Sick Days

[Mishellee99]

Hey everyone! I feel like I have missed so many days this month already. Yes, I have missed 3 so far. I had taken a sick day/mental health day 3 weeks ago on a Friday, had taken a personal day last Friday. And then yesterday, I somewhat wasn't feeling good with a sore throat and kinda the stomach flu. So, I called the school it was kinda late around 7:30, but I don't actually start until 10:15. However, I think the school is suspicious because they called me at 1:40 yesterday to see if I needed a sub today or not. I didn't get to call them back because I wasn't home and finally called them back 2 hours later. What do you think I should do about taking any more sick days now knowing this? I still live at home and if my dad was home when they called he would have been upset with me.

 

[imacacher]

Yesterday?

If you were sick, why weren't you home? Were you at the doctor's? If so, I'd get a doctor's excuse since it seems that they are suspicious.

If we take a sick day, we're allowed to go to the doctor, pharmacy to get a prescription, and no where else.

We've been told repeatedly by our state union representative that we can lose our job if we are anywhere else. I'm sure each state/district varies though.

 

[istoleahalo]

i was sick once when school called and I was so soundly asleep I never heard the phone ring. My meds had really put me out!!

I have used sick days before when I wasn't sick but I was visiting my father or my brother in the hospital or had a dr's appointment in the morning...things that don't take all day...and used the rest of the day for myself. I even told the secretary when I got back once that I had done it and she still said to put is down as sick day

 

[Penny]

do they check???

"If you were sick, why weren't you home? Were you at the doctor's? If so, I'd get a doctor's excuse since it seems that they are suspicious.

If we take a sick day, we're allowed to go to the doctor, pharmacy to get a prescription, and no where else."


I can't imagine working for a school that would actually check to see where we were. What if you went to the grocery store to pick up soup and juice? What if, (like me) you were still taking your kids to school even though you were sick. I had a 40 minute commute and the elementary school ended 2:45. I left at 2 to get there.

Generally I don't say I'm sick if I'm not, but I wouldn't like being so restricted and having to explain myself if I wasn't in "authorized areas."

I agree that not answering the phone when they called sounds like they're suspicious. You're going to have to explain where you were and why you weren't home.

 

[Kiki]

Suspicious!????

If you say you are sick, you are sick! End of story around here. You took off for being "somewhat sick" but, (don't be offended)) you ask if you should take more sick days. Are you planning on getting sick again? I don't take sick days unless I am REALLY REALLY sick because I always need to save them for when my kids are sick. But, in my humble opinion if you've already taken 3 so far this nine weeks, I wouldn't take anymore unless I was REALLY sick!

Do I think the school was suspicious? No, likely they had trouble getting a sub since you called a little late and didn't want to run into that situation again. We used to be asked to call by noon on our sick day if we would be out the next day so they could retain the sub. However, if this pattern is a habit for you; mental health - sick days, maybe they were checking up on you. In that case, I wish you had been home.

 

[imacacher]

Penny

They don't, but they could check.

I'm in PA, and this has been told to everyone in my district on multiple occassions, and also to my mom's district also in PA.

The information is coming from our PSEA union representatives.

 

[Eydie]

Wow!

When we ahve to be out we call into an automated substitute system and we never even have to talk to the administation at school to explain ourselves. There is a code system that we push like 1 for personal illness, 2 Dr. appoinyment, 3 illness of other....etc. Our parish give us 10 sick days and 2 personal days. They never check and if you miss more than the 12 days they just start deducting a days pay for each day you miss. I know a teacher that has used all 12 of her days and now takes off to relax, she gets her Doctor who is also a family/church friend to write an excuse for every day she misses and she gets paid 65% of her salary for those days missed since she has days left from an extended maternity leave. If I were to have another baby I would get my OBGYN to sign that form....she got 90 days past her regular sick/maternity leave days and those she didn't use after the babi's birth she can use for up to five years! What a deal!!!!!!!!

 

[ogteacher]

A Couple of Thoughts on Sick days

Sick days are so much extra work that I have to be really, really sick to want to take any. Between the prep work, then catching up when I come back, I'd rather tough out the minor health setbacks. Also, you never know if something big might come up where you need to have your sick days in reserve. If you fritter them away on small things, they aren't there when you need them.

 

[NCteacher]

Sick days.....

In my state, we get 10 sick days a year- 1 each month. We get 2 personal days. The problem is, if we take a personal day, our pay is docked $50 to pay for the sub. I recently go married and was only able to take the Friday before and Monday after the wedding off- it cost me $100! As a result, classroom teachers drag themselves to school when ill, and take sick days later, instead of personal days. (there is no financial penalty for using sick days, and if you accrue 4 personal days, all the personal days after that roll over to sick leave). I know it is not very honest, but with the hours of preparation required for a substitute, it is just easier to be at school when we aren't feeling our best. The other issue is that in my district, we have to call our own subs. That can be a nightmare! Just what you want to do when sick- make 40 or 50 phone calls to try to find a sub!