# Should I call in Sick Tomorrow? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 5, 2012, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-call-in-sick-tomorrow/639916 "2012-11-05T02:49:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2012, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-call-in-sick-tomorrow/639916/21 "2012-11-05T04:57:18Z")
> [@Speak\_to\_me\_Maddie](#): > > Just sent her a text telling her you’re faking. Dear Liz, Leaffan is not sick: he’s hungover and faking. Yours truly, Maddie! ETA: I need some more yeses. Come on dopers! (Is yeses a word? Firefox thinks so.) ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2012, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-call-in-sick-tomorrow/639916/22 "2012-11-05T05:10:32Z")
I can’t say I know how short-term disability works in Canada, but in the US there’s generally an unpaid waiting period before benefits kick in. With my employer, it’s one week. There’s a reason for that. According to [this site](http://hr.cch.com/hhrlib/issues-answers/Waiting-period-short-term-disability-can-be-waived.asp?date=August-16-2004): "A waiting period serves to discourage malingering and abuse of the disability benefits by employees. In addition, it reduces cost by eliminating a large number of small payments and reduces administrative expenses. “Large employers have generally designed their disability programs so that employees are not financially disadvantaged by a disability. Employees who have available sick leave use that first, then short-term disability plans pay benefits, and ultimately, long-term disability plans provide benefits. A waiting period would have a financial impact on an employee only if the employee had already used available sick leave.” Moralizing aside, you live in Canada and it’s not even winter yet. Save your sick days for when the roads are really crappy in January, and you’d rather be drinking a hot toddy in front of the fireplace. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2012, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-call-in-sick-tomorrow/639916/23 "2012-11-05T05:17:21Z")
Been going through a lot lately, as mentioned in another thread. Beer good. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2012, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-call-in-sick-tomorrow/639916/24 "2012-11-05T05:31:41Z")
I’m still awake and contemplating another beer. ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2012, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-call-in-sick-tomorrow/639916/25 "2012-11-05T05:35:36Z")
Stay up, drink beer, and then go to work. What are you some kind of wuss? Also, get a flu shot. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2012, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-call-in-sick-tomorrow/639916/26 "2012-11-05T05:39:11Z")
The simple solution would be just to drink so much beer that you really are sick in the morning. ---
**Author:** ![Indian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@Indian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indian)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2012, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-call-in-sick-tomorrow/639916/27 "2012-11-05T05:42:16Z")
Don’t. Accumulated leaves come in handy. ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2012, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-call-in-sick-tomorrow/639916/28 "2012-11-05T06:35:31Z")
Yes. How often do you LEGITIMATELY need a sick day? NEVER! Do it! ---
**Author:** ![jabiru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbce88/32.png) [@jabiru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jabiru)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2012, 9:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-call-in-sick-tomorrow/639916/29 "2012-11-05T09:01:08Z")
Does your sick leave rollover to the following year or is it a case of ‘use it or lose it’? ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2012, 9:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-call-in-sick-tomorrow/639916/30 "2012-11-05T09:24:39Z")
> [@Larry\_Borgia](#): > > If you want to be bad, be bad. Don’t post about it on the internet. Not because of some “what you post on the internet stays there forever” thing, but because **there’s nothing online people–at this MB especially–love to do more than excoriate someone for bad behavior, no matter how little it affects them.** Speak for yourself, **Larry Borgia** :mad: 😛 **Leaffan** told us in recent threads that (a) he’s stressed out over something (forgot what already), and (b) he’s fed up working for a living. Have fun, **Leaffan**. Fuck work. Get drunk tonight (as I imagine you probably already are). Sleep late tomorrow. Worry about your continued financial security the day after that (Tuesday). Read the US election results on Wednesday (if you think you need to care about stupid US elections). **Larry Borgia** non carborundum! ---
**Author:** ![bucketybuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@bucketybuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bucketybuck)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2012, 9:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-call-in-sick-tomorrow/639916/31 "2012-11-05T09:47:28Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Why? Because I’ve taken 4 sick days in the last 7 months? I’ve taken none. I wouldn’t take this personally, and it isn’t meant personally, but I detest this civil service culture of being ‘allowed’ sick days. Its ridiculous, and pretty much sums up what is wrong with the civil service and its many inefficiencies. ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2012, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-call-in-sick-tomorrow/639916/32 "2012-11-05T10:20:58Z")
Yeah, call in sick tomorrow, 'cos I am too! It’s **Melbourne Cup Day** and for my _main_ job it’s a public holiday, but I’m MEANT to be working at my _other_ job (from home) which doesn’t recognise the Horsey Holy Day. Not that I am going anywhere near coo-ee of a racetrack, it’s just a bit of a tradition to spend 3 hours waiting in line to place a bet on the ‘Race that Stops a Nation’. Can’t do that if I’m working can I?? 😛 Oh, and we don’t get sick or holiday pay btw. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2012, 10:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-call-in-sick-tomorrow/639916/33 "2012-11-05T10:54:46Z")
