What I Know About Being Sick at Work (2018) • Hacker News Board

Re: What I Know About Being Sick at Work (2018)

#41

Post by danharaj » Sun, Jul 21, 2019, 1:39 PM UTC

hdfbdtbcdg wrote: post #37

jchw wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It’s expensive and we don’t really need it. Would be nice, though.

Well. Using headphones all day damages our hearing... We work better without constant distractions. We are pretty expensive to employ and then use at 50% potential.

Get a pair of musician's earplugs. They're wonderful. You can layer them with closed back headphones to get very robust silent isolation at a reasonable price.

You can also get ear pieces molded by an audiologist for some high end earbuds that will block out sound almost completely even if you're not playing any sound.

Re: What I Know About Being Sick at Work (2018)

#42

Post by MaxBarraclough » Sun, Jul 21, 2019, 1:40 PM UTC

hdfbdtbcdg wrote: post #31

MaxBarraclough wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Because if I can do my job from home office just as well why should I not also get that? The usual reason not every employer is ok with remote work: if everyone does it, it damages the team. It's not unreasonable to insist employees work from the office, neither is it unreasonable to make exceptions for employees with disabilities.

It's not unreasonable for someone to find another employer... I am pointing out that treating people differently damages teams.

> It's not unreasonable for someone to find another employer...

Sure. If you want to work remotely, you should find a job where you can.

> I am pointing out that treating people differently damages teams.

We're talking about an employer making reasonable accommodations for an employee with a disability. What alternative would you prefer?

There are plenty of legitimate reasons to treat employees differently. Maternity leave is another instance.

Re: What I Know About Being Sick at Work (2018)

#43

Post by Igelau » Sun, Jul 21, 2019, 1:43 PM UTC

pridkett wrote: post #5

I really liked this article. A lot of the things mentioned seem to be necessary because the author has “passing privilege”, but some are necessary due to poor management practices. Stand ups and in person meetings are two spots where this frequently happens. I’ve inherited teams where everyone needs to stand during standup, or worse, where they do the push-up/plank thing if you want to speak. It shouldn’t take a grea…

> the push-up/plank thing if you want to speak.

This is the dumbest thing I've ever heard. Do you get to talk over someone out of turn by doing a harder plank variation?

I kind of wish you hadn't said this. Somewhere someone is reading this and thinking it's actually not a bad idea.

Re: What I Know About Being Sick at Work (2018)

#44

Post by 52-6F-62 » Sun, Jul 21, 2019, 1:45 PM UTC

stanski wrote: post #26

chrisseaton wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You have to plank while speaking, in order to motivate people to speak succinctly. Obviously disadvantages people who aren’t physically fit as they literally don’t get to contribute as much!

Sorry, just to be clear. Everyone stands around in a circle and one person drops down on the floor in a plank to talk? Maybe it's just me but I'd have a hard time taking this seriously.

It’s not just you.

Re: What I Know About Being Sick at Work (2018)

#45

Post by hdfbdtbcdg » Sun, Jul 21, 2019, 2:03 PM UTC

MaxBarraclough wrote: post #42

hdfbdtbcdg wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's not unreasonable for someone to find another employer... I am pointing out that treating people differently damages teams.

> It's not unreasonable for someone to find another employer... Sure. If you want to work remotely, you should find a job where you can. > I am pointing out that treating people differently damages teams. We're talking about an employer making reasonable accommodations for an employee with a disability. What alternative would you prefer? There are plenty of legitimate reasons to treat employees differently. Maternity…

> We're talking about an employer making reasonable accommodations for an employee with a disability.

Are we? Either attendance at the office is vital to the job or isn't. If you treat different members of your team differently you will annoy them, damage morale and damage your team.

> Maternity leave is another instance.

If your paternity leave isn't comparable to your maternity leave that's not OK.

