When to call in sick?

ZapBrannigan

ZapBrannigan

If it ain’t a Boeing, I’m not going. No choice.
So you're sitting at home on the morning you're planning to commute to work and you start getting that little scratchy feeling in your throat. You find yourself coughing a little and clearing your throat. You think you're probably coming down with a cold but, at least for the moment you feel fine.

What does it take for you to call in sick? Do you wait until you are obviously coughing and wheezing and sneezing all over everyone? Do you commute in then see how you feel before the trip? Do you wait until you're on the trip and then, if necessary, call in sick on the road? Maybe passing through a domicile to help the company out?

Nobody likes calling in sick, so when do you give up and pull the trigger?
 
I always agonize over a sick call. It's always "I feel alright but not great, but I'm hacking all over everything."

If I just had a scratchy throat, I would call in. You might fight it off. But if I'm coughing and blowing my nose all the time, I think I would.
 
This is very subjective. Everyone is different. I personally won't call in sick until I feel that my performance will affect my fellow crewmembers. If I can't do my job at 100% then it's time to go. While I don't want anyone to fly sick and get me sick and I certainly don't want to do that to anyone else, that is the measure I use. Sore throat and a little cough won't do it. Flu, can't clear my ears, lose my voice, over all feel like death...I'm done.
 
I agree of course. Just hate to burn sick days until I know for sure I'm getting sick and it isn't just an allergic reaction to something. I also hate to commute into position only to have to call in sick later, or to call in sick while on a trip, which potentially inconveniences everyone.
 
Stay home please. That's what sick time is for. Once thought I wasn't too sick (felt fine, a little scratchy throat and a dry cough) but by day 3 of the trip had lost my voice and had a coughing fit in the middle of a checklist. CA was like, go home girl.

If you're not 100% or feel you may become not-100%, call it in.
 
Sick time is for a stuck commutes, ski trips, and occasionally when you are sick. Just be prepared to get a Dr note at any time. My sister is my doc :)
 
I am not calling in unless I am either coughing, sneezing, congested, or feel bad. A scratchy throat? Uh uh. I have about 2 trips in my sick bank right now, I am not squandering those on a scratchy throat not to mention being a probie already shines a light on me.
If you are worried about the other guy with a scratchy throat getting you sick, I wouldn't swab the cockpit and do a petri sample if I were you. That place is gross. Between the cushions full of old man fart particles, every switch and control surface full of E. coli, snot, and yesterday's dinner, working in there is about akin to working in a day care.
It's not the guy you are flying with that you should be worried about, it is the guys that just shook your hands and said "good jet".
 
ClarkGriswold said:
I may be wrong but weren't you supporting Jet Blues new ridiculous sick policy recently because people were abusing the system? And my sarcasm detector may need recharging.
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Well that was sarcasm...

As far as Blue's policy, I wasn't defending it per se. I said I understand WHY management felt the need to institute it. I didn't feel that it was well designed or implemented. BTW, sick time abuse seems to be less of an issue here now. I think management just saying "cut it out, we are tracking you" was enough for all but the worst abusers.

The long arguments we had were about whether it's possible to have a good sick policy. I still maintain that it's possible, if for no other reason than few things are completely impossible. But that's a point that is lost on some who frequent this site.
 
Beech90 said:
On a side note, does anyone bring disinfect wipes to wipe stuff down with?
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Don't need to. Planes are stocked with them where I work. Usually get in and set up your nest, which involves rearranging half-a-million Sani-Com wipes.

And incase you don't like the smell of the all-killing alcohol wipes, some planes have citrus scented wipes.
 
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