Under Pressure

Taking the time you need seems innocuous enough. A migraine takes 1-2 days to recover. A case of food poisoning can last up to 3 days. The common cold 7-10 days. If there's a secondary infection, fuggetaboudit...

I thought we'd learned better after a worldwide pandemic, that taking sick time isn't optional. Yes, even when working from home. Lozenges, antihistamines, decongestants, NSAIDs, OTC, prescriptions, these are not what you want someone reviewing legal documents hopped up on. We're tweaking out on meds this close to meth just so we can get that raise or promotion, or just maintain the status quo. Companies are back to that old line of "be here or you're not a team player". Or some politically-motivated colleagues asking "So, you're taking time again this year, eh?"

This type of accepted and promoted ableism is called a "toxic work environment." And boy howdy do we see it in the US. Like everywhere. It's all about what's good for the company, take one for the team. This usually translates into millions or billions of dollars in equity for a few individuals higher up in the chain away from the real work and health problems for the masses. The plebes for the lords and ladies, one might say. The disposable work force. That's how many who talk big about magnanimous values like patient care, safety and quality in products, or common good actually look upon the middle and working classes. This is fairly obvious when top leadership in companies start talking about things like acceptable attrition. They hype their attempts at building careers and keeping people key team members in positions, but this is mostly mist and fog to hide the fact that nobody knows how to make the company work for external stakeholders and their employees.

So when these "non-key" team members actually need the support the company purports to provide, they get back a big fuck you. When employees are working through COVID infections, cancer treatments, children's sick days and every damn health concern, that's a company failure. Leadership is failing. HR deserves some pointed blame as well. Recruiters tout a full smorgasbord of benefits to hook you in and then HR, leaders, the government all fight like hell and make you walk on coals to use them. We, the techies, the doers and those of us driven by other reasons who also need money, out number the business folks. We only accept the crumbs out of fear. A line written by the hilarious Mike Judge for the evergreen comedy Office Space comes to mind. Peter says to the Bobs: "My only real motivation is not to be hassled; that, and the fear of losing my job. But you know, Bob, that will only make someone work just hard enough not to get fired."

At the end of the day, even the things that drive someone to stay aren't enough to battle disillusionment, disgust or the ableism capitalism and corporate America wield as weapons against their workers.

If you're one of the millions of Americans dealing with chronic illness or a caregiver for a loved one with an illness, know that we see you. Particularly middle management, we want to help so lean on your manager if you feel comfortable doing so. If not, find yourself a job with a manager who understands. We can only help when we know you need it.

The best part of that movie can be summed up in this line: "You know, the Nazis had pieces of flair that they made the Jews wear."

Remember that at your next rally, I mean meeting.

-Til the last drop, N