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I used to work for a large construction company. I was the only one who knew how to run payroll and do the billing so I was allowed to bring my sick child to work. I had my own office so it was a non-issue, and my employer was thankful I showed up.
I took my bird into work one day because a coworker was going to take it home and look after it while I was on vacation.
It was very distracting though.
I can only imagine how distracting a child could be.
I've never worked in a place that allowed that.
Sometimes I'd like to bring my husband's parrot to work, but I'm sure her foul mouth and attitude would get me in trouble.
At my last job, my boss would bring her kids in all the time if they were sick or out of school. They were usually distracting and annoying. Another coworker would sometimes bring her kids late in the day after school if she had to work late and her husband had things to do after work. That never bothered me because her kids are polite and pleasant.
I haven't seen many people do it at my current job. However, there is a coworker on the other side of our floor (small floor) who regularly gets visits from his wife and baby. It gets pretty loud with the kid screeching and the adults laughing and oohing and aahing. Thankfully it doesn't usually last that long.
If the kids show up at work for a brief visit, I think it was fine. Maybe the visiting kids might be there an hour or 2 tops. No big deal. But keeping a kid at work all day long, nope.
At one of my previous jobs, there was a co-worker who had brought in her young child on more than one occasion and the small child was easily bored and sometimes loud, running around the halls and there the entire work day. I don't think that was fair to the other co-workers, or to the child at all.
I've only seen children brought in for brief visits, which is great. I particularly like meeting babies and toddlers. Hours on end or frequent fliers would not be tolerated by HR.
It's not a big deal if a child is occasionally brought in if the parent has an office in which the child can stay, or for a brief visit if the child is in an open setting, but is quiet.
We had this awful employee at a previous job and she called out all of the time. She was always late and always lazy.
The last time she told one of the bosses she couldn't come in because she didn't have a babysitter, the manager told her to bring the kid. It was a Saturday, so it was quieter and there were less people around.
That was the first time I saw her walk through the door ON TIME and actually start working right away. In fact, I don't think I saw her ever work that much my entire time there.
I think this is a catch 22. I have a child that is ALWAYS sicks. If I missed work every time he was ill, I would have been fired years ago. My employer gets really upset when you call in because of sick kids. I leave my oldest home alone when she is ill.
Thankfully I parents nearby that can keep him most of the time. But a few times he has had to come to work with me. A few times I have called out when he was vomiting. Believe me, I find it distracting to have a child with me, but what is a parent to do when they are forced to work?
So you bring your sick child to work because your employer will fire you if you take time off to stay home with him and you in turn infect your coworkers who get fired for taking off when they get your child's illness you brought in to their workplace.
So you bring your sick child to work because your employer will fire you if you take time off to stay home with him and you in turn infect your coworkers who get fired for taking off when they get your child's illness you brought in to their workplace.
Doesn't seem sporting, somehow!
I would much prefer everyone just keep their happy butts home when they or their children are sick. But what is the correct response when your employer wants you to be at work every day regardless of health?
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