People at work with colds
Discussion
If you are particularly sensitive to a cold, the issue is you, not the person with a cold.
Your employer should make reasonable adjustments, but so should you. This would include speaking with your neighbour with a cold and explaining your situation, and taking a 50p bottle of alcohol gel in.
I get paid sick, but the expectation is this is for when I am unable to work, not if there is a risk I might sneeze.
Your employer should make reasonable adjustments, but so should you. This would include speaking with your neighbour with a cold and explaining your situation, and taking a 50p bottle of alcohol gel in.
I get paid sick, but the expectation is this is for when I am unable to work, not if there is a risk I might sneeze.
I find it really annoying when people have colds at work, but unless I’m really bad myself, I will go in.
I have allergic rhinitis so my nose is usually quite sore, runny or blocked, and generally uncomfortable anyway, so as you can imagine a cold makes things even worse.
Annoying, yes. Should you stay at home? Probably not! I can’t imagine the companies I work for being too happy if I was off every time I had a cold - my Mrs works in childcare and is always picking up various colds/stomach bugs at work and inevitably passes them on to me. I couldn’t afford to just take a week off every single time.
I have allergic rhinitis so my nose is usually quite sore, runny or blocked, and generally uncomfortable anyway, so as you can imagine a cold makes things even worse.
Annoying, yes. Should you stay at home? Probably not! I can’t imagine the companies I work for being too happy if I was off every time I had a cold - my Mrs works in childcare and is always picking up various colds/stomach bugs at work and inevitably passes them on to me. I couldn’t afford to just take a week off every single time.
ks then. 2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:
Is that actually possible? 
(I've just tried it.....)
what he meant was coughing or sneezing into your arm raised towards your mouth - thus stopping all that crap going into the office space around you (I've just tried it.....)
only dumb or thick people sneeze into the open without any care in the world IMO, probably the same people who shout loudly across to someone with another person within earshot close by with no consideration at all.
I hate people who whine about people being sick, more than I hate being sick.
Had a cold 6 weeks ago, gone in 4 days, nobody at work caught it from me, I was careful, that didn't stop the whining though. It then turned into a nasty sinus infection (not infectious to others), which meant the whining continued for nearly 3 weeks, 3 weeks listening to people whining each time I cough/sneeze.
My boss even had a go at me after receiving complaints.
Apparently I should be going to the toilets to blow my nose.......... I said "Not practical at all, i'd back and forth every 3 minutes, plus toughing door handles/etc en-route, increasing the chances of other people catching something".
It's ALWAYS the one's who complain, that end up coming in sick and passing around.
only dumb or thick people sneeze into the open without any care in the world IMO, probably the same people who shout loudly across to someone with another person within earshot close by with no consideration at all.Cough into your arm yes, but only for the sake of being polite, cold/flu viruses doesn't spread easily airborne and actually coughing downwards and away from other people is perfectly fine (although people tend to think the opposite)..... As soon as that sh*t is on your hands, you're going to spread it to the entire building, especially if you have any finger print scanners.
Had a cold 6 weeks ago, gone in 4 days, nobody at work caught it from me, I was careful, that didn't stop the whining though. It then turned into a nasty sinus infection (not infectious to others), which meant the whining continued for nearly 3 weeks, 3 weeks listening to people whining each time I cough/sneeze.
My boss even had a go at me after receiving complaints.
Apparently I should be going to the toilets to blow my nose.......... I said "Not practical at all, i'd back and forth every 3 minutes, plus toughing door handles/etc en-route, increasing the chances of other people catching something".
It's ALWAYS the one's who complain, that end up coming in sick and passing around.
ericmcn said:
2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:
Is that actually possible?
(I've just tried it.....)
what he meant was coughing or sneezing into your arm raised towards your mouth - thus stopping all that crap going into the office space around you (I've just tried it.....)
only dumb or thick people sneeze into the open without any care in the world IMO, probably the same people who shout loudly across to someone with another person within earshot close by with no consideration at all.
Edited by lyonspride on Tuesday 12th November 11:47
Edited by lyonspride on Tuesday 12th November 11:48
ericmcn said:
2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:
Is that actually possible?
