How to deal with a coworker who's ALWAYS sick?

[Pursegrrl]

Yeah, I would discuss with your manager and HR.

[Luv2Shop1]

That's just gross...I would report it to your supervisor & / or HR...ick!

[central2]

Some jobs doesn't allow an employee to be off from work unless the illness requires hospitalization which maybe why she is there coughing all over everyone. And perhaps the person has a weak immune system and easily catch infections. But seems to me you all's boss would tell her to stay home until she is better rather than have her come to work and spread germs all over the place.

[flowerbobon]

why don't you give her a mask or whatsoever they call that thing to cover the mouth.

[k2sealer]

Any update on what you decided to do about your sick co-worker?

[miSsxhuStLer]

Originally Posted by k2sealer

Any update on what you decided to do about your sick co-worker?

I actually ended up talking to HR about it. She's been sick all week, but still coming into work. I have tried really hard to be patient, but I felt like I finally had to speak up and say something. Our HR rep was really understanding and supportive and said that I have a valid reason to be worried.

She sat down and talked to my coworker today, along with the VP of our department. I'm not quite sure what was said, since I wasn't in the meeting, but the HR rep told me she would let her know that several people had come to her with concerns. She also said she would pass on some safer methods, such as going to the bathroom and coughing, versus doing it at her desk and then spitting into her trash can (HR rep looked absolutely disgusted when I told her that part)

My coworker is still sick and has been coughing all day, but I'm hoping she will be more aware that it does affect other coworkers and put us at risk. Hopefully she'll stay home too when she's sick, instead of coming into the office. I really hope she goes and sees a doctor...she's been coughing for over 3 weeks now.

Thanks for asking. I guess I'll just have to wait and see what happens.

[Pursegrrl]

Originally Posted by miSsxhuStLer

I actually ended up talking to HR about it. She's been sick all week, but still coming into work. I have tried really hard to be patient, but I felt like I finally had to speak up and say something. Our HR rep was really understanding and supportive and said that I have a valid reason to be worried. She sat down and talked to my coworker today, along with the VP of our department. I'm not quite sure what was said, since I wasn't in the meeting, but the HR rep told me she would let her know that several people had come to her with concerns. She also said she would pass on some safer methods, such as going to the bathroom and coughing, versus doing it at her desk and then spitting into her trash can (HR rep looked absolutely disgusted when I told her that part) My coworker is still sick and has been coughing all day, but I'm hoping she will be more aware that it does affect other coworkers and put us at risk. Hopefully she'll stay home too when she's sick, instead of coming into the office. I really hope she goes and sees a doctor...she's been coughing for over 3 weeks now. Thanks for asking. I guess I'll just have to wait and see what happens.

Sounds like a good step in the right direction!

[miSsxhuStLer]

Originally Posted by Pursegrrl

Sounds like a good step in the right direction!

Thanks, I hope it is!

[exotikittenx]

Sorry you are in that situation. It's terrible when people have no consideration or awareness about others. I don't think you are insensitive at all. Who wants to get sick because of someone else's negligence??? I'd be outraged. I hate it when people cough all over the place or don't wash their hands. This woman needs not be grossly spreading her germs everywhere. No wonder she gets sick with her lack of hygiene. Some people just have no common sense. I hope this gets resolved for you.

[high_notes_4u]

Originally Posted by exotikittenx

Sorry you are in that situation. ... I hope this gets resolved for you.

Me too! I'm a total germ freak, and it's hard. I've had sick colleagues all week, as well as sick students (I'm a professor), and with all the H1N1 scare these days, it makes me even more nervous than usual. Good luck!

[caitlin1214]

I'm glad there was some progress.

It's hard. On the one hand you want to be sympathetic towards her. On the other, the idea that she's there, day in and day out possibly infecting others is so unbelievably irritating.


My workplace has signs posted in the office listing the symptoms of the flu/Swine Flu. It reminds people that if they're sick and think they might be contageous, to please stay home.



There's a guy at my work whom I've nicknamed Sniffy because it seems like he has a permanent runny nose. It's annoying, but it's not contageous. From talking to people I've gathered that it's allergies. It doesn't so much bother me when we're working because I have my iPod on, but it gets to me when he does it in the lunch room where there are people eating.



He's a nice guy. He's just . . . well . . . disgusting.


He won't use a Kleenex, because I have (sort of) pointedly asked him if he'd like one, so my plan is to introduce him to the wonderful world of Antihistamines.

