Company Sick Time

[pixiegoose]

At my previous job, we started out with 2 weeks of vacation (it went up after about 4-5 year, I think) and everyone got 3 personal days and 10 sick days.

I'm not currently working (we moved from IN to MA a few months ago) but my husband's company is very generous- they get 16 paid holidays a year (if I recall correctly), unlimited sick days (at supervisor's discretion), 14 vacation days (again, if I recall correctly) and the entire company is closed Christmas through New Year's. And supervisors can apparently randomly give free days off- my husband's supervisor gave everyone in their lab Columbus Day off (though it wasn't an official paid holiday) because they had been working really hard on some project. All of this in addition to all of the company outings and functions (Octoberfest with FREE beer the Friday before Columbus Day, among others). I'm definitely going to apply to work at the company, too. He really lucked out!

[jillluvsdisney]

We earn 12 sicks days a year. They can be carried over. When you accumulate 250 hours, the County will allow you to cash them in at 1/2 the rate. We can also do that when we retire.

We also get 13 holidays a year and 3 personal days. I've been there 15 years and now have 4 weeks of vacation also.

[TiggeRia]

Our sick time system is quite confusing. We have scheduled time off (STO) which we accumulate about 20 days a year. (This is where it pays to be a nurse and do 12 hour shifts--I've taken about 7 weeks of vacation this year...) In addition to our STO, each year an extra 32 hours is added into that same bank which is considered your sick time.

If you call out once or twice (consecutive days) the time is deducted out of your STO bank. Third time called out in a row, with a doctors note, it is switched over to our actual sick time and deducted from there. If you call out not consecutive days, it is all deducted from the STO/32 hours sick time. Once you run out of the 32 hours, it starts to take away from your actual STO. If you don't use all of the 32 hours of sick time, you get a check in February for those unused hours.

It's kind of confusing, and hasn't really helped to decrease the number of call outs-but it is nice to get that extra check each year.

[ElenitaB]

I'm blessed to work at one of Fortune magazine's 100 Best Companies to Work for. We have a policy of 3 personal days. I believe the policy for sick time is that the number of days is unlimited... however, if you have more than a certain number of sick days on a regular basis, you will need to present a doctor's note (I think). Also, if you are sick more than 5 days, you may have to go on short-term disability (again, this needs to be coordinated with your medical-care provider).

Straying from the OP's question: I have a chronic condition and the firm is extremely accomodating. I have access to FMLA (Family Medical Leave Act) for myself. I don't use it often however even though I could access it whenever I go for treatment (2 days out of every 18). We also have an internal peer-to-peer resource group for people with disabilities and chronic conditions, which is extremely helpful to realize that I'm not alone. People can be afraid to discuss their medical conditions with their managers and coworkers for fear of being seen as "weak." However, it's so much better to come out and explain what you have going on, rather than be seen as a slacker.

[divinedi]

No sick days, no problem if I'm sick, I just don't get paid for that day(s). Vacation is only paid for if I have enough vacation pay accumulated, I get 4% of my pay, if I want more time off I again don't get paid for it. Now my ex on the other hand, has about a years worth or more of sick time accumulated, gets dependant sick days, at least one personal day and is up to at least 6 weeks of vacation time a year, and he still doesn't seem to be able to find the time to spend with his kids, but that's another story all together

[disneyboundagain]

I get sick/personal/vacation days from my "real" job that total 22 days per year, plus the ability to work from home at my own discretion. However, my own small business, or as I like to call it "Disney and other toy fund generator" doesn't permit very much time off at all. But, I am not complaining, it was my decision. Gotta work hard if you wanna play hard.

[vizsla]

Where I work we get 12 sick days per year that we can carry over from year to year, 2 personal days, and with my years of service I am maxed out with 5 weeks vacation.

[Sunshine1010]

Five weeks vacation?

Wow

...again, my husband gets 24 hours of vacation per year.

At an ambulance company!

[wjrhw]

We have no sick days and no personal day. You can either take a vacation day or choose to not be paid.

[Nascfan]

We accrue 4.64 hours of sick per pay period (2 weeks) which works out to 15 days per year. Can take it in any increments necessary, which really helps for doctor appts. and such.

[Hammer]

We receive 8 "flex days", which we are to use for sick/personal time, and they are given to us on October 1 every year. If you do not use all of your flex time, they will reimburse you up to the value of $1000. So you just make sure that the amount of flex time you have on September 30 equates to less than $1000. It also helps that my manager let's us leave early if we need to (say 3:30-4:00) and does not dock us for it, so long as you make up the time.

We also receive 10 vacation days (increases to 15 days at 5 years) and 3 floating holidays. There is no carry over allowed.

[Mousefever]

I don't currently work, but my husband has worked at Coors Brewing Co. for over 33 years. Until this year he had unlimited sick time. Because some people abused the sick days, my husband has always been the opposite. The only day/night he has missed since I've known him (13 years) was when his back went out and he couldn't move.

Since Coors and Miller have merged, the sick days are down to 8. Tom gets five weeks of vacation. That's the max for both Coors and Miller.

One nice new benefit from Miller is that he now gets 3 free cases of beer per month.

Amy

[PAYROLL PRINCESS]

I got 2 weeks vacation after 1 year and get 3 weeks after 5 years. As management, I technically have unlimited sick time but I've only been out for 4 days in 2.5 years. We get 9 holidays per year. However our hourly employees don't have any sick time.

[ShelbyAD]

WOW - quite a few responses on this. Vacation time (I've been there 8 years) I currently get 3 weeks. We also get 1 floating and 1 diversity day. I was going to be carrying over 5 vacation days into next year, then I took a day off last week, so now it's 4. A friend of mine is having a jewelry party (with the jewelry I make), so I will probably take a day off to get ready for it. Barring nothing else comes up, I will only be carrying over 3 days.

When we have my step-daughters for a week in the summer, I only take 1/2 days off. I work from 7am - 11am. They sleep until 10am anyways, so why take the whole day off? This way I only use up 2.5 days instead of 5.

Our manager also use to give us a 1/2 day off every month. That too has been taken away (by HR). This all started with 1 person and the fact that she had used up her 5 sick days and had to use a vacation day when she was out sick. She didn't like that our manager told her that, so she went to HR hoping for a different answer. Ooohhh she got a different answer - so did the rest of us. Nobody is happy with that person right now.

Alot of us counted on that extra 1/2 day - for doctor's appointments, kids having something going on at school, etc.

My next door neighbor is a dentist - maybe I should get a box of masks from her to keep in our office when someone with the Flu comes in - that way they won't be coughing on all of us.

[tinktude]

The company I work for gives you 5 days a year for sick time. They really only want you to use 3, and if you use more than 3 it starts to reflect poorly on your annual review.

The good thing is that you can roll your sick days over into the next year so if I had three left this year and didn't use them I would have 8 next year. I used all five of mine this year, but I used them for my first week of short term disability when I had my tonsils out.

It amazes me how many people abuse the sick time policy...I always feel so guilty when I call in sick!!

The vacation time really stinks though, usually new hires only get 2 weeks and they have to wait I think 10 years before they get 3 weeks. I got lucky and negotiated 3 weeks when I got hired. I was coming from a place where I had 5 weeks, and they knew I would not accept a position with only 2 weeks of vacation so I got three.