Sick day as a summer associate Forum

[Anonymous User]

Tomorrow is my second week. I have either history's worst cold or its best flu. I feel like I am on death's door. If 9 hours of sleep doesn't sort it out, is it inappropriate for me to take a sick day? Will I be the only summer to ever dare to do it? Sadly, work is far enough away that it's a bit of a commitment to decide to go; I COULD leave early, but I would feel like a goober for having made the trip. And it would be unpleasant given I am on death's door.

I'm all for toughing it out usually, but I want these people to think I'm clever and competent, and I'm not sure how much I can camouflage my desire to curl up in a pool of my own phlegm and cry.

[blurbz]

Tomorrow is my second week. I have either history's worst cold or its best flu. I feel like I am on death's door. If 9 hours of sleep doesn't sort it out, is it inappropriate for me to take a sick day? Will I be the only summer to ever dare to do it? Sadly, work is far enough away that it's a bit of a commitment to decide to go; I COULD leave early, but I would feel like a goober for having made the trip. And it would be unpleasant given I am on death's door.

I'm all for toughing it out usually, but I want these people to think I'm clever and competent, and I'm not sure how much I can camouflage my desire to curl up in a pool of my own phlegm and cry.

Ugh. That sucks.

I think you should make every effort to go. It's a job interview in a down economy--if you can avoid giving them any reason to second guess you, you should.

If you absolutely cannot go......I don't think they'll hold it against you, but it's a risk.

[LawIdiot86]

My friend had tonsillitis at a V50 major market firm and his partner told him he could not take off to go to the doctor. He was allowed to find a doctor who could see him before the office open and could sleep under his desk at lunchtime instead of going out to lunch. Just go into work.

[20121109]

Sorry, you're going through this

I would try to make it in, and I imagine once they see how ill you are, they would probably send you home. That way they would see you are dedicated to your job but still give you a day off. I know you would feel terrible going in because you have a long way to travel, but ensuring you don't do anything to harm your chances of a perma-offer is more important.

Hope you feel better! Try using Zicam to decrease the length of your cold/flu. It really works!

[Agent]

Go in anyway.

[reasonable_man]

Suck it up and go and quit being a baby. That simple. Lawyers (myself included), work sick all the time. No one will be impressed by "the worst cold in history."

[Detrox]

Suck it up and go and quit being a baby. That simple. Lawyers (myself included), work sick all the time. No one will be impressed by "the worst cold in history."

While I can appreciate the sentiment behind this, isn't there potential harm from the other end? In other words, if I was a partner I certainly wouldn't appreciate if an extremely sick SA came in and spread their illness around while simultaniously providing (necessarily) less than full efficiency and work. Am I wrong about this or is there some level of illness after which one should not come to work for the simple fact that they may spread the virus/bacteria?

[Veyron]

^ [beat me to the punch]

[cantaboot]

i am sure there are law firms that allow attorneys to work from home, one reason being sickness, so that they at least will not spread viruses and bacteria.

The problem is that you are still an SA....

[LawIdiot86]

Suck it up and go and quit being a baby. That simple. Lawyers (myself included), work sick all the time. No one will be impressed by "the worst cold in history."

While I can appreciate the sentiment behind this, isn't there potential harm from the other end? In other words, if I was a partner I certainly wouldn't appreciate if an extremely sick SA came in and spread their illness around while simultaniously providing (necessarily) less than full efficiency and work. Am I wrong about this or is there some level of illness after which one should not come to work for the simple fact that they may spread the virus/bacteria?

Biglaw is predicated on the notion that you will work yourself to the point of causing damage to your health and beyond the point where you are capable of efficient work. They care that you are working as hard as they want you to, not what is happening to you or your coworkers.

[The Duck]

As much as it sucks, try to suck it up and go in. Afrin works wonders to clear sinus congestion/cold for ~12 hours. A Neti pot can help instantly as well but use sterile water as tap water can lead to a deadly brain infection. Dramamine will help prevent nausea/dizziness (this is off label use for over-the-counter but it is prescribed for this purpose). Tylenol will help head/muscle pain and reduce fever. Use Benadryl to sleep tonight (will also help the congestion. For cough, expectorants like Mucinex are better in the long run but aren't quick acting. If you have a cough, you need the strongest cough suppressant you can find (without an expectorant as this by definition encourages coughing to clear phlegm).

A combination like this is what many people use when they are sick and can't call in or have to perform. (Its what cops, actors, lawyers with trials, etc do.) All of these should be fine together but check interactions with one of the automated systems like the one at drugs.com.

Also, many people overlook this but drink plenty of water.

If you absolutely cannot stomach going in, I'd get to an urgent care place and e-mail right now saying you are so sick you can't work, are at the doctor right now, and will be in as soon as you can begin functioning again. This isn't the kind of job where you should be expected to be taken at your word that you're sick. Don't underestimate the power of a 3 AM e-mail. Last summer I had a bout of migraines and the only reason my judge didn't question it was because I e-mailed the clerk at like 3 AM and he assumed no one was that desperate to get out of work. (I was flat out told this...) 1 AM = I want to stay out drinking. 7-8 AM = I drank too much last night.

[ben4847]

My plan if I get sick:
1. Come in and wipe my germs all over the place.
2. Wait until all the people who give me work are sick.
3. Sleep the sleep of the righteous.

