This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Kaiser and Highland Hospitals in Oakland, CA.
Cold and flu season is upon us! Many of us are waking up with sniffles and sore throats, wondering if we should head into work or call in sick. Management is quick to threaten us about our sick calls, pleading that they are woefully understaffed, and claiming that we can be disciplined for calling out. These threats are not only inhumane but illegal. If you have PTO days available, you have the legal right to call in sick.
Management’s most basic responsibility is to hire enough staff, which includes planning for inevitable sick calls. Your responsibility is to take care of yourself and your patients. Many of our patients are immunocompromised, and all of them are vulnerable to complications from additional illness. Put yourself and your patients before management’s poor planning. Do us all a favor and call in sick when you are sick!
Click here to read the article printed in the 12-04-24 Healthcare Newsletter
