Question for the Peanut Gallery

[kybearfuzz]

As part of our benefits, we have the option to donate our vacation time to someone who is sick or has a loved one in the hospital. This person has to be on an approved list for donation and they have to have no leave of their own, vacation or sick.

One of my co-workers in the lab recently had her husband go into the hospital due to a complication with his diabetes. I donated a few days of leave to her so she could spend time with her hubby while he recovers. Her hubby is a nice guy and a big cuddly teddy bear sort. However, I had wondered why she had no leave of her own as she had been in the agency longer than I have and people generally have a storehouse of sick leave built up. One of my co-workers told me that she often comes in late or leaves early, because she doesn't feel like being there, and that she often will take off an entire sick day because she had a headache.

Now I'm a little irked. Although, what happened to her husband is awful and I'm glad I donated leave to her to help him, I'm feeling a bit used in that she's sqandered all of her leave for trivial things and "illnesses" and is now using mine. Should I feel bad about this or angry?

Comments

[cincycub.livejournal.com]

We have that option too, and I intentionally do not donate my leave time because of that reason. We all earn our time, and you know in either of our jobs, they give us a HELL of a lot of time. You should use it wisely. Of course, there can always be extenuating circumstances, but c'mon now. Lots and lots of people don't plan for emergencies, which is what you should be doing. Just my $.02...

[hylandr.livejournal.com]

Umm... what was the question?

[kybearfuzz.livejournal.com]

Sorry Don, I guess I am wondering if I should have done this or asking why I feel bad about NOT wanting to donate the leave now. I updated the entry.

[hylandr.livejournal.com]

Well, whether you should have is a moot point anyway now, but it's totally up to you. You feel bad because you domated something to someone who squandered what she had already. It's a question whether she will really appreciate something she obviously didn't appreciate when she had it in the first place. I think her husband may appreciate it more. Maybe she'll learn from this in the future. If not, I personally wouldn't give her the opportunity again.

[queensheba.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure I'd feel bad *or* angry, but I definitely wouldn't donate any more of my time to her.

She sounds like a lot of people I know who seem to have a different attitude towards work attendance than mine. To me, you go to work every day unless you're sick. Of course, there are the occasional dentist's appointment, sick child, jury duty, funeral, whatever - and I think it's fine to take the occasional mental health day - once or twice a year. But I know a few people who stay home often, whenever they just don't feel like going to work - or whose personal needs, whatever they may be, cut WAY farther into their work time than most other people's do. Some people really abuse the privileges they have.

[joelbear.livejournal.com]

I say you done a good thing and should enjoy knowing that you did.

[jprtoronto.livejournal.com]

I don't think you should feel bad nor feel used. From what you told me it was your decision to give her the time and, from what I read, she didn't ask you to give her time.

I think you did a nice selfless thing :)

As for saving and not squandering Vacation Time for emergencies. To me, emergencies should be outside the boundary of vacation time. Vacation time is just that, time away from work to relax and recharge my batteries. I shouldn't have to use my Vacation time to visit my husband in the hospital or to make plans for operations and such. That's not a vacation. Those things should automatically be given or should be part of sick days that you get.

Although that's if I lived in a perfect world :)