If an employee is entitled to 'sick days' and sick pay, it is the employee who should determine what constitutes 'sick enough' to miss work.

In my years as an air traffic controller, I was once challenged by a stupidvisor on a sick day call. He was satisfied with my response of "there is a difference between being sick enough to come in and watch people control air traffic, which is your job, and sick enough to feel unable to come in and control air traffic, which is my job. I will let you know when feel that I can not perform up my own personal performance expectations".

It is not the employer's call. And certainly not the role of a machine to make the call.

I've had a few air traffic controllers who needed a sick day. But by and large, over 41 years of flying, they've always been great.

Zat, we really did try to provide top level service.

OWS,

Last thing I want while flying is some ATC to be doped up on decongestants and NyQuil.

I come to the office all the time when I know I shouldn't due to illness, but when I make a mistake people don't die is fiery crashes.

I have always taken the position with my employees that if an employee has the time coming to them and nothing pressing is in their work in process, then let them have the day off.

This is the type of micromanagement shit that really drains a business of good talent.

This is the type of micromanagement shit that really drains a business of good talent.
Posted by 726 at 2008-05-12 12:56 PM

Bottom line, many companies are not even managed on-site thus making these "management techniques" responsible to no-one on the premises. They don't care if they lose talent - there are so many waiting in the wings it's not ever a concern who they turn homeless next week.

Well then the only business that I can see this working in is some sort of menial service type job with little or no chance for further promotion. Where employee morale does not count and the people just go through the motions to earn a meager poverty level paycheck.

Walmart comes to mind, though I don't know why.

I guess if my business had conditions that were that horrible for the employees who toil day in and day out to provide me with comfortable lifestyle I would be worried about chronic absenteeism as well.

Nice to know exactly where working conditions for everyone but the "select few" are heading.

I quit.

If I had sick days I might abuse the privelege but I don't and that is the future so the technology is irrelevant. I can call in sick any time I want as long as I don't mind not being paid for the day.

I think all elected government officials should take a lie detector test once a year, and be subject to random drug tests.

Buffalobob

I agree with your statement.

"{I think all elected government officials should take a lie detector test once a year, and be subject to random drug tests."

I don't. I don't think anyone not doing a job that jeopardizes the safety of others should have to take a drug test. I have never crashed my desk into anything.

I wish more people would call in sick, instead of coming into work and sharing their cold with me.

Companies don't give enough sick time to the employees, so when the flu is making the rounds, workers feel pressured to come in to work, when they should be staying home. The illness then gets passed to their co-workers, and the company loses more money.

It's this type policy, that makes the cold and flu season last so long.

Love these machines. Must have 10 of them. Now. I really need to start firing worthless asses and this is a nice avenue.

BTW Roy, you don't want people who are well to call in sick right? just the sick people, right?

That is the assumption of the article and the machine, i think.

"{I think all elected government officials should take a lie detector test once a year, and be subject to random drug tests."

- I don't. I don't think anyone not doing a job that jeopardizes the safety of others should have to take a drug test. I have never crashed my desk into anything.

Posted by danni


RULE NUMBER 1 : ALWAYS DISAGREE WITH DANNI.

However, in this case, I have to agree with him.

One of the great principles of a democratic society is that the elecetion process and the length of term of elected officials are set up to vet bad behavior out, without unduly digging into the privacy of the elected official....In other words......we elect someone for a term, and if during that term the person shows that they are unfit, for whatever reason, poor performance, drug use, we can then decide to vote them out. we limit the term of elected officials as a periodic referendum, periodic reality check, so therefore we can choose leaders but also protect them from their enemies going overboard unfairly investigating them.

Danni OTOH, should be screened twice a day for angel dust