Lack of Paid Sick Days May Worsen Flu Pandemic

[groovedaddy]

Public health experts worried about the spread of the H1N1 flu are raising concerns that workers who deal with the public, like waiters and child care employees, are jeopardizing others by reporting to work sick because they do not get paid for days they miss for illness.

Tens of millions of people, or about 40 percent of all private-sector workers, do not receive paid sick days, and as a result many of them cannot afford to stay home when they are ill. Even some companies that provide paid sick days have policies that make it difficult to call in sick, like giving demerits each time someone misses a day.

Public health experts say policies like these encourage many people with H1N1, commonly called swine flu, to report to work despite official warnings from the government and most companies that they should stay home.

“For people who are really caught on a weekly income, if they can’t make a go of it, they might say, ‘I’m desperate. I’m going to do what I have to do, and I’m going into work even though I’m sick,’” said Robert Blendon, a professor of health policy at Harvard.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/03/business/03sick.html?th&emc=th

[Captain Hilts]

1. Yes!

[TwilightGardener]

2. Yep--can't afford to be sick. I've been there.

[hatrack]

3. Let's put this in the "NO SHIT?!??!?!!" file, shall we?

Another American Market Miracle!

[liberal N proud]

4. Our company no longer offers any sick days

If you get sick you take vacation days. If your illness takes more than 5 days you might be able to recover some of those days with a clearance from your doctor that you are healthy enough to return to work.

There are people here sick, because they have other plans for those vacation days.

[izquierdista]

5. This is why we need tax cuts

See if people had more of their own money to spend, they wouldn't be forced to go out and deal with the public when they are sick. :silly: :crazy: :silly:

[Raster]

6. My company, which does offer sick days, is NOT paying H1N1 absences.

You may take up to seven continuous days off if you contract H1N1, but they are unpaid.

[snagglepuss]

7. I'm speechless. What utter idiocy is that?

:puke:

[elocs]

8. Those who casually advise that you stay home if you are sick are living in a dreamworld.

There are millions of Americans who are living on the edge, who have no sick days and for whom missing work means not eating one day that week or possibly losing their job. A reality check is in order here.

[BadgerKid]

9. Article doesn't mention vaccines

and the subsequent right-to-health / access-to-medicine health debate. Maybe this article is avoiding that. However, I guess if I couldn't afford to get sick, it would weigh on my mind to get vaccinated, assuming a shot were available and I would be permitted to be given it.

No high horses here...it's tough out there in the present climate.

[Crunchy Frog]

10. This article and the comments brings back memories from last winter

when my newborn twins were in the NICU. I recall one of the nurses there one evening who was practically coughing up a lung in between caring for tiny vulnerable preemie babies (mine included).

Apparently hospitals are some of the worst places for sick leave, but if a sick NICU worker ends up spreading her illness to the patients, it could literally cost the hospital tens of thousands of extra dollars.

I just wonder when our society is going to finally "get it" as to how destructive these policies are, and how harmful they are to everybody.