Guess being a low paid DOD employee isn't all that bad, some real horror stories here.
Over 24 years of service, and don't think S/L balance has ever been over 100 hours. In short, hired in Jan 3rd, 1984. Could have signed in before, but no one had the mind to help out about the CSRS/FERS change over in personnel. Was a few years later I learned what that pain in my butt was.
Been a single parent since the boy was 3, had to take off every time he got a jew jew bead stuck in his nose. Single parent=lots of sick leave.
I race motorcycles off road. Since 1983 I've had 11 surgeries anywhere from 100 stitches to close up small lacerations, torn shoulders and knees, tendon reattachment, hernia, compound fractures and a couple of small amputations (no, not that!).
I've came into work in splints, wraps, cast, crutches, wheelchairs, and even once with my ulna sticking an inch out of my arm because it was too swollen to do surgery on. I have spinal stonosis, a couple of compressed disk, arthritis, sciatica, and severe tinitas. Recently half my left hand went almost completely numb, been that way since early May now.
I spend a lot of time modeling at work, keyboard, cranking handles and turning wrenches. Management wants me to document what I do so they can make a decision if it’s work related. Guess my work leaves a good impression, but only when it bails their arse out of an impossible situation, or puts project funds into the DPA.
Surprisingly, it's the tinitas that is the worst, drives me near insanity at times, at least I need my space, especially at work. I live for vicodine, but rum and an inversion table have to do the job most of the time, after hours of course, and never driving. I know that most will say it's my own doing, but am proud of pulling through this far in a vicinity that only has a small medical clinic, where cutting of any kind must be performed a hundred miles away, with a healthy percentage of the cost coming out of pocket as available FEHB in this area is extremely poor, and few medical professionals being actual providers.
Yes, I could just get a desk job, but where is the fun in that. I've given a huge portion of my career to the government, worked through both great and terrible managers. I fix coffee pots, free gyros, CCD's, can make you a tail hook for your Jump Jet, exploit assets, properly document the work, manage moderate sized projects and personnel, design prescription optics and get to blow crap up. I even make parts for the branch heads Harley, under duress of course. I am however opinionated against stupidity (racing aside), and a pain in the ass. I'm not narrowly scoped, so to speak. Wouldn’t make a good FAA or DC employee. I don't fit into any one category, over paid according to management (GS 11/12, actually DEMO project DT-3).
I am sure to burn every hour of use or loose sick leave OPM puts into my account. I've never been tied to the "3 day rule", sometimes get around to calling in, sometimes not. I'm lucky in that respect in that I manage most of my own time and work load with the golden “lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part” rule. Be it annual or sick leave, it does however always go on my time card, something that can't be said for most of the local managers, I'm quite sure.
I don't see any big change coming here before retirement. My current manager just got his DP-4 (GS-14?), and has become increasing more anal about my disposition as it reflects on him I guess. All I can say is, they will be glad to be rid of me I'm sure, make room for the hundreds of GS-5's and 8’s their hiring in right out of 4 to 6 year tenures of college, promising them the world if they stay. I look at them and think, was I ever that gullible. When they look at me, I have no idea what they wonder. Two-thirds speak little or broken English, so likely we wouldn’t understand each other anyway.
But this is about sick leave use and abuse. Some of the crap I've had to do is similar to a mine hunt with a piece of rebar. I'm crazy enough to try some stuff, and get this, it's because I don't want anyone else to get hurt. Honestly. I seriously doubt that the facility director, sitting in his office not 50 feet away would walk out the door if the laboratory roof blew off because some dimwit range employee brought too much explosive into the building. Wow, I was about to get too personal here. But what the heck, are they going to fire me? Don't get me wrong, I love the work I do, but not all the sheep are running in the same direction here, some get a better price for their wool than others, and some, well, you know what else sheep are good for, and there are lots of wolves upstairs.
Abuse sick leave? Never, can't do it. It's a benefit for as long as you live, or if you’re lucky enough to reach retirement.
Been off since September 7th on vacation. Two weeks comp time, two weeks annual leave. Girl friend from Holland stayed the whole time. We spent two weeks in the Sierras, one week on the beach, and the other around the house. I’m now officially engaged after 20 years of being single. I guess that might make me a little bias here having to report back to duty after such a time. I haven't even looked at the 20 emails forwarded to my account the entire time. Life this month has been good, and it's going to get a whole lot better in about 5 years.
Retirement is going to be awesome!
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