Maternity leave as well.
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wait, really? There's no maternity leave?
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So I Just Found Out That in The US You Have Very Limited Sick Leave
- Thread starter Angie
- Start date
wait, really? There's no maternity leave?
I get two weeks, I'm one of lucky ones. And I'm about to run through them for this covid shit.
Sure, the company provides me with sick time off for covid, but that's only two weeks, and I know I'm about to be out of work for longer than two weeks.
Sure, the company provides me with sick time off for covid, but that's only two weeks, and I know I'm about to be out of work for longer than two weeks.
Haha no. There are zero federal laws on minimum leave time of any sort. Sick, vacation, personal, parental, etc. It is all up to each company. And even within companies, there are varying policies.
Nope, many offices tie it in with short term disability leaves.
The US is a third world country wrapped in the shiny cover of a first world country.
My current US gig gives 20 days sick leave and I think 5 can rollover each year. It resets at the start of the year, no accumulation.
Pretty similar to the 20 or so days I got in Australia.
Difference is in Aus I got it for every job I ever had that was salaried, here I am crazy lucky working in tech...and even there sick leave is no given.
It's infuriatingly stupid, but then so is the entire healthcare system here.
Pretty similar to the 20 or so days I got in Australia.
Difference is in Aus I got it for every job I ever had that was salaried, here I am crazy lucky working in tech...and even there sick leave is no given.
It's infuriatingly stupid, but then so is the entire healthcare system here.
Pretty much came to say this.
When I was 7 I realized America was on some bullshit when I watch a famous mustached reporter on ABC new do a long 30min to an hour long segment about how Universal Healthcare was BAD.
One example I remember clear as day all these years later was him saying "Imagine if shopping for food was free. You may think twice about getting an expensive steak when you're living with in your means but if it's free?! Why would you settle for burgers and hotdogs when you can have steak? And what's to stop someone from taking all the steak for them self? This is the danger of free healthcare, many people who don't need top of the line medical care will take it up". I thought this sounded fucking insane and I knew at the age of 7 that America was fucked and ass backwards if this is how people think.
More fun facts:
-Some companies (usually big corporations) will try to play mind games with their employees by, instead of allowing for more vacation and/or sick days scaled with your tenure, artificially limit it, and sell it to you as "oh we're merging sick days and vacation days into one and calling it PTO! it's better this way! because reasons!" When you do the math on it you'll find they've not increased your overall days AT ALL, and in some cases have taken away some of your total time off. (instead of 5 sick days and 10 vacation days suddenly you have about 12.5 PTO days, etc.)
-Some companies (i have first hand experience with this story) will TAKE AWAY significant amounts of PTO from ALL employees, and then add a bunch of bullshit paid holidays to the company calendar, and say that it = the same number of hours so that makes it okay. Sure, I'll just plan on being sick on FLAG DAY and for that day only. Get fucked.
-My current company has been a lot better about PTO (it was always merged into one pool, afaik) as they give managers discretion as to what needs to be on the books or not, and for the most part none of the managers make anyone take PTO hours for when they're sick or going through some sort of crisis. If it's bad enough they will just refer the person to their paid leave time and only after they've been out for a while. THOUGH they've also done something this year that I find pretty suspicious- they said we no longer accrue PTO and it's all "unlimited PTO" and it's just subject to manager approval. I don't know what to think about it at the moment, but with my position it may prove to be a negative for me, as in the QA group we can't take too much time off in large chunks. As in, if I were to have 3 weeks off per year, I can only really take up to 3 or 4 work days off in a row because the group can't function without me for very long. This may mean my manager takes a more firm stance on approving or denying my days off, but we'll see.
-Some companies (usually big corporations) will try to play mind games with their employees by, instead of allowing for more vacation and/or sick days scaled with your tenure, artificially limit it, and sell it to you as "oh we're merging sick days and vacation days into one and calling it PTO! it's better this way! because reasons!" When you do the math on it you'll find they've not increased your overall days AT ALL, and in some cases have taken away some of your total time off. (instead of 5 sick days and 10 vacation days suddenly you have about 12.5 PTO days, etc.)
-Some companies (i have first hand experience with this story) will TAKE AWAY significant amounts of PTO from ALL employees, and then add a bunch of bullshit paid holidays to the company calendar, and say that it = the same number of hours so that makes it okay. Sure, I'll just plan on being sick on FLAG DAY and for that day only. Get fucked.
