s orders, I don’t see any issue here.
Where I work, you can tap dance and whistle Dixie but if you’ve been out sick more than 3 days, you CAN’T come back to work until your doctor says you’re cleared. Since your doctor says you’re not clear until Jan 2, I don’t see a problem.
I am going to be stuck in the cold all month so it would be unethical for you to go to FL. Sorry.
Otherwise, ethics have no relation to this situation. You can’t go to work, your boss knows that and the reason. That is the extent of your boss’ need to know.
If the coworkers and how they see it are a big concern, I think you should deffinitely make it clear that you’ve used up vacation leave as well as sick leave during you time off. The “It’s a pity I wasn’t 100%, couldn’t go on the rides, etc.” angle is a good idea, but I think the fact that you’re not exclusively using sick leave makes the case better from an ethical standpoint.
I don’t see this as a big problem unless your co-workers are dicks. In fact, a co-worker of mine recently had emergency surgery and will be out until at least the first of the year. Nobody here begrudges her a single minute of the time off. We want her to come back healthy, and IMO, if she has a chance to squeeze in a little fun with her family while recuperating, more power to her.
A few family photos where you’re sitting in a courtesy wheelchair would be good too. Most people are going to know you went along for the kids to have fun and it will probably be pretty tiring for you.
