Why you should call in sick
While they might feel heroic, sick employees who come to work—a phenomenon known as presenteeism—can actually hurt companies. Even if youre not scheduled to scrub into the ER and save lives, you can still endanger others by showing up for work in a cloud of germs.

You always have to weigh the risks and the benefits, says Aaron E. Glatt, MD, a spokesperson for the Infectious Diseases Society of America and president and CEO of the New Island Hospital in Bethpage, N.Y. Dr. Glatt suggests asking yourself, What greater good can I do by being there If its not essential for you to go in, and you know you wont be productive, stay home.

People who are coughing or sneezing (symptoms of illnesses spread by airborne transmission) should probably stay home anyhow, according to Dr. Glatt, as should anyone with an open wound or those incapable of keeping good hygiene. We have to be conscious that we are not only taking care of our own health, but the health of other people, he says.

Even if you are not contagious, you should still consider calling in sick if a splitting headache is making you dizzy or if an over-the-counter cold remedy has your brain in a fog. If your symptoms will affect your performance—if, say, your job involves driving, operating heavy machinery, or wrangling persnickety clients—youre better off at home.

BDST: 1710 HRS, SEP- 16, 2015
Edited by:  Sharmina Islam, Lifestyle Editor