Many sick employees still go to work
Many workers are still on the job, even if they have symptoms of a cold, flu or other respiratory infection. And coming to work sick puts coworkers at risk.
A new study of health care workers, for example, showed that 95% worked one or more days while they were sick, even though 79% said they were entitled to paid sick leave.
In the study, workers kept an online diary to record whenever they had symptoms of a respiratory infection. Half reported an acute respiratory viral illness during flu season.
The diaries also revealed that 69% worked because their symptoms were mild; 11% said they had things to do at work; 8% said they felt obligated to show up, and 3% couldn’t afford to stay home.
“We found that physicians and people working in areas that required the most intensive contact with patients were less likely than other workers to stay home or to leave work if symptoms progressed after the start of the day,” said the study’s lead author.
The findings show the need to educate workers and their supervisors about the risk of spreading disease, to clarify what symptoms require workers to stay home, and to have policies for working while having symptoms.
Source: HealthDay
