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So I Just Found Out That in The US You Have Very Limited Sick Leave
- Thread starter Angie
- Start date
I'll never forget when I asked my boss like two months in advanced for a day off for my sister's wedding and his first reaction was "and...you HAVE to go..right?" As he furiously starts flipping open the schedule book. In America you ARE your job.
My company has a single PTO allotment which means people come in sick to avoid losing vacation days, a very stupid practice which probably reduces productivity as they infect other people or they're there getting 100% of their pay but doing more like 50% of their ability. However, I've known a number of people who have gotten very sick with things like cancer and the company is supportive and allows them to take the time they need, even if they aren't being paid. At least they have a job to return to which seems like the minimum for decency but way beyond a lot of American companies.
There are a few lucky people who were there before a merger which created some sort of contract situation that left them getting something like 30 hours per month. Those people tend to always be close to their maximum allotment so they don't hesitate to stay home when sick and will just take a couple of days off regularly to avoid losing those PTO hours.
There are a few lucky people who were there before a merger which created some sort of contract situation that left them getting something like 30 hours per month. Those people tend to always be close to their maximum allotment so they don't hesitate to stay home when sick and will just take a couple of days off regularly to avoid losing those PTO hours.
I think this is what I was getting at earlier - it's talking about federal-level mandatory provisions. Your job might offer that benefit but that chart is talking about benefits for every single worker in their respective countries.
At least, I think that's the case - I'm not from the US, so if I am wrong then someone please correct me :)
I work for a big UK utility. We get six months sick leave at full pay then six at half pay. It's abused to hell.
At my place, you can sip into vacation days. If you're out of those too, your either go unpaid or use fmla if you're really really sick.
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How about vacation time? I've worked at several jobs and the most anyone can realistically get anytime soon is 2 weeks. At my last job it took 8 years to reach 3 weeks, 17 FUCKING YEARS to reach 4 weeks. You basically have to give your life to the place for 1 months vacation 😭
Doesn't everyone get like 4-6 weeks in Europe within a year or two? I'm so jealous over here lol.
Doesn't everyone get like 4-6 weeks in Europe within a year or two? I'm so jealous over here lol.
I essentially get the same, but all of mine carry over through the years. The way they get us to not use them, though, is they tell us that we can use those sick days to retire early if we have enough. So, essentially, don't miss days.
I think you pretty much have to be in a Union/Government position to have a chance to have decent leave and even then, it's probably not as good as it could be.
The problem is that I know some places claim it would be "abused" which just means that sick people show up and make everyone sick(er).
Unfortunately, I believe there has also been issues where some places do have good leave, but people won't take them for a variety of reasons (i.e. a view that they aren't contributing).
America is stupid and backasswards (but then how else do you get people like Trump?).
The problem is that I know some places claim it would be "abused" which just means that sick people show up and make everyone sick(er).
Unfortunately, I believe there has also been issues where some places do have good leave, but people won't take them for a variety of reasons (i.e. a view that they aren't contributing).
America is stupid and backasswards (but then how else do you get people like Trump?).
Unions exist to ensure that these rights are created and maintained. If a country has good labour conditions it's probably because it has a good system of unions.
Presumably it shows the legal minimums.
If you got a cold or have light sickness you are expected to work. Despite my company's not so great time off procedure my boss would get me the time off i needed if necessary but it would not be paid as he can't make that happen sadly and i would consider my situation favorable compared to others in the USA
Some states in the USA are more Europe-lite.
New York has mandated 5 days / 7 days of paid sick leave and 12 weeks of paid maternity leave (50% of wages).
San Francisco has mandated 5 days / 6 days of paid sick leave and 8 weeks of paid maternity leave (60-70% of wages).
Massachusetts & Washington have 5 days / 9 days of paid sick leave and 12 weeks of paid maternity leave (90% of wages up to $1000 per week).
But there's no consistency and at the federal level we are fucked. It hurts the most in conservative states that have absolutely zero regulations where corporations can absolutely screw you over with no recourse.
It's one of the most disappointing things about my job. You either use vacation day(s), or count it as a sick day. The sick days are unpaid and considered a ding on your performance review. I think three sick days in a year is, supposed, to result in a verbal warning and escalate from there. It's bullshit.