-My current company has been a lot better about PTO (it was always merged into one pool, afaik) as they give managers discretion as to what needs to be on the books or not, and for the most part none of the managers make anyone take PTO hours for when they're sick or going through some sort of crisis. If it's bad enough they will just refer the person to their paid leave time and only after they've been out for a while. THOUGH they've also done something this year that I find pretty suspicious- they said we no longer accrue PTO and it's all "unlimited PTO" and it's just subject to manager approval. I don't know what to think about it at the moment, but with my position it may prove to be a negative for me, as in the QA group we can't take too much time off in large chunks. As in, if I were to have 3 weeks off per year, I can only really take up to 3 or 4 work days off in a row because the group can't function without me for very long. This may mean my manager takes a more firm stance on approving or denying my days off, but we'll see.
Federal employees have 12 weeks paid time off.
Everyone else has a "you won't get fired but we don't have to pay you" 12 weeks time off.
What the fuck. I genuinely didn't know this. In Spain the company pays for the first few days of sick leave, then the state takes over, with no defined limit. And of course it's illegal to fire someone while they are sick, regardless of the reason.
What kind of dystopian society decides "hey, you've been sick for long enough. Have you tried not being sick?". That's nearly cartoonish in its evilness. :S
Between this and hospital bills, it's no wonder US people with cancer go bankrupt in a heartbeat.
What kind of dystopian society decides "hey, you've been sick for long enough. Have you tried not being sick?". That's nearly cartoonish in its evilness. :S
Between this and hospital bills, it's no wonder US people with cancer go bankrupt in a heartbeat.
Before covid working while sick is the norm for minimum wage jobs, I'm not employed right now but I wouldn't be surprised if it still is tbh
I get 3 days a year of sick time. 24 hours total. And I work with food, so basically they don't care if I come to work sick. If you don't use them they don't carry over, and they accrue hourly so basically for the first 3 months of the year you have practically none.
Oh and one week of vacation.
Oh and one week of vacation.
And who do you think historically pressured states into having social security cover sick leave?
Working in Germany, I get at least 24 days of vacation and unlimited* time of sick leave. You can't be fired while on sick leave.
* (needs a doctor's note) 100% pay for the first 6 weeks, 60 or 67% pay from week 7 forward which is paid by the health insurance, but you are still employed (and can't be fired) by your company.
THEORETICALLY you could get 6 weeks of 100% sick leave, work 1 day and get another 6 weeks of 100% sick leave with another sickness (the same sickness will trigger the 67% pay)
You also can stay at home for 67% pay (on your health insurance's pay) if your child is sick.
You can be on 67% "permanent" sickness leave if your doctor mandates it (like for depression) but it is only for a maximum of 18 or 24 months, if you are still not able to work after that time, you will be taken completely out of the workforce and health insurance and be placed in the pension insurance bracket. You will get an early pension. (mostly because of depression or disabilities that make you unable to work more than 2 hours a day)
* (needs a doctor's note) 100% pay for the first 6 weeks, 60 or 67% pay from week 7 forward which is paid by the health insurance, but you are still employed (and can't be fired) by your company.
THEORETICALLY you could get 6 weeks of 100% sick leave, work 1 day and get another 6 weeks of 100% sick leave with another sickness (the same sickness will trigger the 67% pay)
You also can stay at home for 67% pay (on your health insurance's pay) if your child is sick.
You can be on 67% "permanent" sickness leave if your doctor mandates it (like for depression) but it is only for a maximum of 18 or 24 months, if you are still not able to work after that time, you will be taken completely out of the workforce and health insurance and be placed in the pension insurance bracket. You will get an early pension. (mostly because of depression or disabilities that make you unable to work more than 2 hours a day)
My girlfriend doesn't have any dedicated sick leave. She just has a pool that's used for vacation/sick/holiday, etc.
I think I accrue like 2 days a month or something, maybe 1.5. I've got a few weeks worth because I haven't taken any, but yeah, it's really rare from what I've heard to have any leave, let alone sick.
I think I accrue like 2 days a month or something, maybe 1.5. I've got a few weeks worth because I haven't taken any, but yeah, it's really rare from what I've heard to have any leave, let alone sick.
I got three weeks sick leave but I don't work for a private company. The previous generations just let corporations bowl over them.
Ok so we all know this place is like 90% progressives. So has anyone ever seen this question posed in a conservative forum? We're just talking about more vacation time and sick leave, not this socialism stuff that they hate so much. This is just one of those things that I feel like they wouldn't be against, at least not the majority.
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And if you don't earn enough to get even close to having a decent retirement, if one at all, by your late 50's, it's very likely you'll be working the rest of your life.
My dad's worked retail for the last 20 years and is almost 65, but will still need to work retail probably forever. There's no upward mobility, even with managerial promotions etc.
...has your dad thought about pulling his bootstraps up tighter?
So I won't get into too many details. The government doesn't offer the benefits because the arguement is that the companies cover that with their benefits packages and all of that. Some jobs have better options and coverage than others. I've had some that offered several months partially paid and some that were less. Also paternity leave is becoming a bigger thing as well that's hit or miss with employees.
