[stabiloboss]

I am not working today. By work, I mean I am not in the office doing the job which I am currently employed in. I am at home. No, I am not sick or ill. I haven't been struck down by anything that would cause me to be debilitated and incapable of going to work.

So why am I at home, you ask? Well, it's plain and simple really. I'm tired! Physically that is. I feel exhausted and I simply couldn't drag myself out of bed this morning because all I wanted to do was sleep in. For most of my life, I have been a "morning person". So this is unusual for me.

No, I don't have any major gripes about work. (Although I have been fairly busy lately). Yes, I exercise, eat a healthy diet and like to look after my body.
No, I don't drink alcohol, smoke or do drugs.
No, I don't have chronic fatigue either.

I just didn't want to go to work today because I'm tired and feel the need to rest.
Is there anything wrong with that? Why is my mind riddled with guilt? Is it because our company doesn't pay for "tired-leave"...only "annual" and "sick leave"? And knowing I have to put in my timesheet that my absence was for "sick leave"...leaves me with a slightly guilty conscience because the reality is, I'm not really medically sick. Just tired, in need of a break. I just know that if I went to work today instead of staying @ home to rest, I won't be performing my job to the best of my ability because I'm not quite all there mentally or physically. On the contrary, I sincerely believe that if I take a well deserved rest today, I will be "back on the ball" tomorrow at work, at optimum performance.

I'm sure the majority of us have taken "illegitimate sickies" at some point in time.
Sick leave is a benefit given to us by our employers to take at our own discretion. Is it wrong to a 'sickie' to simply allow our bodies to rest?

[de_axeman]

Everybody has the occasional day when the alarm rings, you reach out your and turn that cursed clock off and you just think: "Nope, this isn't happening."

I can't speak for everyone obviously, but I have definitely done that before. In my role, I'm not paid by the hour, which means that sometimes I work overtime without pay, and other times I work less and get paid. I don't keep a running spreadsheet, but I try as much as possible to give more than I take, so on the whole I can honestly say that the company I work for owes me more than I owe it.

The other thing I can do, is work from home. The company issues me with a laptop and that gives me the freedom to do so. While it may not be a proper break, working at home is lot more relaxing than a full day at the office.

Have I taken an illegitimate sickie? Yes I have. Is it wrong (cheating the employer)? Yes, I believe so - in so far as saying that I've lied about being sick when I wasn't really. (I do a really good 'sick' voice over the phone too! )

I can probably try to justify it by saying that the business assumes that you'll take your full allotment of sick leave anyway, so it probably doesn't make that much of a difference - unless you're someone who's really indispensable to the business. But I don't think this will cut it with God....

I know my mom treats her sick leave like annual leave - ie. she takes her full allotment of it each year whether she is sick or not, and everyone at her workplace does so as well. Is it wrong if that's the business culture at your workplace?

[stabiloboss]

Thanks for your thoughts axeman. The funny thing is, I didn't feel right or honest telling my boss that I was "sick" and I certainly don't do a very good "sick-person-impersonation" over the phone (you'll have to give me some tips! hihihi!), so I called my coworker (not my boss), to tell her that I wasn't coming in to work. (Yes, I chickened out). When my coworker asked why, I simply told her the truth that I'm just tired and wanted to rest. At least in that instance, I didn't lie. But in submitting my timesheet, I am going to have to put it down as "Sick leave", because I certainly can't bill these hours at home to the Client Project i'm working on. I think that's reasonable right?

Anyway, I think what your mum does makes logical sense because sick leave is a company liability to us right? But what is logically correct does not always mean it is or morally correct, right? A bit like living in with your partner before getting married. A lot of people say that 'logically, it makes sense to live with your partner because then you'll be able to 'test the waters' and have a trial period to see whether you are able to live with this person and put up with all them, warts and all, before you jump into a life long commitment in marriage'. Morally speaking though, that attitude is not necessarily correct, for a host of reasons which I will not delve into now, but will save for another forum - don't want to confuse the issue and open up a can of worms!!! )

Anyway, coming back to my point....logically, I can take sick leave because the company owes it to me. Morally, I'm not really sick, so in taking sick leave, i'm indirectly lying to my boss.

Argh. What to do what to do?

I guess one day we'll all have to be accountable for our actions before God.
What am I going to tell him?!?!

[de_axeman]

Hmmm... I've concluded that we should do what we feel is right. If you really feel that it's wrong to do so - even if everyone else around you is doing the exact opposite - then you should stick to your guns and do what you feel is right.

As you so rightly say, we all have to be accountable to God one day, and He challenges us all differently.

I guess its a bit like taking stationery from your work cupboard home. They company's never gonna miss a few pens and highlighters, but what that really is, is stealing, right? I guess if you draw that to the extreme, you should not even be using your work printer to print personal stuff - I occasionally print online recipes on my work printer and paper... In fact I shouldn't even be writing this post at work on company time!!

I guess everyone has to make up their own mind on how to act (according to God's word and the urging of the Holy Spirit) on these issues.

Hmmm... now I'm starting to feel really convicted...