Should each job have sick days?

[Anonymous]

My new job say that if I get sick Im going to have to use my vacation days. Each month I get one day of vacation. Since I started last week I don't have no vacation so if I get sick now I'm going to have to still come to work. If I have to go to a funeral and need to take the day off I'm going to have to use my vacation day since I don't have pto or sick days.

[MTC29]

So, you don't have "no" vacation days? Please, say that you aren't a college graduate!

The workplace is shifting away from vacation and sick days to PTO: Paid Time Off, which can be used for any purpose. I was seldom sick, but unlike @exitseven I did take time off due to a serous bought with bronchitis. I would much rather have the time off than conventional sick leave, which not only requires you to be sick, but allows your employer to request a doctor's note to cover your absence.

[Asker]

I don't have pto.

[exitseven]

@MTC29 I never ad sick time and there were a few years when I did not have a vacation either. I was stupid to think that was the best way to "get ahead".

[MTC29]

Many jobs offer a few days bereavement leave, which can be used to attend funerals, but as a new employee you don't have enough time on the job to access many benefits. On my job employees became eligible for paid holidays after 90 days service. I hired on in the middle of August, so I was not paid for Labor Day holiday in September. Just bad luck on my part.

[Asker]

I heard we don't even have that for funerals. If there's a funeral we got to use vacation time.

[MTC29]

Even if the benefits you need were mandated, there would still be a minimum time on the job- 6 months or a year, before you would be able to access them. If you worked for me, I would approve your day off, but it would be uncompensated (no money). Even if I had wanted to pay you, under the rules of the MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) I could not. You might discuss this with Human Resources and see what they have to say, but I think that you are out of luck. Sorry.

[Static_In_The_Attic]

It’s a little weird to hear that your new job doesn’t have sick days & most companies give you at least three sick days year. As for my company sick leave is earned along with vacation days. Currently I have 576 hours of sick leave & 243 hours of vacation.

[Asker]

Like if I get badly sick and if I use up my vacation days up when I'm sick that I got to come back to work

[DryGermanGuy]

Tell me you're an American without telling me you're an American...
The whole idea of sick days is just too bizarre. In Germany you just stay home when you are sick, it doesn't matter if it's one day or ten days. And companies are not allowed to reduce your paid leave days for being sick.

[exitseven]

Yes, otherwise people will come to work sick and give it to everyone else. I worked many years worth no sick time. Lots of times I went in sick. Once I went to work with pneumonia.

[Asker]

Does it make sense that my new job say I got to use my vacation days if I get sick? And if I still sick and use up my vacation days I will have to work or I get fired.

[exitseven]

A lot of companies have just been giving people Paid Time Off (PTO) instead of separate vacation and sick time. It depends on how much PTO your company will give you.

[Asker]

I don't even get pto either.

[In_Trance]

The issue with sick days is same as other gratuities that are offered; they're abused. So, companies say fuck that

[888theGreat]

Job = work , not play time. So, you should use vacation days or at least not get paid