3 ms·

I know people that try to extract the maximum amount of value from their job with the least amount of effort. This typically entails taking extended mental heal

by itake 4y ago

I know people that try to extract the maximum amount of value from their job with the least amount of effort. This typically entails taking extended mental health leave. They get 6-24 months of 0-100% base pay, healthcare, pto, and rsu vests while providing negative value to the organization. I feel like these "take advantage of the system people" are partially the cause of stricter monitoring and leeway.

agumonkey 4y ago
They're only partly responsible. Management has a tendency to optimize everything and big structures/corps are rarely fine grained, they like synthetic and uniform rules that are easy to monitor. It's a subtle cultural shift.
adalacelove 4y ago
> I feel like these "take advantage of the system people" are partially the cause of stricter monitoring and leeway. But these people are so obviously detected it makes no sense. They are not even trying to hide. They could be the cause of stricter legislation, not monitoring. I think everyone has a good measure about the value of the people they are directly in contact: direct coworkers, bosses and subordinates. You can ask other people when in doubt. I'm not claiming this solves every problem, my point is that monitoring is usually completely unnecessary and creates an oppressive atmosphere.
- ryandrake 4y ago
  > But these people are so obviously detected it makes no sense. They are not even trying to hide. Why would they try to hide? If their employment agreement or their company's benefits clearly spell out a way to get 6-24 months of leave, how is it wrong to simply choose to do what's spelled out? How did "making use of benefits that are clearly written out and allowed" turn into "taking advantage of the system"? I take advantage of 100% my company's 401(k) match. Am I taking advantage of the system? How about someone who takes their full maternity leave? Should too many people who do so be a cause of stricter legislation?
  - itake 4y ago
    If the entire company fully utilizes their unlimited PTO, then open ended policies will become less open ended... Unlimited PTO and sick days become tracked PTO and sick days. Which brings us to the original point of employers tracking their employees more.
    - JAlexoid 4y ago
      Unlimited PTO is never unlimited... It's always tracked and limited. As for sick days, a sane company should have insurance for those cases (to cover for people being sick).
  - JAlexoid 4y ago
    Why shouldn't you take advantage of the system? It's not like you're scamming the system...
cptskippy 4y ago
This is a very pro-business victim mentality trying to explain why businesses act heavy handed. This is no different than the welfare queen argument.
hotpotamus 4y ago
What if they're experiencing mental health issues? Many can take years to resolve and some never will. Tying private health care to employment really creates some odd situations.
- itake 4y ago
  > What if they're experiencing mental health issues? The people I know that do this use the time and money for a full time vacation as they travel the world. I am not sure public or private healthcare should fund people's (mental health) vacations.
  - hotpotamus 4y ago
    Well, a vacation probably isn't hurting their mental health. I assume it's short term disability insurance that's picking up that bill. I wonder who actually ends up working more days - a French worker who gets all kinds of leave by law, or an American who maxes out their private insurance benefits? I really couldn't say, but I just can't get all that angry at a worker getting the benefit here.

by itake 4y ago

agumonkey 4y ago

They're only partly responsible. Management has a tendency to optimize everything and big structures/corps are rarely fine grained, they like synthetic and uniform rules that are easy to monitor. It's a subtle cultural shift.

adalacelove 4y ago

> I feel like these "take advantage of the system people" are partially the cause of stricter monitoring and leeway. But these people are so obviously detected it makes no sense. They are not even trying to hide. They could be the cause of stricter legislation, not monitoring. I think everyone has a good measure about the value of the people they are directly in contact: direct coworkers, bosses and subordinates. You can ask other people when in doubt. I'm not claiming this solves every problem, my point is that monitoring is usually completely unnecessary and creates an oppressive atmosphere.

ryandrake 4y ago
> But these people are so obviously detected it makes no sense. They are not even trying to hide. Why would they try to hide? If their employment agreement or their company's benefits clearly spell out a way to get 6-24 months of leave, how is it wrong to simply choose to do what's spelled out? How did "making use of benefits that are clearly written out and allowed" turn into "taking advantage of the system"? I take advantage of 100% my company's 401(k) match. Am I taking advantage of the system? How about someone who takes their full maternity leave? Should too many people who do so be a cause of stricter legislation?
- itake 4y ago
  If the entire company fully utilizes their unlimited PTO, then open ended policies will become less open ended... Unlimited PTO and sick days become tracked PTO and sick days. Which brings us to the original point of employers tracking their employees more.
  - JAlexoid 4y ago
    Unlimited PTO is never unlimited... It's always tracked and limited. As for sick days, a sane company should have insurance for those cases (to cover for people being sick).
- JAlexoid 4y ago
  Why shouldn't you take advantage of the system? It's not like you're scamming the system...

cptskippy 4y ago

This is a very pro-business victim mentality trying to explain why businesses act heavy handed. This is no different than the welfare queen argument.

hotpotamus 4y ago

What if they're experiencing mental health issues? Many can take years to resolve and some never will. Tying private health care to employment really creates some odd situations.

itake 4y ago
> What if they're experiencing mental health issues? The people I know that do this use the time and money for a full time vacation as they travel the world. I am not sure public or private healthcare should fund people's (mental health) vacations.
- hotpotamus 4y ago
  Well, a vacation probably isn't hurting their mental health. I assume it's short term disability insurance that's picking up that bill. I wonder who actually ends up working more days - a French worker who gets all kinds of leave by law, or an American who maxes out their private insurance benefits? I really couldn't say, but I just can't get all that angry at a worker getting the benefit here.