sick colleague who refuses to see doctor

you're the manager, so tell her to go home

I'm with hoyo on this one.


If she is a newish employee then don't renew her contract, for god's sake. If she has not completed her probation get rid. If she is a long standing employee on an open contract you have a problem. But you can still send her home.

Ah I hear you about the venting!


After having lived in Japan for a few years, and knowing the Japanese work ethic, I can't help feel, in some way, sorry for the sniffler in your office.


You see, taking a day off can be seen as you being a slacker. Sadly, she is doing everything she can to not seem like a slacker but it annoys the crap out of you nonetheless. And am I wrong in believing that her being sickly and eating like a pig probably gets your goat too?


So really, this boils down to her being bothersome in your eyes.


My thoughts on germs and stuff, if you are strong, eating right and taking your one a day, you should be able to avoid getting sick. Plus, a lot of the time, coughs and colds, flus...they keep you contagious long after the symptoms have gone. And its obvious that your plebe is burdened with a kidney full of stones, eats absolute rubbish and is sick a lot...I hate to tell you this but its unlikely that will change.


So maybe the best way to deal with is to set a contingency plan in place. You're the boss, you can figure it out.


The thing is though, colds and coughs, you just got to work through it, anyone who has been to the doctor for a cold or cough (and I have) know 100% that all you will get is a bottle of cough syrup and cough drops, items you can very well buy over the counter (what you called "self medicating") so why spend the extra cash going to the doc? Does this girl have full coverage insurance through your company?


Hell, I broke a few ribs and went to the doctor and after asking what could be done was sent away with some Bengay and a pack of panadol (because I didn't want to be drugged with heavy duty painkillers). Thats what doctors do. They make you wait an hour for a 10 minute consult then charge you disproportionately for that 10 minutes of sweet FA!


In Japan they have all sorts of over the counter meds, energy drinks and foods to help you soldier on through the worst flu...so its scary out there, people practically at deaths door, at work! Lol. Cheer up, maybe your contingency plan is to request she respect the health of others in the office, buy her a box of face masks and a big squirt bottle of anti-bacterial gel. And yes, this has to be paid for by the office, not her, if you want to have compliance.


Good luck.