Can we stop pretending that everyone gets to just stay home when they’re sick ?

Going to work sick is awful, I highly doubt the person doing it is delighted about the circumstances either. Why are we pretending that post pandemic we’re magically granted additional work accommodations than we had before ?

A good percentage of jobs will literally just dismiss you if you miss 3-4 days of work for a cold or cough. The same jobs that will do that are also pretty unlikely to have good health insurance. Realistically are people really getting a doctors note for a normal winter cough or cold ?

I’m lucky in that my job gives me PTO and is understanding for call outs but if the PTO is gone you’re fucked. I’ve had multiple food service jobs that gave the ultimatum of “come in or be fired” and that doesn’t work for adults with bills.

Spreading sickness on purpose is suboptimal but how are people shocked to see sick people in public in winter all of the sudden ?

Edit: only roughly 35% or less of documented citizens in the US are capable of working from home to any capacity.