Are you too sick to work?
Feeling a little under the weather? Here are a few tips to help you decide if it's time to take a sick day
By Astrid Van Den Broek
Not only does returning to work too soon after an illness mean you could be putting your colleagues at risk, but it could boost your risk of taking a long-term sick leave down the road. Researchers from
Denmark’s Herning Hospital surveyed 11,838 Danes, and found that those who went to work sick more than six times a year had a 74 percent higher risk of getting ill for more than two months. Researcher Claus Hansen says that being absent “helps prevent more serious illness from developing later.”
Of course, there are times it should be fine for you to get back at it. Says Dr. Marek Smieja, a microbiologist and infectious diseases physician at McMaster University in Hamilton, you can generally evaluate your symptoms as follows. (If you’re not sure, check with your doctor.)
This article was originally titled "When to Call In Sick” in the January/February 2011 issue of Best Health. Subscribe today to get the full Best Health experience –and never miss an issue!–and make sure to check out what's new in the latest issue of Best Health
Best Health Magazine, January/February 2011
It would be nice to stay home when you're sick but such is not the case for thousands of us at Honda in Alliston that are contract associates who do not get paid for sick time and cannot afford a day off as we only get paid 60% of what permanent associates get paid and having time off greatly reduces our chances of getting a permanent position even though Honda has NOT hired a permanent production associate in YEARS!!! Sorry to say, but in my situation no matter how sick I am, I show up, gotta chase that carrot!