Using Sick Leave before company is sold?

[ultrarunner]

Sale of the company appears imminent which means starting over as a new hire across the board.

Many have months of sick time on the books and most are using it.

Some for elective surgery and some for family leave to care for parents/kids.

A few went on medical leave and dragged it out until every last day of vacation and sick time was used and on the day they were due back... turned in letters of resignation... these were all career, 25+ with the company and all in management who would have a better idea of what is coming.

In 25 years I have never used a single day of sick time... I'm the kind of person that when I get sick it always seems to be on a holiday.

The company does not pay out sick leave and I have maxed at 480 hours...

Am I being the dumb one here as people are leaving around me and when everyone else seems to maxing every hour they have on the books?

 

[davesl708]

I have been in your situation a few times in my career. Seems the new owners always say nothing is changing. BS. The question is, is your job critical to the company? Most new owners want their own people in key positions. Get a feel for where it is heading and use the sick leave for interviews and job hunting if you want a change.

 

[KennyG]

I will be retiring this year and I will be leaving about 2500 hours of accumulated sick leave on the table. I took the job to work, not to avoid work. (I do take all my vacation though.)

 

[ultrarunner]

It's a big question as to who will stay and who will not...

About every other week someone is leaving... mostly those with a few years in the field or those with 30+

I've been salary for over 20 years and I've been told the salaried position I hold will be going away...

In retrospect... being hourly would have come out ahead... as hourly I was paid for all after hour call ins... once I went salary... any problem 24/7 is mine unless I have vacation relief coverage which means going outside the company.

I think 25 years without a sick day shows I am here to work... even when I was injured on the job, the boss asked that I come in to make sure everything is current.

 

[davesl708]

It's a big question as to who will stay and who will not...

About every other week someone is leaving... mostly those with a few years in the field or those with 30+

I've been salary for over 20 years and I've been told the salaried position I hold will be going away...

In retrospect... being hourly would have come out ahead... as hourly I was paid for all after hour call ins... once I went salary... any problem 24/7 is mine unless I have vacation relief coverage which means going outside the company.

I think 25 years without a sick day shows I am here to work... even when I was injured on the job, the boss asked that I come in to make sure everything is current.

Unfortunately acquisitions have nothing to do with your personnel file. Decisions are based on an org chart and what positions are not needed in the acquired company. The new owners are looking to synergize (cut cost) to justify the acquisition and get the most return on the investment.

 

[ultrarunner]

Exactly... and I suppose this is the reason for the scramble to use sick time... those that have been through these types of things before are the most vocal...

For me it's about 25k in built up sick leave.

All of my civil service friends were paid out sick leave and some had well over a year on the books...

With all the changes... people are now taking sick leave to care for family members... so this opens up a lot of avenues... especially with a parent that has Alzheimer...

 

[murphy1244]

Not to many places allow you to accumulate sick time.

 

[George2615]

I just today called my HR dept. expressing my intent to retire. They emailed me a retirement toolkit booklet and grandfathered benefits kit booklet today to start the retirement process. I will have completed 31 years with my employer before my last day and also have never taken a sick day. My sick bank is also maxed out at 60 days. However, I will be able to cash out my sick time and accrued vacation time.
I think its unfair of your employer to not offer a buyout or the ability to cash in your sick time. If I couldn't cash in accumulated time I earned I'd definitely start using it up.

 

[SARG]

No one will take care of you ..... But you.
Yes.... You are being dumb.

 

[ultrarunner]

I'm one of the worker bees concentrating on what needs to get done to keep the doors open...

I'm the only "Department Head" to have never taken a sick day...

Didn't even realize the trend until I noticed a lot of my co-workers and counterparts taking time off.... caring for a sick husband, children and even a grandparent... one co-worker went back to Illinois for 8 weeks care for her terminally ill mom and give her sister a break... under family leave.

Times are sure changing... almost all the benefits I signed on for in 1991 no longer exist... I had a discussion with the boss a few months back saying a lot of people are looking outside for employment... she asked why and I said here we mostly work for a paycheck... she said this is why people work and gave me a look...

I then had to explain we use to have a retirement plan, stock options, profit sharing, etc... even a sabbatical after 5 years employment.

When the pension plan was frozen it cost me dear as I was only 20% vested... so 80% of the employer match evaporated...

It wouldn't be the first time I have been a little slow or dumb...

 

[kc5dlo]

Sounds like your job is just like Skylab. You know it's going to crash, just not where or when. Either way I don't see that your making the wrong decision.

 

[mkr7734]

Pride in not missing any time is one thing and a good one at that. But the writing seems clear on the wall. Don't forget the fact that You worked for that sick time. Use it or you loose. They could care less about your work and from what I have seen if you have more than 20 years in and less than ten left you will be the first to get the boot. Saw it way to often at Caterpillar in my 36 years of dedicated service to them. JMHO.

 

[ultrarunner]

Same happened to my friends with years of service at CAT in San Leandro California...

The city had parades and Caterpillar Appreciation days and now the site is home to Home Depot and Walmart.

 

[Trials]

Sick leave is for when You are sick, not your kid, not your family pet and it's not something that the company owes you in the form of income if you don't need it. You are doing the right thing by not abusing the system, everyone who abuses the benefit of sick leave is working the system. Guess which group is responsible for the organization no longer being financially viable.

 

[ultrarunner]

The owners are selling to a large conglomerate... the center is profitable... that is why they want us.

The only reason for the sale is the two major shareholders are past 65 and looking to cash out...

It will be a big change from a locally owned and controlled Hospital to part of a huge medical system with decisions made hundreds of miles away.

 

[roadhunter]

These days you have to look out for yourself. Play by the rules but use the benefits they have provided you with for your position. Wasting it is admirable but only hurts you.

 

[k0ua]

I can guarantee you that no one who will make a decision on you will look at or care about your faithful service. No good deed goes unpunished. No one cares about you but you.

 

[Looking4new]

Take the time off, Luke. You earned it.

 

[arrow]

What everyone else is doing has absolutely nothing to do with you. Above all else Ultra...stay true to yourself. Worth is not always measured in money as hard as that may seem for some..

 

[mkr7734]

Guess which group is responsible for the organization no longer being financially viable.

That is easy. The group of CEOs with MBAs. And they love the fools who believe it is their hard work that will save jobs.
I can't think the OP would of opened this thread if he was not on the fence about the subject.