Re: Negativity

Actually, from reading the comments to the article, it sounds like abuse is rampant within the workforce. It is obvious that there is a lot of rationalizing going on as to why it is okay to ignore the federal regulations on sick leave.

The response of some people is to complain that the author is "holier than thou." Perhaps there real message is "shoot the messenger; I don't like the message."

Re: Negativity

I think I have to agree with the "holier than thou" theory here. Are we going to start a clock on every smoker and time how long they are outside. Maybe we need a sign in sheet for the bathroom too, wouldn't want anyone reading the paper for 15 minutes.

While you can get hung up on a million different things the bottom line is getting your work done, getting it done on time and doing a good job. If someone isn't doing this, then THAT is the time to start figuring out what abuses may be going on, but not before that.

Re: Negativity

The comments do cast a very negative impression of federal employees on this and some other articles. I'm sure not all federal employees are whiners and complainers who cannot be content with their generous salary and benefits, but you sure don't get that impression in many of these comments.

Re: Negativity

I know there are a lot of FED workers who are very dedicated. I see those who abuse there A/L, and S/L. Keeping a balance of about 8 hours a week, and then burning it up to a balance of zero. Some have been promoted to the next pay band, and rub it in our faces. My supervisor complains that I am always using my sick leave, and everytime I get a note from the DR. It's legit everytime. Just recently talked with a person retiringfrom ATCT, CSRS, and he said that I as FERS can sell my S/L back for $.40 on the dollar, at retirment time. Any truth in that? As far as being dedicated, I regularly spend a 1/2 hour at the end of the work day beyond my shift. I do like my job, and I don't charge for O/T. Summing it up, S/L is an insurance policy, that I view as an advantage for a long term illness. I do need to build mine back up, but what's it worth when I retire? I wish it were worth something? It's my choice to work here, nobody forced me, or you! Be happy!

Re: Negativity

I extremely agree with Analyst Fed's comments. Getting the job done is what counts. Having employees account for every minute of the day would be absured.

Accusations of alleged sick Leave "abuse" are very subjective and are about 99.9% impossible to actually prove unless the employee is followed every minute of the day and night and is caught doing things that a "well" person would be doing.

Re: Sick Leave

I have had real issues that have depleted my sick leave. Outside government my friends had state disability to help cover that time that required my own leave. I have kept up my workload, accepted that the disability and chronic illness that resulted have kept me from certain promotions, still earned an excellent reputation for hard and creative work, and keep a sick leave balance that would cause me to look suspicious. Every so often I am required (usually by some new supervisor trying to look tough but didn't actually READ my record or he would know,) to prove all my sick leave. I have also had a supervisor, a couple levels above my immediate supv. leak details of my medical condition hoping the hassle I then got from several people would drive me off. It must have galled him when I got letters of appreciation from my various customers.

Abuse happens on both sides of the equation.

I'm glad that the vast majority are simply honest people doing the best they can.

Re: Sick Leave

I agree. I have had my share of poor managers who regard chronic illness as personal failing and I work to outproduce my coworkers to compensate in some way for my absences. However, the defiintion of sick leave is spelled out by OPM, agency guidance and regulations, etc. Either one lobbies through one's elected representatives or union for change in the interpretation of sick leave or accepts the current definition as a term of employment. Carping about the conditions of one's employment which one accepted when one became employed with the government doesn't change anything. I had more generous benefits in the private sector, but, frankly, in times of economic uncertainty, I am glad to be working for the government. There are trade-offs we make in working for any employer and I am surprised that some appear to be astonished that sick leave is not the same as annual leave and cannot be used in the same way.

Re: Sick Leave

As an addendum, I would argue that those of us who are chronicaly ill have had to understand and work with the current definition of sick leave in order to remain employed. Several years ago a coworker of mine thought our manager's request for medical documentation overly intrusive. While I agreed with him, I complied with the same supervisor's request for my own situation. My coworker did not and is now an ex-employee. As someone who is vulnerable in this area, I appreciate the author's frank discussion of the issue. It is all too easy to find oneself out of a job when one is focusing only on one's entitlements, rather than one's responibilities. I do not see Congress revisitng this issue. Rightly or wrongly, there are too many taxpayers who believe that Federal employmees are overpaid and have too many benefits. Moreover, such an attitude has been fostered by so many politiicans for so long that facts no longer matter.

Re: Sick Leave

I was dismayed to read an article here recently about an gov't employee that was dismissed due to a chronic problem with his leg, I believe. The article stated he'd missed every Wed for a year, which certainly does have an adverse effect on an agency, but I was surprised he could be fired. I understand he went to a doctor and was restricted in his duties and that they couldn't find another position for him so he was let go. I really didn't think they could do that.

Re: Sick Leave Options

I would love to see the regs changed to allow employees to donate sick leave to other employees in need, and/or in the case of our agency, to the Leave Bank. We have had long-time employees say they'd willingly donate to the Leave Bank if they could use their sick leave instead of annual leave.

