callistra | Ooopsies - Rant Enclosed

I just went off at a work mate. I'm really not as upset as I usually am when I have a fight with someone, which I consider good steps into my emotional control issues, however I still *probably* should not have done it. Probably.

He skivved off work yesterday, openly using sick leave because "in a few days it would all be gone" and not actually being ill. I was pissed off, because I already have ONE co-worker acting like an immature little brat, and now I have two?? At a time when we're already shortstaffed and somewhat busier than has been usual? When I had a user ringing up and being all pissed off at me because he, who was working on their call, is not here? And the other person who has more skills in that area is not going to be back until Monday? And other things that really only he could answer whilst the other staff member with those skills is legitimately AWAY on a training course that she is PAYING FOR HERSELF.

It pisses me off no end. For some reason Aussie's have a rep for being slackers and using sick leave for a holiday whenever they feel like it. I've read articles that claim that Australian's actually use less sick leave than most European workers do, so that viewpoint can't be right.

Sick leave is NOT a right. It's damned nice of the government/companies to pay us sick leave. It is a safety net, not a right. Has it ever occured to any one that the main reason we get sick pay is because our employers are nice people? Secondarily is the growing realisation that one sick person can spread it to every one else.

Just because you CAN do something does not mean you SHOULD do something. Especially not when there are people relying on you to pull your own weight. We all ready have one dead loss, did we need two?

And the dirtball had the gall to say as he was walking away "Yeah, but you do it all the time." I don't think so, dirtboy. If I did, then I'd be a very different person. I have high expectations of myself, but honest expectations. I know that lately I have been putting off some work duties, but I am HERE to handle emergencies when needed. Any one who rings me with a problem is getting prompt help at the moment, even if I have growled at a few people. Given the number of people I handle in a month, they are lucky I just did not turn into the immature child who I refer to earlier.

I just can't imagine how he could have had a relaxing day at home whilst a little voice in the back of his head kept saying "You should be at work. You should be at work. You should be at work."

Ok, i think the rant is over. Kind of. I am eternally grateful for sickleave, and also eternally grateful to my current employer for one thing - when I had hooping cough, I was off work for four weeks. As you can imagine, I did not have 4 weeks worth of sick leave, however my employer was kind enough to use my sick leave in advance - so I ended up owing them sick leave. Which was fine by me. When you get paid monthly, missing a whole month's income is no laughing matter. So I am grateful that sick leave exists, and I am grateful that the Employer found a way to help me avoid financial ruin at a time when I could barely get out of bed to answer the phone. It just shits me to see people abusing a priviledge. If they're not careful, and enough people abuse it, then it won't be around for much longer.