Re: What I Know About Being Sick at Work (2018)

#46

Post by hdfbdtbcdg » Sun, Jul 21, 2019, 2:05 PM UTC

danharaj wrote: post #41

hdfbdtbcdg wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well. Using headphones all day damages our hearing... We work better without constant distractions. We are pretty expensive to employ and then use at 50% potential.

Get a pair of musician's earplugs. They're wonderful. You can layer them with closed back headphones to get very robust silent isolation at a reasonable price. You can also get ear pieces molded by an audiologist for some high end earbuds that will block out sound almost completely even if you're not playing any sound.

I've got noise cancelling headphones. My hearing decline has now slowed. I would recommend this to anyone. But a private office would be better.

Re: What I Know About Being Sick at Work (2018)

#47

Post by maxerickson » Sun, Jul 21, 2019, 2:06 PM UTC

hdfbdtbcdg wrote: post #28

ecopoesis wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Providing reasonable accommodation, which is required by US law, is not unfair or arbitrary.

The beauty of living in a free country is that I can make up my own mind.

Sort of. You can make up your own mind to leave. Good luck violating EEO Laws.

Re: What I Know About Being Sick at Work (2018)

#48

Post by Igelau » Sun, Jul 21, 2019, 2:13 PM UTC

hdfbdtbcdg wrote: post #16

watwut wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In one case, I have seen similar issue dealt by home office most of days. It worked remarkably well.

If I worked there and did not receive similar home office treatment I would leave... Edit I would do so quietly without making a fuss about it. You would probably not even realise that was the reason for me leaving. Basically if I see the rules of my workplace as unfair and arbitrary I will leave.

What's unfair and arbitrary is that some people are dealt disabilities. Net reduction of suffering is a good thing. You don't need to inflict yourself with jealousy over it.

Re: What I Know About Being Sick at Work (2018)

#49

Post by sokoloff » Sun, Jul 21, 2019, 2:14 PM UTC

MaxBarraclough wrote: post #39

sokoloff wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There’s another point of view that says “if it’s workable for person D who happens to have a disability, it is likely also workable for persons A-C and E-Z.”

With respect, you're ignoring my point. There's value to team cohesion in having a team physically together. It won't be fatal to make an exception, and indeed it's possible run a company purely on remote working, but the point stands.

It’s the Sorites Paradox.

If it’s not fatal to make an exception for one person, is it fatal to make an exception for two? If it is, does that mean a team with one remote working exception can’t take on another? Does that fall afoul of reasonable accommodation rules? If so, what do they do? Is the accommodation that was previously workable (and therefore reasonable) now no longer workable?

I get your point, but I probably don’t think it’s quite as strong as you might think.

Re: What I Know About Being Sick at Work (2018)

#50

Post by Broken_Hippo » Sun, Jul 21, 2019, 2:22 PM UTC

hdfbdtbcdg wrote: post #31

MaxBarraclough wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Because if I can do my job from home office just as well why should I not also get that? The usual reason not every employer is ok with remote work: if everyone does it, it damages the team. It's not unreasonable to insist employees work from the office, neither is it unreasonable to make exceptions for employees with disabilities.

It's not unreasonable for someone to find another employer... I am pointing out that treating people differently damages teams.

"I am pointing out that treating people differently damages teams."

Not really. Sing happy birthday quickly during a meeting for folks that enjoy it. Skip over for the folks that would really rather one didn't. Adjusting for a sickness or disability isn't any different.

Most of the time, it boils down to things like giving the person with crutches a little extra time to use the toilet because it takes more time. I don't really understand why this would be an issue for you since, if you had crutches, you'd be treated similarly.

The same as if you developed migraines and were able to work from home a few days a month. More often, however, migraines are likely to be covered by FMLA (in the us) and the person gets time off for a certain amount of days.

If you truly think this stuff is unfair, I urge you to talk to your elected officials and complain about non-able bodied folks getting some special treatment and I truly hope you don't become disabled in any way afterwards.