I admit that I have gone to work sick. I was raised by parents that worked for themselves and worked long and hard hours. It’s the lessons I was taught. I have more than enough days to take, both personal and sick days in a year. I have plenty built up. But, when I took the job, it was explained to me that there were 6 days a year we couldn’t take off—the 6 days of registration. So I don’t. I have worked registration with a swollen jaw because the dentist messed up and a filling wasn’t right. It was the first day of registration so I worked with it swollen and in pain. I worked with the flu (didn’t mean to, just didn’t realize I had the flu). It’s not that I take days for other reasons, I don’t. I just feel that it’s necessary me to be there. IMO, those of us raised by parents of certain generations are going to have that mindset.
But others need the money. They can’t afford to lose the hours. I know a few single mom’s in that situation. They push themselves to go sick to not lose pay.
And others that need their sick days to use for their child. So they go to work when sick themselves.
For students, some coaches will bench a player for missing a game. So the kid hides illness to go. Or like Dd in choir, concerts were their test grades for that class. The director stressed all the time how important it wasn’t for them all to be there as too many missing was going to throw the whole thing off. So they would go sick. 8 years of choir and she missed one concert because I gave her no choice.
For everyone in the US to stop going to work or school sick there is a whole lot that is going to have to change. Number one being the mindset of a lot of people.