> [@bucketybuck](#): > > I’ve taken none. > > I wouldn’t take this personally, and it isn’t meant personally, but I detest this civil service culture of being ‘allowed’ sick days. Its ridiculous, and pretty much sums up what is wrong with the civil service and its many inefficiencies. I had more time off when I worked for private industry. Six sick days a year isn’t really a lot. I’m stressed and could use a day off to unwind a bit. I’m going with it. Now I have one sick day remaining until April. You think that’s an entitlement of some kind? ---
**Author:** ![manila](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e5b9ba/32.png) [@manila](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manila)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2012, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-call-in-sick-tomorrow/639916/34 "2012-11-05T11:52:30Z")
Well seeing as you answered your own question back in post 14 or so. Can I ask the teeming millions how much fake sick time ( or even genuine sick time) they have taken in their working days? In 30+ plus years I have taken 2 days off sick. Once when involved in a car accident on my way to work and once when I fell ill at work and was sent home. I think that if you are genuinely sick then you should take the time off to get yourself well. The concept of use them or lose them to sick days sits better in the land of the freeloaders rather than the much vaunted land of the free. I do accept that Americans generally get crap annual holiday entitlements. So not sure whether my response is valid or my perception to US labour practice needs recalibrating. Feel free to fight my ignorance ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2012, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-call-in-sick-tomorrow/639916/35 "2012-11-05T12:08:48Z")
Are you drinking just for the hell of it, or are you at a party or otherwise celebrating something? Watching a sporting event on TV? Drowning your sorrows in alcohol? If it’s just hey, you’re bored and feel like getting shitfaced, then I personally think it’s a bad idea whether or not you decide to drag your butt to work in the morning. Just my opinion, though, and too late to matter for your decision. Hope you enjoyed your beer, either way. If you’re entitled to separate “sick days” and “vacation days”, and you’re not sick often, then I’m not opposed to taking a day off as a “sick” day and calling it a mental health day or whatever. Especially if those days don’t roll over into the next year. I only get “paid time off”, so I don’t have that option. ---
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2012, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-call-in-sick-tomorrow/639916/36 "2012-11-05T12:16:43Z")
I don’t think you should call in sick if you aren’t sick, but I think it’s fine to call in “mental health day” if that’s allowed. Generally I try not to do things that are dishonest, simply because it’s hard to keep track. ---
**Author:** ![bucketybuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@bucketybuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bucketybuck)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2012, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-call-in-sick-tomorrow/639916/37 "2012-11-05T12:27:43Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > I had more time off when I worked for private industry. Six sick days a year isn’t really a lot. I’m stressed and could use a day off to unwind a bit. I’m going with it. Now I have one sick day remaining until April. You think that’s an entitlement of some kind? Of course its an entitlement. Look at what you just wrote, “I have one sick day remaining until April”. What, if you are actually sick after that will you still go into work just because you don’t have enough sick days left? Of course you won’t, you’ll get a doctors note and take those days off too. This idea of having an extra five or six paid holidays that everybody just pretends are sick days is a farce. The fact that the culture of the civil service buys into it doesnt change that. All just my opinion of course. Take the week off for all I really care. ---
**Author:** ![Ibanez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a4c791/32.png) [@Ibanez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibanez)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2012, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-call-in-sick-tomorrow/639916/38 "2012-11-05T13:14:43Z")
Little late but looks like your not going in good for you. Considering what your going through take a mental health day. I’m due to be at work in 15 minutes, I’m going to be late. Where I work they’re just happy if you show up. ---
**Author:** ![FloatyGimpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/floatygimpy/32/7750_2.png) [@FloatyGimpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FloatyGimpy)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2012, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-call-in-sick-tomorrow/639916/39 "2012-11-05T14:12:28Z")
Take your day off and enjoy it. It’s part of your benefits package. A mental health day is just as valid as an upset stomach day. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Doom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Dr\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Doom)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2012, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-call-in-sick-tomorrow/639916/40 "2012-11-05T14:59:21Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > I want to stay up late and drink beer tonight. As someone who pretty much never misses work, and stays up late drinking beer every Thursday night after hockey for 2 decades, I advise you to drag your cobwebby brain and sluggish ass into work and power through it. Hangovers, regardless of intensity, never killed anyone. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-call-in-sick-tomorrow/639916.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-call-in-sick-tomorrow/639916.md?page=3)