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Bad Policy

February 20, 2008 06:00 by ckincincy

In the state of Ohio there is a proposal that is floating around. Basically the state wants to require that companies over 25 employee's provide seven, yes seven, paid sick days each year to employee's.

Now I've been in the work force for nearly 14 years and I have never missed that many days in a year. Actually over the last 7 years I've probably taken less then seven total!

The organization that is pushing this says that it will make Ohio one of the most family-friendly states in the US... however they miss the fact that most companies are going to either pack up and move out... or not move in.

Really this is absurd, I do see a need for some protection from being sick... but seven days? Are they serious?? I think had they picked a reasonable number like three, they would have no issues with this policy. But a full week just screams for abuse of the policy.

So if you're asked to sign a petition, do us all a favor and decline. If it ever makes it to the ballot, again do us a favor and vote no.

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Comments

February 20. 2008 10:07

Hope you don't get sick. Then you'll change your tune.

An extra four sick days won't make or break the Ohio economy. If somebody abuses the sick day policy, chances are they're not a very good employee anyway. Most of us simply don't take sick days unless it's something serious.

Roland Hulme

February 20. 2008 10:26

Your nuts. When China, Kentucky, Indiana, <insert state here> has ZERO sick days... it will kill the Ohio economy. Plus even if all those places had it, it is bad policy.

If I got sick my employer would be just fine with me being sick and at home. I'm a good employee and they recognize that. The only people this policy benefits is bad workers.

ckincincy

February 20. 2008 13:48

Hang on - I might have misunderstood the 'sick days' policy. We didn't really have such a thing in England. If you were sick, you stayed at home and supplied your employer with a Doctor's note (if the sickness carried on for more than three consecutive days.)

So in America, you get 'sick days' you can just take off? That's the dumbest thing I ever heard. How can you predetirmine when you're going to be sick? Or how long it lasts for?

Sounds like they're just 'holiday' or 'flex' days called sick days to cover them up. If people don't have enough vacation days to cover their holiday, do they say: 'Hey, I'm gonna be sick on that Tuesday when I'm off on holiday, so I'm taking five holiday days and a sick day."

That's insane!!!!

Roland Hulme

February 20. 2008 13:59

In the US it varies from employer.  Some are like what you described... take off, but get a doctors note.  Some are like what I described, if your sick... tell us and come back when your healthy.  Others are bad... if your sick, come in anyways.

I would say it probably breaks down that way as well, with the majority wanting a sick note, the next largest group taking your word for it, and then the very small minority being hostile toward it.

There are already laws against the last group. Now if you get paid while sick it really depends on your pay negotiations.  I'm salaried, so if I'm sick I still get paid.  A co-worker is hourly, so if she misses she either needs to take a vacation day or make up the time.

This new policy will mandate 7 paid days off per year for 'sickness'.  Now you and I both know that if a company is forced to do this, they will just reduce vacation time... and that sucks for manufacturing where most employees don't get vacation in year one.  So if an employer is told they HAVE to give this to new employee's they will just not open up shop in Ohio.

ckincincy

February 20. 2008 14:59

Hmmmm. That does seem to only work if you plan on being sick for seven days every year - no less and no more. Otherwise you get ripped off if you're not sick (and don't use your 'days off') or totally boned if you're genuinely sick for longer than seven days.

In England we have five weeks paid vacation a year - and to be honest, that works fine and doesn't effect the economy. I think two is fair enough (obviously I'd prefer five, but my increased salary makes up for it.)

Splitting days off into 'sick' and 'vacation' seems utterly dumb to me. The whole concept of 'sick days' just begs for them to be abused.

Roland Hulme