Each company also has their own rules on PTO, Sick Leave and all of that from how it's provided to how it's earned. Normally it's 140 hours per year and employee is in charge of how they use it. On top of this employees can sign up for something called FMLA for long term absences. FMLA can be very good for a lot of people to use.
Each company also has their own rules on PTO, Sick Leave and all of that from how it's provided to how it's earned. Normally it's 140 hours per year and employee is in charge of how they use it. On top of this employees can sign up for something called FMLA for long term absences. FMLA can be very good for a lot of people to use.
I do okay on this but only relatively. I get 40 hours a year, so 5 days, but I can use them in 15 minute increments meaning I don't have to use a whole day. I can also flex part of my shift 3 times a month (up to 4 hours except Sundays which only allow 2 hours) and combine with sick time to only use 4 hours sometimes and make the other 4 up later in the week.
I also get 31 days of combined personal/vacation a year (after 10 years in the job mind you) and I can force a day once per quarter. I can also just use that time if there's time available per day.
So while the actual sick time isn't great, I often don't have to use it. My process often goes:
1. Is there vacation time? No.
2. Can I force the day? No, already did it last month.
3. Can I flex half the day? No, already did so this week (3 times a month but only once per week), or it's Saturday so no time to make it up.
4. Guess I'll use sick time.
I also get 9 unpaid sick hours after my 40 before any disciplinary action. It's pretty nice. Now if only the job didn't make me hate my life.
I also get 31 days of combined personal/vacation a year (after 10 years in the job mind you) and I can force a day once per quarter. I can also just use that time if there's time available per day.
So while the actual sick time isn't great, I often don't have to use it. My process often goes:
1. Is there vacation time? No.
2. Can I force the day? No, already did it last month.
3. Can I flex half the day? No, already did so this week (3 times a month but only once per week), or it's Saturday so no time to make it up.
4. Guess I'll use sick time.
I also get 9 unpaid sick hours after my 40 before any disciplinary action. It's pretty nice. Now if only the job didn't make me hate my life.
This actually means you have the right to work without having to pay union dues. It's still awful, but it's not what you think it is.
The most insidious part is that the corporations have everyone indoctrinated with pride over not getting PTO here. Many people gloat about never taking a single day off, be it sick, vacation, whatever. It's a huge point of pride. People save up "massive" (in quotations as 100 hours is actually still not much in the grand scheme compared to europe) amounts over many years and pride themselves over that, bragging at how many they banked up. The common worker thinks you are a weakling loser if you take a day off sick or just not want to be at work 24/7. So not only is your boss in on this, but all the tenured coworkers are too.
It's bonkers.
yeah its mindblowing that basically in all Europe its a thing you dont have to even consider
I know right! My genetics lab doesn't even provide us sick leave. We have 2 "floating holidays" per year.
Nah, this is just the bootstraps argument again, isn't it? By mandating companies to offer more generous (and I use that word advisedly) benefits, it ultimately comes out of everyone's pockets. "Why should I have to pay for your sick leave when I don't need to take sick leave myself? Pay for it yourself!"
It's that same old bullshit argument that ultimately boils down to: Fuck you, got mine.
Gotta go to the US some time to roleplay the middle ages a bit. Are you americans OK with me showing up with an armor and stuff to match the policies?
My last job gave 0 sick days. ZERO!
We were a company of only 6 people so I guess certain laws did not apply there.
Owner was a bad word.
USA!
We were a company of only 6 people so I guess certain laws did not apply there.
Owner was a bad word.
USA!
When I first, first, first started the job I was on, we had 10 days of sick leave. We also got a 25% rebate on tech related purchases.
Both of those benefits were quietly scrapped.
Both of those benefits were quietly scrapped.
The UK is pretty garbage for sick leave, but the US takes it to a whole new level. It's a shame that your government gives zero fucks about work/life balance, even when it comes to sickness.
It's not even "fuck you got mine" because we're all miserable shits working for 12 an hour at this factory or warehouse while counting down the days until we can not be there and maybe even go on a vacation lol. That's the vast majority of America, especially in the rural counties where I've spent most of my life.
Admittedly I've posed this question before to some people who I assume were conservatives. It wasn't really the bootstraps argument though, just the even dumber "nah, if you do that then people will just get lazier" argument.
The problem with that argument is that many companies just don't.
Like cool, you had nice jobs, so did I, I have never had a job in the US that didn't have PTO or sick leave.
But there are a ton of people in the US that don't have those luxuries, and those things should not be luxiers.
It's basic rights in many parts of the world.
This isn't exactly correct. Many states do have laws concerning various types of leave.
For example, here is New York State's current maternity/paternity leave policy: https://paidfamilyleave.ny.gov/2021