At work I get sick days. But I never get sick. So I’m thinking about using them the day after a race if I’m feeling really fried. Do you think its unethical to use a sick day if I’m not technically “sick” but instead just really fried after a race?
I do it. Hell, I’ve done it after my 100+ mile rides that I do on Sunday sometimes.
My thought is is you have 'em, use 'em!
Is it unethical to use sick days for things other than when you are sick? HAHA
Actually, being fried after a race is pretty close to being sick and I think a very good reason to use them.
Other, even less ethical uses are; recovering from a hang over, skipping a day to go for a long ride, just wanting to lay around on the coach on a rainy day, etc., etc., etc.
I would have no problem with it. I have even used sick days to watch my daughter compete.
Some things in life are more important than work.
I use sick days to prepare for big races rather then recover from them,I even have them pencilled in when i draw up my yearly training plan, shhhhhhhhh don’t tell my boss! Oh wait she is out on ANOTHER smoke break!
tfun~
Being trashed after a big race or training day is about as close to being sick as most triathletes will ever get. The only time I have ever used sick days was when I got into a bike crash so I wouldn’t have a problem using them if I was really trashed after a big race.
I’ve done it.
Go for it.
When you are in fact “sick” what would you be doing? Staying at home, sleep in, laying around, watching TV while recovering.
What are you doing the day after a really hard race? Staying at home, sleep in, laying around, watching TV while recovering.
Like others said, most triathletes are pretty healthy people and don’t use as many sick days as the average joe. Your employer gives you the days, use em’.
I guess I am in the minority. I’m not using a sick day unless I am actually SICK. To me it is just bad Karma to fake that you are sick…then when you really want to be healthy you end up being sick before your A race…no way. AND if I am at home, I’m going to want to train…no way I can live with myself doing training and then claining that I too sick to work!
Anyway, we can take 2 “personal days” per year…no questions asked. I am yet to take one, but I can see how such days could be used for post race recovery!
On another note, I never really go that hard in racing or training anymore. I go by Monty’s phrase, “Don’t do anything in today’s race that takes you out of that nite’s party”…and if I can make that nite’s party, I can make it to work the next day 
It all depends on how you look at it. If I am in need of a recovery day after a big race and my body is beaten up then I am sick. I do not get colds or the flu or anything else that the average person gets, and so my definition of sick is different I guess. I think the important thing is that if you call in sick then you actually do stay home to rest and recover. If you spend the day out and about then you should have just gone to work since you ended up not getting any recovery time. Finally it is different for every job because if you work a very physical job, that could be difficult to handle the day from an IM or something.
I guess I am in the minority. I’m not using a sick day unless I am actually SICK. To me it is just bad Karma to fake that you are sick…then when you really want to be healthy you end up being sick before your A race…no way. AND if I am at home, I’m going to want to train…no way I can live with myself doing training and then claining that I too sick to work!
Anyway, we can take 2 “personal days” per year…no questions asked. I am yet to take one, but I can see how such days could be used for post race recovery!
On another note, I never really go that hard in racing or training anymore. I go by Monty’s phrase, “Don’t do anything in today’s race that takes you out of that nite’s party”…and if I can make that nite’s party, I can make it to work the next day
I am with Dev P on this…we get a whopping 5 sick days/year. Last year I used one because I was really sick. I am afraid if I use them a) bad karma= will really get sick
b) bad karma = if I go for a ride or run I will get injured/crash/hit by a car
I’ve worked the day after a marathon, the day after a 1/2 IM, etc. and even though my job requires a lot of getting up and down from the floor and being on my feet, I find it is better than laying around all day.
the only other time I might use one if I really need it is if I decide I want to go on an interview for a different job, with more sick days:-)
PS - I get paid out for any sick time i have left over if I take one or NO sick days/year…so I have another incentive to not take sick days.
If you had the “symptoms” of being fried and you hadn’t done a race the day before, would you call in sick? I often get migraines the day after a big race, so I am sick the day after a race. It happens so frequently that I fill out the “request for time off” form before the race, with the understanding that if I’m feeling OK, I’ll come to work or take vacation time.
I am with Dev and Tri Nic!! I never used sick days unless I was actually sick and I cannot recall when was the last time.
Also for Bad Karma… Not just for if I go for a ride/run I could get injured but simply from a “lying”/taking advantage…
In addition, AFAIN what you do outside you work you should not affect your work.
Maybe I am naive, stupid or have a stupidwork ethic… but I am F*#$%#$ lucky to not have to worry about getting food on the table for each meal or a roof over my head and on top of that spend lots of $$$ on training and racing…
Cheers,
Fred.
I have a two year old and another due in October. Work is far more relaxing than being home…
I actually asked my boss “If you make yourself sick (or at least give yourself the symptoms of being sick) on purpose (by doing a race, for example), can you still take sick time?”
She said “yep”.
I have 4 months of sick time saved up. Who gets sick 13 days a year unless you get something major?
Sick days should be used when you are sick. Not when you are fried from a race or hung over from parting. Schedule a day off if you need a day to recover.
So what… you have to have a bacterial or viral infection? What if you could still work even with the infection? What if it’s a migraine or you had some dental surgery?
If I didn’t *feel *able to work, then I wouldn’t go in, period. Whether it was the result of a race or whatever, doesn’t matter. I went on a long charity ride once, really hot, didn’t eat, got dehydrated. HUGE headache that night/next day and every time I got up off the couch the next day, I felt dizzy/like I was going to pass out.
Now if I was just sore/tired, or wanted to train, I’d use a day off.
I agree that it is wrong to call in sick when you are not sick. Besides I am paranoid and think that faking sick and staying home would lead to immediate actual sickness. Besides it is not like anyone will do my work when I am not at the office anyhow. As to the ethics of this practice, a wise person once told me that people are never only sneaky in one area of their life.
The argument that triathletes are generally healthier people and can therefore justify faking sick is crap.
I hear that!
Besides, most businesses don’t really care what you have going on – they just budget you a certain number of sick days and a certain number of vacation days and don’t expect you to go over.
I have a two year old and another due in October. Work is far more relaxing than being home…
I actually asked my boss “If you make yourself sick (or at least give yourself the symptoms of being sick) on purpose (by doing a race, for example), can you still take sick time?”
She said “yep”.
I have 4 months of sick time saved up. Who gets sick 13 days a year unless you get something major?
We have to use them or lose them so I never understand why you wouldn’t use them. I take mental health days. I don’t train because I would feel bad if I came back with a tan or sun burn.
Take the day off.
It sounds like the things you describe are “sickness”.
If you can’t work you shouldn’t go in.
But, if you are just tired and call in sick that is BS, to me.