Women Misbehavin'

My minor was biology in college: I know way more than you ever wanted to know about the germiness of pump soap or how to culture bacteria from your mouth…This in-depth bacterial knowledge has led to a deep germophobia that I struggle with every day.

For a germophobe like me there’s nothing worse than having a germ-spreader in the office! Well, I take that back. Taking the crowded metro in D.C. during flu-season, frigid December sends my anxiety into overdrive. Sometimes you can feel the breeze of someone who has achoo-ed (!) in the seat behind you hard enough to blow your hair a bit.  It’s waaaay worse than being around the office sicko of the week.  

So why do tons of bundled up city-dwellers make their way to work every day with fevers, coughs, and runny noses?  No paid sick leave. Or, a boss who makes them feel bad for using it.  Many working women feel obligated to continue being super woman by going to work at the expense of restoring their health. Not only will the illness last longer if we don’t rest, we also risk spreading our illness to colleagues. And, they WILL know who did it. So, here’s how to solve that problem: Just Stay Home.

We wish it were this easy. Some women don’t have a choice. Right now, not everyone gets to enjoy paid sick leave. Salaried and hourly working women all deserve to recover from illness without sacrificing financial stability. Furthermore, someone has to take care of the kids if they’re sick too. Paid sick leave should be adopted by all employers, and it starts with getting the support of your legislators on The Hill.  For the sake of all germophobes, and of course, for the well being of working women, I hope they do something soon! photo credit