[Dignan]

Some of the responses here seem a little off.

You're a summer associate. I doubt anyone is going to care if you take a sick day or two.

Are you currently working on some critical task that a lawyer at your firm is counting on you to finish in the next day or so? If yes, then suck it up and go into work. If not, then I wouldn't worry about calling in sick. Ten weeks from now, no one is going to care—or probably even remember at all—that you were out sick for a day at the beginning of the summer.

[Anonymous User]

I'm an associate at V10 and all of these responses seem off. Fuck, at this point I wouldn't be surprised if one of you offered your first born child for your firm. I have no clue why you're so ready and willing to sell out, especially when it's not being asked of you.

OP: it's totally fine to take a sick day. Just notify the recruiter and the people working with you. If possible, offer to work from home.

[Glock]

Calling in sick is bad. Getting everyone sick is REALLY bad. Call in and explain your situation. Get moving at some point and do billable work. Hopefully they will see that you had their best interests in mind and got work done even while sick.

[Anonymous User]

If you don't go then you should have a doctor's note. I've had up to a hundred employees not in the legal field and even when it didn't bother me they called in sick I always remembered. Here you are on a ten week job interview and one person voting against you can sink your chances. the recruiter will likely say they don't care but you'll think about it the rest of summer.

I recommend Sudafed from behind the pharmacist counter with Pseudoephedrine.

[Anonymous User]

I'm an associate at V10 and all of these responses seem off. Fuck, at this point I wouldn't be surprised if one of you offered your first born child for your firm. I have no clue why you're so ready and willing to sell out, especially when it's not being asked of you.

OP: it's totally fine to take a sick day. Just notify the recruiter and the people working with you. If possible, offer to work from home.

This.

And wow. It's as if almost no one here has ever been in a work environment where people actually get sick and don't come in. Lawyers get sick, too.

Relax. Work hard, be respectful, and all that other good stuff, but this kind of anxiety does nothing to help you at work.

[sawwaverunner]

I'm an associate at V10 and all of these responses seem off. Fuck, at this point I wouldn't be surprised if one of you offered your first born child for your firm. I have no clue why you're so ready and willing to sell out, especially when it's not being asked of you.

OP: it's totally fine to take a sick day. Just notify the recruiter and the people working with you. If possible, offer to work from home.

I absolutely agree with this. If you have something due tomorrow or have to be in court that might change the circumstances a bit, but don't make your life miserable for no reason. The best thing to do in these cases is to just let those you work with know in advance that there is a chance you will be sick in the A.M. I think you will find that a lot of attorneys are very understanding when you are just open with them.

[chasgoose]

Suck it up and go and quit being a baby. That simple. Lawyers (myself included), work sick all the time. No one will be impressed by "the worst cold in history."

While I can appreciate the sentiment behind this, isn't there potential harm from the other end? In other words, if I was a partner I certainly wouldn't appreciate if an extremely sick SA came in and spread their illness around while simultaniously providing (necessarily) less than full efficiency and work. Am I wrong about this or is there some level of illness after which one should not come to work for the simple fact that they may spread the virus/bacteria?

Biglaw is predicated on the notion that you will work yourself to the point of causing damage to your health and beyond the point where you are capable of efficient work. They care that you are working as hard as they want you to, not what is happening to you or your coworkers.

That's not totally true. I have been yelled at by employers for coming in when I was visibly sick (even though I wasn't feeling that bad, just really runny nose and a cough). I didn't want to look lazy, but it really grossed one of my superiors out (and it wasn't even like i was wiping snot everywhere he literally just saw me blowing my nose twice) and I never really recovered my rep with him after that day. If you are going to be interacting with partners who are germophobes (of which there are probably many in big law) that day, going in may be worse than calling in sick. It all depends on how noticeably sick you are. If you feel like death, but you don't have that bad of a runny nose/a cough I would probably go in. If you are reaching for the Kleenex every 5 minutes and hacking up a lung even if otherwise you don't feel that bad, I would probably stay home. Dealing with sick people really grosses someone out, most partners aren't going to remember you if you call in sick one day, but some may never forget having to deal with a really sick person in their office...

Definitely offer to work from home if you are set up to do so/your firm allows it.

[roaringeagle]

Ahem...


1. Motrin for pain

2. Sudafed for congestion and nasal drip. It works marvels on both.

3. Benadryl or CVS store brand equivalent as an add on anti-histamine, so you can breathe and shit.

All of this may make you tired. Sudafed with actual psuedophedrine can make you hyper. Try getting the type without if possible. This worked wonders for me when I got sick last.

Good Luck do not take off.

[20121109]

lulz...

So much for soliciting TLS for consistent advice.

[Younger Abstention]

Call in sick. No one will hold it against you. It's better than going in, being contagious, and getting people sick who have work to do that actually matters.

[jarofsoup]

Try to work from hOme. Most lawyers don't want to get sick

[ilovesf]

so what did you end up doing?

[Anonymous User]

so what did you end up doing?

Woke up feeling marginally better and dragged myself in, thank god - the disagreement here is alarming!

FWIW for posterity, I found out that my firm gives SAs one paid day off for any reason. (It wasn't in our materials!) So, not every firm will make you sleep under your desk if you get tonsilitis. And I think working from home was a good suggestion; judging from people's reactions to my cough etc., I think it would have gone over fine.