Can you be fired for being sick?
This started as a Twitter discussion from a question Scott Simmons posed earlier. There were many different opinions shared and it's not a simple yes/no question.
So we're here to discuss it further, what are your rights as a freelancer and how should you balance out the responsibilities of the job and your own health?
Do you think an assistant can be rightfully fired for calling in sick?
Do you have a story about coming down with a serious illness and having to push through on a deadline? Let us know in the comments about it.
DURING THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS THE FOLLOWING:
[4:30] What have Josh and Nick been working on this week?...
[11:25] Scott Simmons (@EditBlog) asked his Twitter followers if his assistant editor should be replaced because he was sick and didn't show for work. It generated an interesting discussion on Twitter and inspired this week's episode. What is your opinion? Leave it in a comment below and we'll respond to it.
[16:04] The difference between a freelancer and a full-timer when it comes to sick days...
[23:30] LIGHTNING STRIKE!
EDIT: Scott wrote on Pro Video Coalition after this Twitter discussion and included a follow-up to this story with the sick AE and how the rest of the project went. Worth noting is the tail section of the article where he gleans some advice for working for/with someone new for the first time. Check out the full article here for 6 tips for working as an assistant for someone new.
LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
- The Twitter conversation that started it all. Starting with Scott Simmons original question about whether a sick AE should be fired/replaced.
ESA - Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ON, Canada)
- An In-Depth Guide for Independent Contractors in Canada
- The Freelancer Files: Sick Days and Freelancing Don't Mix – Or Do They?
