What to Do When You're Sick and Out of Vacation Days

Many employers offer sick leave as a fringe benefit to employees. Unfortunately, your employer may only give you a few days of sick time each year. If you come down with the flu or need time off to deal with a serious medical issue, you might use up all your sick leave within a few months. If you are out of sick time, there are several things you can do to avoid breaking your employer's attendance policy. Work with your manager and members of the HR team to see if any of these options are viable.

If you do not have any sick leave available, ask your employer if you can use vacation time instead. Some employers offer paid time off (PTO) instead of separate vacation time and sick leave. If your employer offers PTO, use the time to cover days when you are too ill to come to work. You will have the time you need to recover from your illness and prevent the spread of germs throughout your workplace. If you expect you will need to use your PTO during the year, be sure to plan ahead. Create a binder or instructional guide for the person who will be handling your duties while you are gone.

Not every employer offers paid time off, so you might have to come up with another way to handle your illness. If you are too sick to go to the office but well enough to work from home, ask your employer for permission to telecommute. You will be able to complete many of your work tasks from home, and you won't have to risk going in to work and giving your germs to other people. Prepare for the possibility of working at home by stocking up on office supplies and other tools you need to perform your work duties from your home office.

In an ideal world, you would get paid for every hour of sick leave you took each year. Unfortunately, you may have to use unpaid time off if you have an extended illness. Many people worry about losing their jobs due to absenteeism, but federal law protects you if you have a legitimate reason for missing work. The Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) allows employees to take up to twelve weeks of unpaid time off for personal illness. FMLA does not apply to every employer, but it is an option for some workers.

If you have already used all of your sick days, you may be tempted to come in to the office the next time you are ill. This puts your colleagues at risk for contracting your illness and makes it likely you will be less productive than usual. If you already used your sick leave for the year, talk to your HR representative about using paid time off, working from home, or taking unpaid time off under the Family Medical Leave Act.

(Photo courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net)