My next hospital employed job offers about two weeks of sick leave. Most of my non-doctor friends say they try to make sure they use all their sick days each year. Just curious because I’m coming from private practice - is it typical to use all your sick days in hospital employed/academic jobs? Is it kosher to use them for doctor/dentist appointments?
Sick days
- Thread starter cxx2777
- Start date
- Joined
- Feb 28, 2009
- Messages
- 205
- Reaction score
- 206
Was in a similar boat, transitioned to hospital employment a couple of years ago. Stick it out and check out the culture, every place is a little different. Also find out how much (if any) of it you can bank for use down the road. When it becomes “use it or lose it” then there is a culture shift. People don’t view it as screwing everybody else when they call out (even if that’s what happens).
- Joined
- Dec 24, 2010
- Messages
- 795
- Reaction score
- 1,094
Do you get paid for not using them? Otherwise you are working for free for two weeks.
- Joined
- Mar 20, 2009
- Messages
- 265
- Reaction score
- 274
All about culture and employment versus owner. My sick days as a true employee accrue indefinitely so people use them as they want doctors appointment, extension of insurance benefits, etc.
- Joined
- Nov 24, 2007
- Messages
- 8,321
- Reaction score
- 9,326
Our academic practice doesn’t have sick days.
People schedule doctors appointments, etc. on their own time (academic, vaca, post call, pre call, after work, etc) and we have “unlimited” “short term disability” for emergencies.
People schedule doctors appointments, etc. on their own time (academic, vaca, post call, pre call, after work, etc) and we have “unlimited” “short term disability” for emergencies.
- Joined
- Aug 8, 2011
- Messages
- 3,656
- Reaction score
- 2,005
If they dont accrue, then you should absolutely use them, especially for doctor/dentist visits. If everyone does it, everyone gets equally screwed, therefore no one gets screwed. Otherwise youre basically working those days for free (like the other poster mentioned).
- Joined
- Oct 29, 2006
- Messages
- 1,208
- Reaction score
- 1,089
I’m not wired in a way where I would use sick days for anything other than actually being sick, and I would look down on you for it, particularly if I ended up covering for you.
That said, I am a PP person, and have plenty of time off to use for those appts.
Dentist is always post call at 0730.
It is unlikely, but see if you can get them converted to vacation/sick days as one pool.
That said, I am a PP person, and have plenty of time off to use for those appts.
Dentist is always post call at 0730.
It is unlikely, but see if you can get them converted to vacation/sick days as one pool.
- Joined
- Jul 11, 2001
- Messages
- 2,424
- Reaction score
- 1,059
We get a couple weeks a year of sick time. Historically, people accrued these long term to use for parental leave. Now that the federal government has paid family leave (12 weeks),I’m not sure what I’d use these for, other than actual illness (in me or the twins). They are not paid out at retirement I think, but people find a way to use them before they lose them. It’s a little unrealistic to expect people not to get sick or have to take a kid to the doctor once in awhile, so there should be a way to work that reality into staffing plans.
- Joined
- Apr 9, 2006
- Messages
- 5,447
- Reaction score
- 7,325
The federal government has 12 weeks paid family leave???
- Joined
- Jul 11, 2001
- Messages
- 2,424
- Reaction score
- 1,059
Yup.
- Joined
- Jan 22, 2009
- Messages
- 350
- Reaction score
- 220
Doesn’t it reimburse only $2k/week max though?
- Joined
- Jul 11, 2001
- Messages
- 2,424
- Reaction score
- 1,059
I don’t believe this is true. I haven’t used the benefit myself, because my girls were born about a month before the plan went into effect, but I’ve had several employees use it and they never indicated that there was any limitation.
What do I care if you “look down on me” I’m a widget in the machine and so are you. You are an employee. Act like it. If the practice is spread so thin that they cannot cover when someone takes their sick days (which they are obligated to give by the employment agreement), that is the employers problem, not the employees.
100% agree with this. Don't love your job too much. It won't love you back.
- Joined
- Oct 29, 2006
- Messages
- 1,208
- Reaction score
- 1,089
I’m an employer and owner, so yeah, my outlook is different. As stated in my response.
