I’ve got PTO and my job is forcing me back to the office so basically if a strong wind blows I’m calling in sick. I’m tired of sacrificing my happiness for others

I have pto so basically for whatever reason. Surgery? Flu? Passed gas too hard and my bum hurts? Calling in.

Am I contagious, or showing symptoms of something contagious? Stay home.

Am I incapable of doing my job or driving to work? Stay home.

Otherwise? Suck it up.

If you’re not feeling 100%, take a day.

Variables being: do you like your job?

Is your employer a fair employer?

Will the business crumble if you’re not there? I mean, if it does, that’s a company problem, not a you problem.

You should be working to live, not the other way around.

If I have enough PTO saved up, I’ll take “mental health days”. It’s none of the employers business why you take it if they offer PTO accrual as a benefit. I just email my lead either the night before or in the morning saying “I’ll be out today”. Period. No more and no less. No excuses. No rational. I earned it; it’s mine; I’m using it, that’s it.

So I don’t have to be so sick that I can’t get out of bed. Or a fever. If I’m feeling under the weather and I have the time, I’ll take it. I do that instead of taking a solid 2 week vacation at one time during the year.

By consulting my bank account and looming bills about whether or not I can afford to lose day(s) of pay

Send help

I have to weigh the amount of sick days I got left vs how shit I feel. My old job gave out a crap ton of sick days so I’d use them for hangovers, or days when I’ve run out of fucks to give.
Now, not so much. Got to be on deaths door.

I think this is super dependant on the systems in place where you live. Here in Germany, the reasoning should be “if I stay home now and recover, will this be more beneficial to me and the employer because my condition will worsen or not get better if I go?” If the answer is yes, you should stay home

Do I feel so bad I want to just lie down? I’ll call in sick.

Am I at risk of yarfing or shitting my pants? I’ll work from home.

Otherwise, I go to work.

Is it something you can pass to others and/or do you feel not OK enough to actually work? Don’t go

I call it in, but I live in the Netherlands so our laws care for our wellbeing (at least in this respect)

If I think about whether I should call in sick or not, I call in sick. No benefit in going to work sick or even just a bit under the weather. But I’m not in the US and I get (almost) unlimited PTO for sick leave.

If I’m concerned about safely making the drive in to work (20 minutes), I do not leave the house.

Are you a student?

If you’re not a student you should call sick as many times as you can without getting fired, your boss can wait a few more days per year before buying a new car.

I work in a hospital, so if I have symptoms I stay home. Can’t risk spreading germs to people with suppressed immune systems.