Out of sick time!!

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-19-2003
Out of sick time!!
11
Mon, 06-13-2005 - 2:46pm

Well, this is just special. My office manager has informed me that I have 8 hours of sick time to last me until February of next year. That's just funny!!! Once its gone I have to start using vacation and I only have 3 days left of that. I am so angry. I can't even begin to describe how mad I am.

How do other working people handle this? What happens after I run out? I've already asked about going unpaid but that will affect my hours and my elegablity for benefits. Talk about a catch 22.

I want to go talk to a manager but I'm so upset right now that I will probably start crying. I can't do that. I don't want to have to ask for special treatment. I just wish for once I was NOT ALWAYS SICK!!!!

Jen







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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Mon, 06-13-2005 - 8:24pm

(((Jen)))
That sucks. I would eventually go talk to my manager/boss and discuss options when you've had a couple of nights to sleep on it. I hope for your sake that you are symptom free and feeling good till next February! I hate having RA too.
Good Luck and vent away!
Namaste
Holly

BTW:(I do my own books at home, would you consider going into business yourself? I have an accountant come into our house 2x a month to make sure I'm not screwing up our books too badly!!LOL I know she is jam packed busy all the time and makes good money at it. Just tossing an idea atcha.)

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-19-2003
Mon, 06-13-2005 - 9:48pm

Hi Holly,

Too funny that you mentioned going to work for myself. I actually just had this conversation with my best friend. He even said he would loan me the money to get started. My plan was to start my own company when I got married. Well, thats not happening soon so I just put the thought out of my head.

My reason for not being self employed now is simple - health insurance. Well, that and being scared $h!tless of not having a steady income. If I ever get married I would be able to get on my husbands insurance and also have a second income. I know once I got up and running it would be good. I'm just to chicken to take the plunge.

I have many clients right now just like you. I go out once a week or month to check in. I also don't know what kind of non-compete clauses my company has. I know I would be able to take most of my clients with me (they love me *blushes*). In our engagement letters we actually have a clause in there that says they can't hire a bookkeeper (me) unless they pay my employer $10k. I guess they had it happen a couple times and got sick of losing good people. But if I'm self employed I'm not getting hired really am I?

Ok, now you got this in my head again. Not a bad thing... just a lot to think about.

Smiles, Jen







iVillage Member
Registered: 04-08-2004
Tue, 06-14-2005 - 11:09am

Sorry you are having this problem--I can relate since I work full time as well. I have been lucky as far as having understanding employers, having a lot of time off (most law firms here have pretty generous allotments of personal and vacation time--three weeks vaction, with the ability to carry-over any unused vacation into the next year, and 13 days personal leave per year), and managing to make it to work most of the time. I think, as much as you may hate the idea, that you have to be very honest with your employer about your health condition. It makes them a bit more understanding when you have problems. I have always brought up the RA during the initial interview. If it scares them off, so be it. I could not take the chance of working for someone if they could not deal with something that is very much a part of me. I know the ADA is constantly changing and evolving, but there is still what they call "reasonable accommodation." Also, check the personnel policies. Most companies consider anything over "X" hours per year as full time for benefit purposes. For any extended illness--if you expect to be off a couple of weeks, look into the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA). I used that the year I had both knees replaced. I have also accepted a bit less in salary to accept a position that had a more generous leave policy.

I have a friend with a chronic disease who decided on self-employment. She has done well, but she has said it isn't easy as there is NO paid leave. If you can't work, you aren't earning any money. And, unless you are able to obtain insurance through a family member's plan, individual health insurance for anyone with a chronic health problem is either unobtainable or prohibitively expensive.

I hope you stay healthy and can work something out with your employer.

Rosemary

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Tue, 06-14-2005 - 12:54pm
The first year I got sick, we only had 6 sick days per year, so I used a lot of my vac. time up on being sick and for dr. visits. Thankfully, we now get 10 and with Enbrel and mtx I've been doing ok. Used 5 so far this year. How many days do you get? I would def. Does your boss know you have RA? Can you work from home some days when you aren't up to going in?
iVillage Member
Registered: 11-03-2003
Tue, 06-14-2005 - 1:00pm
((((((((((((((( Jen ))))))))))))))), I'm so sorry this has come up.

Molly

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-19-2003
Tue, 06-14-2005 - 1:34pm

I get 9 days a year of sick. My company actually changed my annual hire date (so I could get a raise early) and I ended up starting out this year with 19 hours in the red. I was pretty upset at the time but couldn't complain because they did it to make me happy about the raise.

I'm actually working from home today. I have the flu and didn't want to go in. Its ok to do once and a while but I always feel so guilty asking for special treatment.







iVillage Member
Registered: 05-19-2003
Tue, 06-14-2005 - 2:00pm

Molly, you are right. One of the partners had a form of arthritis that lasts anywhere from 6 months to 10 years. I can't remember the name though. Anyhow, he always asks how I'm doing and how my meds are working.

I talked to Patrick about it last night. He wants me to go talk to him and ask if it would be ok to work from home when I need to. I know thats the best thing to do, I just need to actually do it.







iVillage Member
Registered: 11-03-2003
Wed, 06-15-2005 - 1:24pm
Jen, let us know when you talk to him.

Molly

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Fri, 06-17-2005 - 7:14am
JEN, this is what I have done for the last 3 yrs, So that I have some form of income when I have been off work sick or in hospital, I only work 48 hrs a fortnight but it is the $ that these hrs bring in that we need to pay bills etc. I bank or accrue any overtime even if its just 1/2 hr. If I do any extra hours I bank them, and the pay office keep a record we can accrue 40 hrs. I will also bank from my usual hours such as get paid 45 hrs and bank 3,(which I dont notice at much on my take home pay) so at all times I have someting I can fall back on should I run out of sick leave. So when you are well and working your full quote of hours why not ask the boss can you bank so many hours each pay, to use when you need. This formulae has enabled me in the last 3 yrs to have 4 weeks annual leave each yr, & only run out of sick leave once. I have currently 6 weeks annual leave ( which they are forcing me to take some - I have an agreement with our NUM that I can keep 2 weeks up my sleeve at all times if I get really sick again) & I also have 1 weeks sick leave, and alas nothing in the bank it is empty at present I used it to go to Italy. Lell
iVillage Member
Registered: 10-19-2004
Sun, 06-19-2005 - 9:18pm
Just a thought-when you go to talk to your boss about RA maybe you could take some literature with you that describes the problems you may have that relate to RA. Ronda

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