But yes, if I am stuck at work when I otherwise would have been off, while you are off for the day after an hour long dentist appointment, I will look down on you.
fortunately in my setting I would take your daily pay if you were “sick” so I wouldn’t be all that sad. It would be a very expensive dentist appointment for you.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Oct 29, 2006
- Messages
- 1,208
- Reaction score
- 1,089
Mine works 7-3 two days and 10-6 two days a week.
Your looking down on someone is of secondary importance. Your employee's family, health, well-being, etc dont give two sheetz about whether you look down on them or not. A job is a job. A means to buy time freedom.
Your system is clearly productivity based. You work you get paid. You don't work you don't get paid. With that kind of approach, there are no sick days or vacation days. There's either work days or non-work days. I have no objections to such a system, but taken to the n'th degree, why take any vacation or days off at all, when instead you could be making money. To each their own, but that sounds like an early heart attack, divorce, estrangement from children, loss of friendships etc. No money is worth that.
For those of us who are W2 employees, I have a bank of sick days, but beyond that I take every last sick day every single year. COVID has taught us that employers will change the rules of engagement without any consideration. Contracts get thrown out and furloughs are forcefully enacted. We're all expendable so best do whats best for yourself and take every single hour off that is contractually yours.
- Joined
- Feb 19, 2014
- Messages
- 321
- Reaction score
- 302
Look down all they want. I am using the sick days if it’s not rolled into one bucket. Self care first
- Joined
- Aug 8, 2011
- Messages
- 3,656
- Reaction score
- 2,005
“wellness” doesn’t just end with residency.
- Joined
- May 3, 2005
- Messages
- 4,238
- Reaction score
- 2,293
The concept of "sick days" is foreign to me.
- Joined
- Apr 9, 2006
- Messages
- 5,447
- Reaction score
- 7,325
PP?
- Joined
- Mar 27, 2011
- Messages
- 1,993
- Reaction score
- 2,651
Curious how ya'll actually call in sick. Day of? Night before? Lame excuse? Or just "I'm calling in". Id hate to leave my colleagues in a bind.
- Joined
- Dec 15, 2005
- Messages
- 15,393
- Reaction score
- 21,623
This is a bizarre discussion.
If I'm employed by an entity and have "paid sick days" as part of the compensation package we negotiated, then those have value to me. If there's a mechanism to sell them back when I leave, maybe that's reasonable and maybe that's what I'd do. Beyond that, they are an entitlement, a part of my contract. Every bit mine to use as the dollars they pay me or the vacation days they allot me.
And if I want to take a "sick day" that I have earned to lay on the floor in my living room dribbling ice cream on my navel, that's what I'm going to do, and my employer can deal with it. I'd make an effort not to screw over my colleagues (i.e. by calling in sick on days when I have an unpopular assignment) but again, that time is contractually mine.
Institutions can't love you back. Don't go out of your way to inconvenience other people but claim your employment benefits. If you don't, you're working for free.
If I'm employed by an entity and have "paid sick days" as part of the compensation package we negotiated, then those have value to me. If there's a mechanism to sell them back when I leave, maybe that's reasonable and maybe that's what I'd do. Beyond that, they are an entitlement, a part of my contract. Every bit mine to use as the dollars they pay me or the vacation days they allot me.
And if I want to take a "sick day" that I have earned to lay on the floor in my living room dribbling ice cream on my navel, that's what I'm going to do, and my employer can deal with it. I'd make an effort not to screw over my colleagues (i.e. by calling in sick on days when I have an unpopular assignment) but again, that time is contractually mine.
Institutions can't love you back. Don't go out of your way to inconvenience other people but claim your employment benefits. If you don't, you're working for free.
- Joined
- Jul 5, 2020
- Messages
- 3,992
- Reaction score
- 8,657
It's amazing how some of my coresidents would be out regularly (usually on a monday or friday) and would screw everyone else over but I haven't seen this once after graduation
- Joined
- Dec 15, 2005
- Messages
- 15,393
- Reaction score
- 21,623
suspiciouslyspecific.jpg
Kink shaming, from you of all people? What is the world coming to ...
Similar threads
