Employees may feel pressured to go to work even when sick, but it’s best to stay home if you have a contagious illness. Some employers require doctor’s notes, while others may have stay-at-home policies. In certain industries, such as restaurants and healthcare, it’s important to stay home to avoid spreading illness. Washing hands and politely declining handshakes can help prevent transmission in customer-facing jobs. Ultimately, it’s up to individual employers to decide when it’s acceptable to take time off.
Many people feel they have to go to work, whether they are sick or well. Sometimes employees are the only people who can get a certain job done, or you may only get paid if you show up. Although many employers offer sick days to employees, workers may feel it is frowned upon not to come in, even when they are sick. It might be best to come in if you have a minor ailment, like allergies or a mild headache, but if you’re really sick, it’s best to stay home so you heal faster and don’t risk sharing a contagious bug.
If you have pneumonia, bronchitis or the flu, a day or two of rest can help your recovery. The body needs to devote its resources to fighting the disease, so getting plenty of rest usually helps. However, not all employers will see it that way, so it may be best to only take the day off when you really need time to recover. If you stay home for every gasp or vague complaint, you may have a reputation for not being trustworthy.
Some employers are happy to see an employee skip work when he’s really sick. The last thing most employers want or need is a number of employees all falling ill because someone came in with a contagious virus. Some employers may require a doctor’s note if you miss work for more than a day. Such a note can be helpful in calming the employer’s doubts about why you didn’t go to work, and healthcare professionals are often happy to specify the number of days you should leave.
There are some occupations where you really shouldn’t go to work when you’re sick and where, hopefully, your employer will help you stay home. In the restaurant industry, for example, serving food to people when they are sick can be a dangerous practice. Some conditions that start out as mild illnesses, such as hepatitis A, can be extremely dangerous to transmit.
If you work with people who have medical conditions, you should definitely not go to work when you are sick. This includes not just doctors and nurses, but physician assistants, social workers, and others who interact on a regular basis with those who may have compromised immune systems. Many hospitals actually institute stay-at-home policies when employees are sick, which can be helpful in limiting transmission of the virus to people with significant medical conditions.
People who work with customers on a regular basis, such as in banking or a grocery store, may try to stay home if they are ill to avoid transmitting viruses. However, this isn’t always possible, so washing your hands regularly and politely refusing to shake hands if necessary may be your best bet. If you have a mild cold, for example, you might take a decongestant so you don’t sneeze or sniffle in front of customers, wash your hands and/or use hand sanitizer regularly, and if asked to shake hands, say politely that you are a little down in the dumps and think it would be better not to risk it. In most cases, a mild illness isn’t a good excuse to stay home, and some employers may consider taking time off for any unfavorable illness.
There are no specific rules for when you shouldn’t go to work at most jobs, and individual employers will have their own views on when it’s acceptable to take a day off. Whenever possible, you should stay home if you can and if you are really sick. When staying home could cost you a job, however, it might be best to walk in, even if you’re feeling terrible, so your employer can see that you’re really sick.
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