I'm Canadian. I worked for 8 years at a local software developer with unlimited sick days and I eventually built ~5 weeks PTO because of my seniority. When I changed jobs to a Canadian satellite branch of an American company, I got 3 sick days and 7 days PTO to start. I tried negotiating for more PTO because of my experience level but they wouldn't let me do it. It was pretty messed up. They told me to use my vacation days for things like dentist appointments. I left after about 6 months.
I accrue regular sick days, but there are all sorts of caveats to using those days. What's even better is that my employer caps vacation time out, so you do accrue vacation hours each month, but once you hit the limit, you can't accrue more. they tell us that this is supposed to encourage people to take vacation days, but it ends up putting you in this rat race to take random days off just so you don't lose time. it's the worst, especially for departments where taking time off is incredibly difficult. working in the US is miserable.
The US is a literal medieval country in all social ways - unionizing, parental leave, sick leave, paid vacation, educational costs, retirement, unemployment, disability. You're unable to work your ass off every day for something out of your control? Oh well, guess you're fucked, and so are your kids. You didn't work your ass off enough to set aside money to get your kid an education? Oh well, your kid is fucked, and so are you when you're too old to work. Oh, maybe you can beg for a GoFundMe to fix your life when the system has utterly failed you and maybe you'll be lucky to not have your life completely shattered.
Meanwhile, in every civilized western country and actually many other places...
Meanwhile, in every civilized western country and actually many other places...
Limited? A lot of people in the US don't have paid sick leave at all. And in many states can be fired if they get sick and can't go into work.
Many jobs in food service have ZERO paid sick days (and calling out for unpaid sick can get you fired). Pretty cool country.
are you joking rn
WA doesn't actually have 9 days. You have to accrue it, at the rate of 1 hour for every 40 hours worked. So if you get sick early in the year, or are underscheduled (as is common in low wage jobs) or working for multiple employers, you're still basically SOL.
are you joking rn
WA doesn't actually have 9 days. You have to accrue it, at the rate of 1 hour for every 40 hours worked. So if you get sick early in the year, or are underscheduled (as is common in low wage jobs) or working for multiple employers, you're still basically SOL.
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Ok. Thanks!
Sick days are unpaid and if you get sick it's counted negatively into your performance. I didn't know that. That's crazy
You get to take unpaid sick time if your manager approves it. Seriously. If your manager doesn't approve it you come to work or get fired.
You get nothing and you can be fired. After that you can draw Unemployment for a limited time.
First time I took any vacation in my life they hardcore guilted me about it, had to do like 5x the work leading up to it to "prepare," and when I got back I was underwater for weeks because no one covered for me. They just saved it all. Second time, two years later, they laid me off a couple days before I took it and caused all sorts of problems for me with unemployment because they tried to say the vacation time was my severance.
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Standard is 30 days in most jobs here in germany. Average work week is about 40h so 5 days which means about 6 weeks off (more if you time it with public holidays).
My company has a additional system where overtime is either paid or can be used for additional time off so last year i had 43 days off plus 3 sick days.
That's crazy. I couldn't imagine that.
If you aren't full time, you likely have zero paid sick leave, and at best can take an unpaid day off or two before being required to spend money (no medical insurance) to get a doctor's note.
You can get unpaid time off if you're lucky or you will get fired. My job it's basically "suck it up or you're fired".
As someone who's worked in food service and grocery, absolutely.
It's a first world nation for the upper middle class and up. For everyone else, we're all at each other's throats for crumbs.
I work in telecommunications so i feel my situation is better than people in retail or food.
I'm lucky I work for company that has pretty good sick time. I accrue it way faster than I could use it, and there isn't really a limit to how much we can bank. I have over 200 hours (lots of sick days cause of kids), some of coworkers have way more than that.
really bullshit that not everyone has those benefits
really bullshit that not everyone has those benefits
I'm in the US but i work for a British company that basically gives you flexible and nearly unlimited sick leave/pay depending on your condition, all the American companies I worked for gave me no sick leave pretty much lol
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I knew it's bad, I didn't know not getting sick is the only option for many though
Yup. My workplace is thankfully closed on most major holidays, but if the holiday in question falls on a day I'd normally work, then I have to use my PTO/sick leave to cover it or else I don't get paid for that day. Also, I caught covid a couple of weeks ago, and they wouldn't pay for it. I had to use my PTO to cover my time away. And I work in the healthcare industry, so...
The US fucking sucks.