Why Don't Americans Take Sick Days?

[Mistame]

The only problem I have is when they don't stay home is they have something contagious like a cold/flu, etc. Pisses me off. Sneezing and coughing over everything. That said, I've never taken a sick day. Haven't needed to. Granted, I'm capped but I'm not the type to take off work without actually being sick just use up the hours.

[Gib Lover]

At my last job, I can probably count the days I took off on one hand over the course of 3 years.

At my current job, every single day someone seems to be out, and they pile on the PTO. I've already taken a vacation and called out multiple days I just didn't feel up to going in, that just seems like it's part of the job at this point.

[May90]

It really depends on the job. On some, you can't take any sick days at all, and if you don't show up, you are done. On others, you can take as many paid sick days as you want. There is a lot of inbetweens.

In my case, I do not have a working schedule as such, I work at my own pace, so sick days is not an issue: I just don't show up, at best, telling a few people in advance that I'm not coming. Then, again, my example is not descriptive.

[Gib Lover]

Another thing that potentially keeps Americans from calling out, people in management that handle the call-outs have a habit of guilt tripping.
"Are you sure? Wow, alright feel better but it's going to be rough getting coverage. Gee, this is really not a good day for this, but if you say so..."
I've heard those and more.

[LaserSharkDFB]

On mine, I can take sick days off and have never gotten a warning about it; I just don't get paid. Nevertheless, I'm always super paranoid about doing so. I worry about what they'll think about my performance and keep questioning myself as to whether or not I really feel bad enough to stay home. Maybe it's a cultural thing, maybe it's just me. I dunno.

[Tiev]

Ha. I take a ton of sick days, and most of the time I'm not even sick. Union says sick days can never be challenged unless you take three or more in a row, so I just call in whenever without making a noticeable pattern.

Also, I effectively get one whole sick day every two biweekly paychecks.

Maybe this ^ is the reason?

[ArguesWithStrangers]

Pretty much. We also like to attack any type of organized labor that would allow us to change said infrastructure and laws....

People fleeing unions because they drove away employers is not an attack on organized labor. It's organized labor committing suicide.

[Droodid]

Am salary. Get 3 weeks + sick days. Use all of them because boss suggests to. I don't really complain at being told to take time off.

[Cerus]

The answer isn't complicated. Most employers offer some sort of paid leave but restrict it behind working a certain number of full time hours - usually 35+ per week. They will either keep your hours under that number on purpose or keep you flagged as part time. Walmart I hear is a big offender there. They promote their "great benefits" that most employees can't even get.

The other issue is that most have a point system of some kind. Even if you get pad for it, calling in gets you a point. So most don't take days off because their either won't get paid or they'll risk losing their jobs.

Labor laws are shit here.

[Magicpot]

Basically this. I had a job with sick days about 15 years ago, but that was the only one. Mostly I've done temp work since then, and temp agencies aren't required to provide even basic benefits like vacation time, but even the permanent job I have now doesn't offer sick days.

Also, 28 days?! That's an inconceivable amount of time. I get five, and may get ten next year. Even if you count weekends in that, four weeks vacation probably won't show up until I've been here ten years at least.

German here. Legal minimum is 25 days PTO a year. Sick leave is unlimited and paid mandatorily. They can't fire or discipline you for taking it, although they can require a doctor's note (though, socialised medicine means doctor visits are free).

In general, employers have less rights here and pay more taxes. You can't even fire a perm employee unless they do something severely wrong (and you have to warn for first offense unless its super serious). Layoffs have to be done by social selection (meaning those who the law considers to be disadvantaged, like having to care for children, etc, aren't allowed to be sacked first) and severance pay is mandatory, 1 month's pay per year of working there.

[Darsithis]

I mean 2 and 4 shouldn't really be an issue. Decent worker rights laws should protect you from both of those (minimum paid time off and not being able to strip a person of their livelihood due whatever reason your King boss sees fit.

I'm not saying it's right, it's just how it is right now.

[Captain N]

People fleeing unions because they drove away employers is not an attack on organized labor. It's organized labor committing suicide.

You tried using this argument before -- I asked you then to show me proof that it was the Unions fault for driving away jobs instead of Corporations trying to pay as little as possible while maximizing profits. Still waiting on your answer....

[Tyrianth]

I'm not saying it's right, it's just how it is right now.

Oh I know just a bit of banter towards the US while I sit here at work debating if I want to use a few hours of paid vacation to leave early. ;p

Though Canada isn't much better. We're near the bottom of the barrel when it comes to mandatory PTO.

[Kanegasi]

Maybe this ^ is the reason?

It's my leave. I have no intention of being forced to work every single day. There is leave and holidays for a reason.

[Crissi]

It's my leave. I have no intention of being forced to work every single day. There is leave and holidays for a reason.

If you're making sure you dont have a pattern in order to keep doing what you're doing, its an abuse of the system and you're benefiting from the Union not being strict on it.

Aaaaanyways, cause Americans are workaholics. Poor people cant afford the time off and often have super strict / unreasonable bosses. EVen higher up the ladder, theres a "must make more money to save for later. Cant take off cause I feel bad for not working" mentality. Fack, some people even work when they DO take vacation.

We're a weird people.

[Captain N]

It's my leave. I have no intention of being forced to work every single day. There is leave and holidays for a reason.

Having a CBA that allows you to have a good wage and ample time to live your life is nice isn't it?

I personally have not gone to work in a week due to a family illness-- Used a couple single vacation days and a couple days of FMLA.

It's nice to not have that cloud of worry over my head about getting fired for taking time off work to handle personal matters.

If you're making sure you dont have a pattern in order to keep doing what you're doing, its an abuse of the system and you're benefiting from the Union not being strict on it.

The Company can still charge him with Attendance Issues but he's going to get a chance to challenge it in arbitration. If his Union/Company's attendance policy is anything like my own it allows him to take the time he needs. Patterns however flag the system even if they're excused absences.

[Dread Pirate Phayde]

My old job gave us 7 or 10 sick days a year, but you required documentation and had to take a minimum of 3 days to use them, they said to prevent us from using them as mental health days, which dealing with the general public was exactly what we'd really need them for. I was never sick long enough to make it worthwhile to use them for actual illness, the worst of it for me was always over in a day or two max.

[Independent voter]

I want to share.

[Tyrianth]

Aaaaanyways, cause Americans are workaholics.

This has come up a few times and I don't see Americans being anymore workaholics than anyone else in the world. It would be interesting to see a study to showcase this. Not just Americans working more but working more because they want to, not out of fear of losing their job.

[Sunseeker]

Because most major American employers are shitholes that's why.