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View Full Version : When you are self-employed and you are sick...



Blessed
10-25-2008, 07:23 AM
and have a lot of pending deadlines - it isn't good!

Fortunately I'm still small enough that all of my customers are very understanding - especially since it was the little one who was sick first and she passed it on to me. I've still been working but it's been slower and I've been late on one deadline and just haven't started another project yet. As my customer base grows I could see things like this becoming a problem. I've had a sinus infection which gives me migraine headaches which means that I can't focus on a computer screen for very long. We've had three tough days, I'm feeling better this morning and will be tackling work this weekend in addition to the normal housework I do on the weekends but I wonder what the rest of you self-employed people do when you get really sick - or have something else happen (a death in the family, an accident, etc...) that puts you temporarily out of commission or at least somewhat out of commission?

I'm getting busier - which is good, but it also means that I need to develop better plans for what to do when something unexpected happens and I can't work as much as usual.

orion_joel
10-25-2008, 07:59 AM
To date i cannot say that i have had to think about this problem. The only times that i have even taken days of work was one time when i had something small however had been getting pretty upset by work, so took the time to get away from work more then because i was to sick to work. The other time was not long ago when i was in hospital over night, and they gave me a certificate for 2 weeks. Which i had thought was excessive, however quickly realized once i did get back to work even two weeks later, it took a lot to get back into being on the move all the time at work, and had i gone back earlier it would have probably been detrimental.

But seriously if i was in my own business and had something happen that i could not do the things i needed to do, i am really not very sure just what i would actually do. Being that most of the stuff i do is quoting, ordering and invoicing then it would be fairly easy for me to explain most of it to a family member to take care of. However no doubt if i had consistent customers that i did different little things for it may be harder to explain it all and have them get it all right so that nothing was lost.

This is really why i want to build businesses that don't require my constant attention just the attention i would like to put to anyone on a particular day.

greenoak
10-25-2008, 08:17 AM
its sad, but i dont think the customers would be very understanding about this in the long run..truly its all about them not us....
...it could be a reason once maybe...but if you are a business you have to be reliable...
we have had to face this a few times ...hopefully you can find some back up plan....
ann

KristineS
10-25-2008, 09:32 AM
When you're self employed and it's only you, that is a serious problem. I think the only thing you can do is let people know up front and as soon as you can what's happening. If you know another person that does the same sort of work as you do you might consider setting up some sort of reciprocal arrangement. If you have problems you can refer customers who can't wait to them. If they have problems they can refer their customers to you. It's not ideal, but at least it gives you a little bit of a back up plan.

Dan Furman
10-27-2008, 04:04 PM
I guess it depends on what you define as "really sick". I work through the colds, sinus stuff, back pain (real bad two weeks ago) - stuff that would have easily kept me out of a normal job.

We're all different, and handle this stuff differently, but I'd literally have to be in the hospital to not work. And even then, I'd have my wife bring the laptop. The thought of not working because I am sick never enters my mind.

Funerals and stuff... just had one today. To combat this, I make sure I never over-schedule myself that I cannot move stuff around and take a day or two to do this stuff if needed.

Hope you feel better.

Blessed
10-27-2008, 04:39 PM
True Dan - and I did keep working through the cold, the migraines and the stiff neck and back from sleeping semi upright... I was even working from my hospital bed 24 hours after my daughter was born. The real trouble this time was that the baby was sick and a sick one-year-old takes a LOT of attention! I found myself falling asleep while I was trying to work because I unfortunately do still need to sleep and when I'm sick I really need to sleep!

We are both feeling a lot better and it's a good thing because this is shaping up to be a busy week!

Dan Furman
10-27-2008, 11:36 PM
The real trouble this time was that the baby was sick and a sick one-year-old takes a LOT of attention!

well, I don't have any kids, but I do have a mom - to this day, she still frets when I'm not feeling well (calls all the time :) ) So yea, I am assuming having a sick child is much worse than you yourself being sick.

Glad you both feel better

vangogh
10-29-2008, 03:17 AM
I'm usually pretty good at scheduling things so I generally don't have to get things done on a specific day. Most of the time I have to get it done next week and I try to stay ahead of schedule so I have the leeway when I need a day off.

I'll work through most things though. About the only thing that seems to get to me some days is a headache where I can't focus on the computer. On those days I have no choice but to stop working. Even then I can take a nap and feel better when I wake up and get back to work if I need to.

lav
10-29-2008, 05:44 AM
I wonder what the rest of you self-employed people do when you get really sick My wife would send me to work in a coffin if she had to.... Ive never had a sick day since starting the business 7 years ago, I have been to work while really sick on occasions.

I did have a week off about 2 years ago to take the kids on a vacation that was a gift from the Starlight foundation (http://www.starlight.org.au) because my son had just finished Chemotherapy.......need to have another vacation soon.......before I Infect the rest of SBF with my depression. :)

vangogh
10-29-2008, 12:26 PM
Is your son doing well now? That's a good reason to take some time off.

lav
10-29-2008, 05:46 PM
Yes he's all clear now has been for about 12 months. He has another full scan coming up this month but we are absolutely certain there wont be any "black dots"

vangogh
10-29-2008, 07:54 PM
Good to hear. I had a feeling things were ok based on the way you just dropped the info into a post, but wanted to ask anyway. Understandable why that would be the week you took time off.

billbenson
10-30-2008, 06:03 PM
Got run over by a boat once. Leg broken by the prop. Missed a closing of a $1M or so deal the next day. Still got the deal (and the scars).

