Commuting - how many sick days to take?

Okay folks,

I have like 30 days of sick days. I am quitting this summer (2 months away). I am going to lose these sick days totally (no pay for them). How many is reasonable to take? I think I feel a cold coming on, or maybe a back ache, or a migraine? What are some good excuses? I already can see myself on a nice day riding around.....

all of them, or as many as you can get away with without:

a) getting fired before you quit
b) burning your bridges.

then again, if you don't care about a or b, all of them. starting tomorrow.

I usually find a cold coming on about 1 PM. More so when its sunny.

Take as many as you can. If someone is out sick in your office one day, be sick the next day with the pretense that "something is going around". Other good excuses, is mechanical problems, doctor's appointments or taking care of a sick family member.

As long as the job and knowledge transfer takes place in the next 4 weeks, why should they care how much sick time you take. Just make sure the day you leave, that whomever is taking over you job, knows all their is to know..

Well, if you have sick days, you certainly have medical insurance. Start making "appointments" now so you can schedule your sick time. Then use other days as weather permits. Could also start talking about the problems you've been having with low energy levels and make some "appointments" to get your "sugar checked"...but who knows, it may end up you need more exercise.

I was also sorry to hear for you ankle sprain on your way home from work on Friday. Better take Monday off to let it rest. And don't forget about that outpatient surgery you have scheduled to get that "mole in the private area that needs to be looked at".

Oh yes, and show up "sick", then leave very early (before the boss gets in).

Hope this helps ;)

thanks for all the great ideas. I especially love the idea of coming in at my regular hour (7 am) then feeling sick about 15 minutes into work and just NOT being able to stick around. Shows my gumption, and I am up early and can ride my bike back home for a leisurely breakfast and a nice morning ride after that.

Then maybe an afternoon nap and a movie? Oh, I think I could get used to a long "flu"

thanks for all the great ideas. I especially love the idea of coming in at my regular hour (7 am) then feeling sick about 15 minutes into work and just NOT being able to stick around. Shows my gumption, and I am up early and can ride my bike back home for a leisurely breakfast and a nice morning ride after that.

Then maybe an afternoon nap and a movie? Oh, I think I could get used to a long "flu"

The problem I find is that it is hard to feel too sick to work but not sick enough to not ride the bike back home! I would think that coworkers may find that a little suspect - I would just not go in at all, just act a little sick when you leave the previous day.

Personally, I wouldn't use any sick days unless I was really sick (ok, maybe a few...). The ethics involved aren't exactly clear, but try not to look bad to your boss or coworkers. Any opinions of you can be beneficial (or otherwise) years down the road...

A dilemma I'll never have at my job. We only get five days a year and they don't roll over. Lots of people tend to be "sick" between Christmas and New Year's.

In a sense, you've earned all those days by working hard. So, take them all. Go for doctor's appointments for full check-ups, mri, whatever excuse you can come up with.

I am one of the least abusers of sick days here at my office. With 7 years invested here, and a few sick days taken here and there, I have 35 days of sick time. A couple co-workers who have been here 15+ years have a day or 2 of sick leave. Every Friday they get a "cold". I don't like to abuse this system, but with knowing that my days are numbered here, I am feeling like I might as well use a few.

Is one a week too much?

Take two, they're small :)

Okay folks,

I have like 30 days of sick days. I am quitting this summer (2 months away). I am going to lose these sick days totally (no pay for them). How many is reasonable to take? I think I feel a cold coming on, or maybe a back ache, or a migraine? What are some good excuses? I already can see myself on a nice day riding around.....

Eye Trouble. Can't see going in to work.

Why bother? You'll still have just as much work to do at the office anyway. If you take a sick day, it's just another day during which it can build up, meaning more stress when you return.

take them , take them, take them. In my opinion, all sick days should be viewed as personal days (and believe it or not, some benevolant employers structure things this way) so that you can take one whenever you need (such as childrens events, non-doctor appointments such as insurance/realtor/etc, mental health days). I find it pretty bold of employers to say they are "giving" you a benefit such as a sick day, only to never have to put up in the end. If you worked hard and took care of yourself, why should the other employees only benefit when they take time off. In reality, most people put in much less than a full work day of work during any given day, why else would forums and bulletin noards (as one example) get so much traffic during the day. So if you take a day or two and work builds up a little you just put a little more effort in the day or two back when you would normally be puttering around or office socializing with fellow workers, I don't think there will be the need to stress about it though. ANd anyway why haven't you taken days off in the last years regulalry for yearly checkups with your doctor, optometrist, dentist, psychologist? That is one way to ensure you don't really need them in the future.

I guess it depends on their policy.

My sick days don't require you to be sick. You can take them for whatever purpose you want.

Do they require a MD's note if you take too many?

Take as many as you can within the guidelines of your employment. They are a part of your benefit package

Could you structure your last day to follow 30 days of sick time? I don't know the situation under which you're leaving, but that fact that it's two months away means that a) you know and so does your employer or b) you know and your employer doesn't. If it's that far off and your employer knows, it also means that you probably have a decent relationship with your employer. Use that to your advantage.

If your employer already knows, then maybe you could ask to stay on payroll for another 30 days, but they're all to be taken as sick days (this happens a lot when people are part of a massive layoff/early retirement). Approach your employer and ask them about the 30 days. If they're unwilling to pay you for them outright (like vacation), then ask if you could get a "bonus" equivalent to the sick time. If that fails, try getting them to pay for some of them. If that fails, then I see a lot of doctor visits in your future. Probably for severe sunburn from too much time riding without sunscreen! : )

DnvrFox is right, it depends on their policy. I have found that most employers are pretty flexible with their "policies."

They are your benefit. You have earned them. Use 'em (or be paid for 'em).

Never burn bridges.

You've gotta be careful. Most companies dont consider sick-days an entitlement. If they believe you're abusing the system, the may not be able to do anything about it; but they can certainly describe the abuse to a prospective employer in the future.

Personally, I'd take no more than 1 or 2 'mental health' days. I also wouldnt feel bad about scheduling (actual) doctor's appointments. Anyting further, I'd view as abuse. 'Sick days' are a dying concept in industry anymore. Any company which respects an employee enough to not force you to use vacation days when truly sick (as growing numbers of empoyers do these days) deserve equal respect not to abuse that system in return.

Just my opinion.