Sick Boss Makes the Office Uncomfortable

We all know what a problem presenteeism is; Workers, unwilling to take sick days, show up at the office, spreading their germs.

It's sharing, not caring.

I want to talk about something that is less common but a problem nevertheless.  People who show up to work sick - very sick - and in the process, make everyone else around them terribly uncomfortable.  

We're not talking about the common cold, flu or poison ivy.  I'm speaking of serious stuff.  Life-thretening type stuff.

We received an e-mail about a high-level employee at a company who is ill.  He's recently missed a lot of work, and according to the reader, is visibly medicated.  The sickness is so intense that on occasion, the boss will double over in pain, lose his balance or just close his eyes in sheer misery.

Despite these public displays of discomfort, the boss has never addressed the illness to workers, leading people to ignore it entirely.  Not because they don't care, but because it appears to be what he wants.

Is it safe to assume that since he's never brought it up that the office gang is doing the right thing by pretending everything is peachy keen?

The writer of the e-mail (whose anonymity request we are honoring) says the following:

Part of me feels bad and wants to help.  Part of me just wants to crack the case of the mystery illness. Part of me is tired of having to feel uncomfortable at work.

I understand that many people want - no need - to work through health problems in order to maintain a semblance of normalcy.  However, what's a worker to do if it gets to the point that an entire staff is distracted and upset?

Legally, can an employer insist a sick employee stay home, while continuing to pay them?  Also, if you are upset by a situation like this, do you have any right to approach upper-management?

Alright gang, what do you think?  Today I'm leaning on you for some thoughts and answers.

Comments

[CMA]

I can understand people feeling uncomfortable around someone who doubles over in pain. And I, too, would want to know what exactly is wrong. On the other hand, I understand the boss' wish to keep his illness private.

I have breast cancer and am currently undergoing chemotherapy treatments. Before my treatment started, my boss asked me how I wanted him to address the issue with my coworkers. I asked him to simply say that I had a serious illness for which I would be undergoing treatment. I asked him not to tell them that it was breast cancer because I didn't want to talk about it.

Sometimes I have to take a nap for 15-20 minutes because the drugs I'm taking cause fatigue. This doesn't happen every day. Some days are better than other. Besides the bouts of fatigue, I function the same as ever. I wear a mask to protect myself from catching a cold from other employees and a wig to cover my hair loss. Other than those two changes, I'm still the same. My boss didn't respect my wishes, though, and everyone knows that I have breast cancer; however, I refuse to enter into discussions about it because it is a private matter.

I have worked with people who have multiple sclerosis, who didn't mind letting everyone know what was going on with them. They openly talked about it and what they sometimes experienced from day to day. I sympathized with them and felt grateful to have been spared such an illness. I am grateful still. I, at least, have a chance to recover, with the help of the drugs I'm receiving. MS can only be managed, so I applaud people who can get up every day and face whatever their illness may decide to throw at them.

What's important in situations where other employees come to work when they're seriously ill, is that they -- like me -- probably do NEED to be at work in order to pay for the insurance that's paying for their treatment, in addition to paying for rent, utilities, food, etc.

Try putting yourself in that person's place and asking, How would I feel in the same situation? What would I do? Let your responses to those questions guide how you move forward.