I've also been highly sick and entertained clients at a trade show. Client probably wondered why all the frequent bathroom runs.

In some jobs, even not self employed, you gotta work.

A friend got called for jury duty this week. I was thinking if that happened to me it could put me out of business.

orion_joel
10-31-2008, 01:37 AM
Bill, I am not sure about the states, but in Australia if you are a sole operator you are able to be excluded from jury duty. You need to apply based on your business grounds each time though. There may be something similar if you are an essential part of the business, or such in the states.

Knowing there is the potential it can be worth looking into if it is possible to be excluded, and if not try and create some plan now you can put in action if you ever do get called up.

vangogh
10-31-2008, 02:53 AM
Being the sole operator of a business is not an excuse to miss jury duty here, which is ridiculous to me. I'm with Bill. All I'd be thinking about was my business going down the drain.

Blessed
10-31-2008, 04:07 PM
Oh, I don't even want to think about Jury duty - not only would I be loosing business, I'd have to spend money on childcare too...

Mozzy
12-05-2008, 03:11 PM
That is a tough situation to sort out. Here we have other people to pick up the slack. The unfortunate reality is that if you doing it all alone all you can do is, as others here already stated, is let your client base know. Most should be understanding but you may lose a few frusturated clients., Those who stick with you, make sure you give them something extra for being so supportive, they'll likely tell others about how satisfied they are with your service.

Evan
12-05-2008, 11:09 PM
Oh, I don't even want to think about Jury duty - not only would I be loosing business, I'd have to spend money on childcare too...

There are exceptions to serving. You'd probably be able to meet one of these exceptions.

Though speaking of jury duty -- I always feel bad for those that end up on the "big" cases like O.J. Simpson. I'm sure they were not only surprised with what they ended up with, but how long the case took! So much for hoping for a quick case.

KristineS
12-06-2008, 02:19 PM
The one time I've been called for jury duty since I lived here, they settled the case that morning after we'd arrived for jury selection. I was glad about that.

I feel sorry for people who get the big cases too. I can't imagine being sequestered for weeks.

Vivid Color Zack
12-08-2008, 06:56 PM
Being the sole operator of a business is not an excuse to miss jury duty here, which is ridiculous to me. I'm with Bill. All I'd be thinking about was my business going down the drain.

It isn't directly, but if you're in a position where your employer does not pay you for your jury duty days that is taken into consideration and most of the people who used that excuse last time I was called were let off. I was called as unlucky 13... only to come back the next day and be let off. Always say you have a bias in one way or another. I mentioned the fact that my grandfather was a cop and I've always looked up to him, that made the defense lawyer unhappy and I was free to go home :)

More on topic though - I was sick two weeks ago, more sick than i've been in years. Having to try to be in a phone meeting where you have to mute your phone every 5 minutes to puke was terrible. I was lucky to have a partner (business, not the other kind) that could run some deliveries that day for me because I was completely unable to drive. Would have had to try to get customers to pick up some things form my house or maybe rush a dhl shipment to them if I didn't have another person with me.

KristineS
12-10-2008, 12:48 PM
I guess it all comes down to having a contingency plan of some kind. This is a really eye opening thread for those who are thinking of going into business for themselves. You tend to think of office space and equipment and funding, but you don't always consider what would need to happen if you were sick or unable to work for some reason. Those sorts of problems should probably be considered when the original plans for the business are being created. It's better to have the solution in place before you need it.

Blessed
12-11-2008, 08:59 AM
Very true Kristine, I know it is something I didn't really think about, but have had to deal with a few times this past year.

huggytree
12-29-2008, 08:16 AM
I just had vein surgery in 1 leg on Christmas Eve.....I thought work would be slow right now...i was wrong...

Everyone wants their projects finished before Christmas and this week Im still finishing the projects which didnt make it due to other trades.

Problem is i have 1 large project 1/2 done and ive put the builder off 1 1/2 weeks now..every other trade is doing the same to him though...i decided to put 1 customer off to satisfy 10 others with small projects....i make most of my money on large projects, so it may not have been a good decision?...i explained my surgery to him and obviously the holiday is partially to blame...

i get alot of sinus infections also...i started using a sinus rinse...Neilmed i think is the name of it...1 or 2 x a day and it cut my sinus infections from almost weekly to 1 or 2x a year....i no longer have a headache all winter long...5cents a day!

i have not missed 1 day due to sickness for the 2 years ive been in business...until last week.

if your willing to work weekends and 12 hour days to catch up i wouldnt worry about missing a day or 2...ive had customers who wouldnt work with me because they worry about me being injured....its a real worry, but rare

vangogh
12-29-2008, 11:17 AM
Welcome to the forum huggy. Sorry to hear about your leg. Not that there's ever a good time for surgery, but this probably wasn't the best timing for it. Are you back working again?

Good to see you here. Thanks for joining the community.

Dan Furman
12-31-2008, 12:42 AM
I just had vein surgery in 1 leg on Christmas Eve.....I thought work would be slow right now...i was wrong...

welcome back, Huggy. Hope your leg is ok.

Steve B
12-31-2008, 01:14 AM
Hey Huggy,

I was wondering when you'd give the .net version a try. I'm glad to see you here.

You might want to give an introduction post (which will be an update for many of us).