[karmenzsofia]

Originally Posted by jburgh

I am dismayed by the lack of compassion here. People take good health for granted. There are two things going on. One is the spreading of germs, and that is indeed troublesome, she should be taking better precautions so bacteria and viruses are not spread. This is something that HR should address for the health of all workers. You should speak with HR. Even at the dinky little place I work, there are Purell dispenser stations. The other is the person who is sick. How do you know her problem is contagious? Maybe she has COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. This is very expensive to manage. Or she may have a chronic autoimmune disease that weakens her system. Has anyone spoken with her? Is anyone concerned? Her life must be total hell, being sick all the time. Can she afford medical treatment? You said "I don't understand how it's possible for someone to get sick so often and unfortunately it's really hard to feel sorry for someone when they are always like this." Perhaps you should take the first step and show some compassion and understanding. There is always more than one side to a story.

ITA with most of this post.

The poor hygiene is a valid cause for concern, and I'm glad the OP finally talked to someone in HR about it. I would be grossed out if I had someone spitting phlegm in trash can all day.

As to the nature of the disease, if the coworker is sick as often as the OP says, chances are she has a chronic health condition. Being sick ALL the time sucks to the point of affecting every single area of your life in a negative way. I chuckle when I hear people complain about a runny nose or a headache or cough or difficulty sleeping or gastro problems or general malaise they've had for a day or two, maybe a week. Try living with that every single day of your life. So yes, some compassion would be in order if she's chronically ill.

About coming to work sick: If she's sick all the time, then surely she must run out of sick days. Plus, if this is in Corporate America, calling in sick often is one sure way to risk losing your job. So you're damned if you come to work, and damned if you don't.

In terms of it being contagious, OP says the coworker got her and others sick, but there's no proof of that and it is as likely as it is unlikely. Colds and flu infect people all year long in school and offices. OP and the others could be getting colds just like everyone else out there. If what she has is an infectious disease and she's being as careless as the OP says, then she could be spreading her stuff around. But to say she's making everyone else sick is a bit premature given the lack of info about her condition, IMO.

Sitting as close to her as the OP does, I would've asked her a long time ago if she's struggling with her health and see if there's anything I can do to help. If all she has is a cold, so be it. But I can't tell you how many times I've been able to help someone just by asking questions and providing some information. Many people either fail to seek appropriate medical care or trust whatever the primary doctor says even when they don't understand what he/she is saying. They don't push for answers or think of google-ing anything.

I do hope HR finds out what's up with her and work on changing some of her unsanitary habits for everyone's sake. Good luck OP!

[TrainPapercut]

From my personal experience, I think you did the wrong thing and it's going to backfire. I think you are very naive thinking that your company is going to act against a sick person.

Effectively, you have trouble being compassionate towards her because she is sick. You complained about her hygiene because she is sick. You don't like that she touched paperwork because she is sick. See where I am trying to get to? There's a big difference between what we aim to do and what we actually do. I know your intentions were good and you are a good person but if you keep pushing the issue, your actions could be seen as harrassment. As you said, you do not know what went behind closed doors. A HR manager would never single out a sick person like that. Sorry to burst your bubble, but they probably just had a catch-up with her hoping that you'd think something's being done and let it go.

Think of it in reverse: Imagine you have chronic disease. One day you come to the office and the HR manager tells you that you have hygiene problems and people are complaining about you. Would you be OK with that? I know I'd be dialling my lawer's number right there and then.

[lily25]

I was sick for almost 2 months this winter with a constant mild fever and really bad coughing, I took a week off classes, I returned for 1 week but still coughed. I noticed my teacher was freaked out with my cough and spitting (in the bathroom) every once in a while, I apologized to her and then took another 2 weeks off until my cough stopped. No matter how much you want to be at your workplace or class, if you are sick there is a chance other ppl will get sick and you'll make their lives miserable. Health is always a priority before any job or class.

[exotikittenx]

What I don't understand is why people think it's a lack of compassion when someone's angry that a sick person is not practicing good hygiene. Of course it's sad that the person is sick, and I would hope she is okay, but that's not the issue. The issue is the way the woman is spreading her germs around and having ZERO consideration for others. Perhaps if she were taking better measures to prevent the spread of germs, there wouldn't be an issue. The point of this thread is not that the woman is sick, but that she is reckless about it in a workplace environment where there are other people we have to think of, too.

What about the compassion of this woman toward other people??????? What if another coworker had a poor immune system and could easily catch her germs because she doesn't wash her hands or cough into tissues? What about the other side? I have a little niece who is four years old who has a compromised immune system, and if someone was so negligent as to cough all over her and get her sick, that is just wrong! So just because she is sick, she gets a license to hack all over everything, not try to keep her germs contained, and not wash her hands, and then we can only feel sorry for her? Of course we feel bad that she's sick, but that's not what this is about at all.