I also want to say that people NOT taking sick leave and coming in with colds and the flu is a problem when the work atmosphere is so strict or supervisors are uninformed. You don't need a doctor's note for sick leave unless it's over 3 days but try telling that to some of our supervisors. I'm not going to the doctor for a cold I can treat at home but I don't want to come in and get everyone else sick. But it happens all the time.

Re: Is my office illegal?

Hmm... 40% of the work week is when your employees are using 40% of their sick leave? Hmm indeed.

Re: Is my office illegal?

If 40% of sick leave is used on Fridays and Mondays, then 60% if used on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday -- or about 20% each day.

Hmm . . . sounds about right.

Re: Is my office illegal?

I purposely try and plan appointments for either first thing Monday or last thing Friday. Why? Least impact on my workload.

While critically ill I needed injections once a week. I could go Mon, Wed, or Fri. I often had a reaction that left me ill through the next day. Soo, I chose Fri. that I would be ill on my own time.

My (idiotically controlling) supv. tried to discipline me for leave abuse. She knew I was ill. She knew I was getting treatment. She didn't like that dared work and have an illness. It didn't matter to her that I worked a workload comparable to a solid performer in the next higher grade and did it to the highest standard. Being ill forced me to greater organization and performance.

Her right to get doctor's notes. But she looked like a fool when she tried to have me disciplined. Of course, her best employees, me included, took our first opportunities to move on. Shame, it was otherwise a good job.

Re: Same agenda as the inflated salaries police

Great response, totally agree. The current FERS S/L policy goes against basic human nature. It is doomed to failure.

Re: Same agenda as the inflated salaries police

Sorry, my basic human nature does not allow me to lie, cheat and steal. Abusing sick leave is just that. You can justify it all you want, but it's stealing just the same. The commentors who whine about FERS and "everybody else does it" show the non-Feds who we (you) really are. How do you expect your children to follow your rules when you show them that circumventing them is okay? What a bunch of babies!

Re: Ritalin - a commonly abused prescription drug

The fact that Ritalin helps some people does not mean that it is not abused. It is a commonly abused drug. I think you over-reacted based on your personal experience. The author is correct.

Re: Ritalin - a commonly abused prescription drug

You have misinterpreted the author's intention. He is merely citing those drugs which if not used properly may result in addicition and are often misused, rather than defining all prescription drug users as addicts. We live in a society in which pharmaceutical companies advertise regularly on television with drugs to alleviate any and all medical problem and our current approach to medicine treats the symptoms theorugh medication more often than it detects and treats the cause. As someone who uses pain medication daily under doctor's supervision, I have also dealt with employee prescription abuse in conduct cases and take no offense that my medication is cited by the author. The references he cites are worth reading.

Re: Ritalin - a commonly abused prescription drug

Who decides if it is abuse? The problem with blanket statements is that some supervisor reads that ritalin, or vicodin, or ativan, or, or ,or, is an abused drug. Finds out that one of his employees takes it, makes assumptions, and destroys a career.

Such blanket statements need to be carefully spoken because most people are not abusing.

Re: A Generational Component?

True. Gens Y and X are working with and for the baby-boomers. That alone should qualify us for "mental health days".

Re: A Generational Component?

Or ES, EPA, maybe the baby-boomers working with Gen X & Y should give the boomers more of a reason to take off -- X & Y think the world of work should revolve around them rather than the business. Look around - the government is bowing down and giving away the show (e.g., flexible workplace, alternative work schedules) to accommodate people and I'm beginning to wonder if and when any work gets done in the government.

As a boomer, I know I was taught family and ethical values and to not expect the world to stop because I walk in the door...

Re: A Generational Component?

Blanket statements like "X&Y think the world of work should revolve around them" are one of the reasons for the attitudes some of those in Gen X and Y may have towards baby boomers. Its a two way street. Certainly times have changed, but there are plenty of X & Y's that have a great work ethic. They just may have different ways of approaching the work and different expectations from their employer. It happens every generation and it is a good thing for change and innovation and ultimately the evolution of the workplace.

I definitely see that attitude at my workplace and it only helps to further the divide.

Re: A Generational Component?

So Specialist, Fed, I guess it was okay for ES, EPA to make this blanket statement knocking baby-boomers:
True. Gens Y and X are working with and for the baby-boomers. That alone should qualify us for "mental health days".

My attitude about dealing with individuals from other generations is fine until they start dictating that we have to do what they want or they'll leave or complain.

It is a two-way street and even gen x and y group needs to learn to work with others too.

Re: A Generational Component?

(Amused)

So, if you are diagnosed with a mood or other mental disorder, you can take a "mental health" day?

But otherwise, burn-out, stress, headaches, etc, don't qualify?