Sick Days Don't Look So Good Now That You Can Work From Home Sick Days Don't Look So Good Now That You Can Work From Home The US Bureau of Labor Statistics says 1 in 4 companies adopted more generous sick leave policies last spring as the coronavirus spread. Remote work means people are less exposed to the germs that cause colds. (Representational) A few months back, it seemed as if the coronavirus pandemic would kill off presenteeism -- you know, showing up at work with a sniffle or cough to prove your value or ensure you get your paycheck. Companies that didn't offer paid sick leave were sure to wise up, realizing it was madness to create incentives for workers to spread germs on the job, and Type A workaholics would see that putting the entire office at risk of infection is more selfish than selfless. As it turns out, presenteeism just got a new address: the kitchen table. "You're expected to be always accessible, because where else could you be?" says Harvard Business School professor Leslie Perlow. "There's nowhere to go, nowhere to hide."