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Wall Street Journal complains about workers using their sick days
(boingboing.net)
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this post was submitted on 21 Oct 2023
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Why do you even have an allocation of sick days? It's not really a concept anywhere I've worked (in the UK).
I’m in the US and I get 3 paid sick days a year. Anything more and I don’t get paid PLUS I get a point. After 8 points I lose my job. We come to work sick unless we are in the hospital.
If Americans knew what workers rights were they'd be very angry to realise they have none.
Most Americans still have their hears shoved so far up their asses that they think all of Europe is a freedomless third world region where the governments silence all criticism and doctors still use leeches or something. Just completely delusional and in denial.
Of course most Americans haven't even left their own state, never mind gone to Europe to experience it themselves.
i mean... i would like to go to europe, but where on earth do i find the time off work and the money to do it?
that americans are not better traveled is not entirely the fault of their attitudes. it's easier for your average european to travel internationally for a number if reasons, both practical and systemic.
edit - for many americans, international travel is a privilege.
You're right, it is a great privilege. I've never left the U.S. either. But I'm also not a fucking dumbass MURICAMAN that thinks a $5000 bill for a broken arm and 3 sick days a year is something to be grateful for.
I'm able to see that my country is super fucked up and that mlst of Europe seem to do most things better.
do you actually believe this or are you just trolling
Its pretty hyperbolic, but I know people that aren't far from thinking this way.
54%
The literacy map in that article is really interesting. .
Looking around places I’ve lived, and frequent, Many were in the 60% for level 3 literacy (much higher than average). But the countries around them were often below average sub 40%. Cities seem to be an exception and seem to have very low level 3 numbers.
This isn't the argument you think it is.
US and UK reading levels are within margin of error
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/574925/PISA-2015_England_Report.pdf
Australia has worse literacy than the US/UK
https://www.stylemanual.gov.au/accessible-and-inclusive-content/literacy-and-access
It's exactly the argument I think it is. People are morons.
No, we have worker's rights -- not enough, but you do have rights. Federal and state labor law covers a surprisingly broad number of topics.
Shitty employers want you to think you don't have rights, because they want to continue to illegally exploit you.
https://www.fairwork.gov.au
Look up what you could have and tell me if it actually compares.
Like to have some more of those rights? Consider joining a union.
This is because, so far, it’s up to the state’s to regulate, if they even do.
Ex: in Colorado, the minimum PTO is 48 hours per year.
This is an American misapprehension. Even in your most worker friendly states you have extremely sub-par workers rights for a first world country.
But it’s also a misunderstanding of how the US is governed and regulated. It’s setup more like Europe than people realize.
And yes, we’re fully aware of how much most of us are getting screwed on worker’s rights for time off. People in other countries don’t think we’re aware but we are. The question becomes, how do you fight for more rights? Our politicians absolutely suck. That’s the main issue. The two party system doesn’t work but we can’t agree what to do about it.
Strike, fight, bleed, die.
We have ours because us and our ancestors already fought and died against our oppressors to get them.
You have two choices, die for your overlords, or die for your rights.
That’s an option but it would have to be something so heinous, to push us to unite, I couldn’t fathom it. Nothing, so far, has pushed us to that point.
Think about how many mass shootings we’ve had and that still doesn’t unite us. The issue is more complex than our European friends understand.
Yep. And that's the American value system. Having your entire population under the veritable yoke of slavery and that isn't enough to make you collectively revolt.
Civility breeds cowardice.
That is fucking insane. The burden for everyone who gets sincerely sick and is horrible fucked. Its just sad.
My last job had no sick days. I would get no pay for the day and a point, and at 6 points you're gone.
The job I have now ALSO has no sick days, but at least the attendance policy is so lax I can literally skip 2/3 shifts and stay employed. Still no pay, but it's a bit less shitty than my last job.
The bar is so fucking low I don't think ground penetrating radar could find it.
Might be worth checking the flowchart to see if you're eligible for FMLA leave. If you are and they're denying you sick leave The Department of Labor would love to hear about it -- they don't screw around.
I read FMLA as Fuck My Life America.
(Not American)
I work in Spain, we don't have sick days. If the doctor says we are not apt to work, we take a leave intil the doctor says so. Indefinitely. No maximum. As long as the doctor says.
This limit thing is so weird. Yeah, you can use them as vacation of you are healthy but that's an abuse and then when you need them you will be vulnerable without days. It's better to have infinite days, to be used only when you are actually sick, as stated by your doctor.
I work in Spain, happen to be on sick leave/disability, and that's not exactly correct:
If the insurer decides that you're healed, you can't go back onto a sick leave for the same reason for... I think it's 6 months.
Right right, if your leave is longer than a year the permanent inability (incapacidad permanente, diferente a una discapacidad) cards pop up, since chances are you will never be able to be able to return to the same work you did, like an ernia for a driver and so on.
In any case, people taking a year long leave is kind of rare and it's practically limitless compared to the 2-30 days the other mentioned countries get.
Good luck with your situation.
(edit - i live in the us) i can purchase extra insurance for short-term and for long-term sick leave.
right now, i have ten days of paid time off for whatever reason per year (no explicit sick leave) and i pay about $650 a month for insurance which covers very little for myself and my kids until i have spent at least $6000 on any one of us or $15000 for all of us together. i make about $50k a year before tax and insurance.
and our compensation package (paid time off and insurance) is considered pretty good for my area.
i could buy better insurance and short and long term leave, but this would cost about half of what i make. unfortunately, half of what i make already goes to rent.