(I've just tried it.....)
what he meant was coughing or sneezing into your arm raised towards your mouth - thus stopping all that crap going into the office space around you (I've just tried it.....)
only dumb or thick people sneeze into the open without any care in the world IMO, probably the same people who shout loudly across to someone with another person within earshot close by with no consideration at all.
One guy at work is in on overtime with a stinking cold. Health issues mean if I catch it, it will takes weeks and weeks to clear.
I'm feeling bad today which will mean not seeing my girlfriend as I don't want to give it to her.
So a pretty miserable weekend lies ahead because of Mr Selfish Tw@t.
I'm feeling bad today which will mean not seeing my girlfriend as I don't want to give it to her.
So a pretty miserable weekend lies ahead because of Mr Selfish Tw@t.
croyde said:
One guy at work is in on overtime with a stinking cold. Health issues mean if I catch it, it will takes weeks and weeks to clear.
I'm feeling bad today which will mean not seeing my girlfriend as I don't want to give it to her.
So a pretty miserable weekend lies ahead because of Mr Selfish Tw@t.
Guessing the company doesn't pay sick pay?I'm feeling bad today which will mean not seeing my girlfriend as I don't want to give it to her.
So a pretty miserable weekend lies ahead because of Mr Selfish Tw@t.
If that's the case, blame them, not him. It's just another way that companies turn employees against each other, which in turn (along with meaningless ranked job titles) stops people banding together for industrial action or just simply standing up to a bad boss.
devnull said:
This is one of the many benefits of home working - you can feel a bit crap, but be perfectly able to work and contribute as normal (with the benefit of being curled up in bed or a sofa as needed).
Which is exactly what me, my hacking cough and my aching neck & shoulders have decided to do today. I'm quite sure I got it from people who didn't stay at home and came in blowing germs around the place.croyde said:
Doesn't look like they do sick pay, just the Government minimum.
Still, he's in on his days off doing OT.
Coming up to xmas, needs the cash.Still, he's in on his days off doing OT.
Believe me, I get annoyed about catching colds/flu from colleagues, but I don't blame them. It's also pretty easy to avoid as long as you keep your hands away from nose, mouth and eyes (face) until you've washed them. I managed to stay cold free for 4 years, that is until our first child started nursery, and now i've been ill in one way or another since early September.
lyonspride said:
croyde said:
Doesn't look like they do sick pay, just the Government minimum.
Still, he's in on his days off doing OT.
Coming up to xmas, needs the cash.Still, he's in on his days off doing OT.
Believe me, I get annoyed about catching colds/flu from colleagues, but I don't blame them. It's also pretty easy to avoid as long as you keep your hands away from nose, mouth and eyes (face) until you've washed them. I managed to stay cold free for 4 years, that is until our first child started nursery, and now i've been ill in one way or another since early September.
When I lived away from home and away from the kids, I didn't catch a cold for nearly 3 years.
I need to be a hermit.
croyde said:
lyonspride said:
croyde said:
Doesn't look like they do sick pay, just the Government minimum.
Still, he's in on his days off doing OT.
Coming up to xmas, needs the cash.Still, he's in on his days off doing OT.
Believe me, I get annoyed about catching colds/flu from colleagues, but I don't blame them. It's also pretty easy to avoid as long as you keep your hands away from nose, mouth and eyes (face) until you've washed them. I managed to stay cold free for 4 years, that is until our first child started nursery, and now i've been ill in one way or another since early September.
When I lived away from home and away from the kids, I didn't catch a cold for nearly 3 years.
I need to be a hermit.
I'm at work with the very start of a cold. I feel alright but the misery is definitely in the post. I couldn't possibly claim a day off sick when there's nothing really wrong with me. Ironically I'm probably at my most infectious as the virus is rapidly multiplying while my immune system is still getting its trousers on.
RTB said:
I'm at work with the very start of a cold. I feel alright but the misery is definitely in the post. I couldn't possibly claim a day off sick when there's nothing really wrong with me. Ironically I'm probably at my most infectious as the virus is rapidly multiplying while my immune system is still getting its trousers on.
Have a nice weekend! 
croyde said:
lyonspride said:
I've always said that it won't be climate change that kills the human race, it'll be a new virus.
It'll be touch screens. I won't touch public ones ie McDonalds ordering point. If I really must, I use a knuckle 
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