Why do I feel guilty every time I take a sick day?

[alarimer]

I honestly have not felt well the last couple of days, so I called in. It's what my boss always tells me to do. In fact he gets on our case if we come in sniffling or whatever. Yet, I still feel kind of guilty. We are short-handed right now. It's like the control freak part of me things they cannot possibly get along with me (they can, but it's a blow to my ego to think so LOL). I am not that sick, just have a sinus headache but I know from experience that work can sometimes make these worse. I use Claritin-D for this but it makes me feel a little weird but it is the only thing that gets rid of the congestion. I don't trust myself to drive. So I have good reasons for not going in and I have plenty of sick leave (about 800 hours saved up after 12 years at the same job).

[RebelOne]

1. No reason to feel guilty if you have the time coming to you,

Sometimes I will call in sick if I do not want to use my vacation time and feel I need a day off. You are lucky that you are able to accrue your sick leave. I have 8 days sick leave left until the end of the year and then I lose it. I also have 10 days vacation left that somehow I have to use up before January. Guess I will be taking long weekends for the next two months.

[msatty99]

2. Everyone SHOULD take off on occassion

I call it a mental health day. I read stuff like DU or this , http://goliathandwimmens.blogspot.com/ and have fun.

[Ikonoklast]

3. I used to send people home that thought they *had* to be at work,

no matter what.

They would say the same thing, "But I'll leave you short-handed!", and I'd tell them if they got everyone else in the department sick, I would kick their ass because THEN I'd really be in a pickle.

One year just about everyone got the flu, right at New Years. One guy came in looking awful, tried to tough it out, and finally gave up and went home.

Within a week we were all sick as dogs.

That was when upper management finally realized that employees have 'sick days' for an actual valid reason. Most of the employees never used them to play hooky on a nice day, they used them when ill.

[Frosty1]

4. Because

Perhaps you are just a conscientious dedicated worker? Nothing to be ashamed of just don't forget to take care of yourself with as much zeal as you do your job.