We have a VERY small office, so many of these requirements don’t apply to us, but we have to made it a practice since we opened our doors six years ago to provide sick time and to ask employees NOT to come to work if they are sick. If they show up sick, we send them home. Period.

Our employees accrue sick time, which they can use when they are sick, going to the doctor, taking their kids to the doctor, or staying home with a sick kid or other family member. If they run out of sick time, we work with them, not against them.

It’s simply unhealthy for everyone around to expect sick people stay at work, and, in my opinion, it’s even worse to send a sick child to school. I understand that many people don’t have a choice. I hope we can find a way to handle this conundrum in our “civilized” country.

If a small business like ours can be flexible, why can’t the rest of the country get it together? Your employees are the lifeblood of your business. If you treat them with respect, you might find them much more reliable and much more willing to give the job their best.

Here’s a simple test for business owners — would you want your family members to work for you? Would you treat them differently if they did? Think about it.

Thanks BPGL, I always appreciate your work.