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Can Tech Workers Skip The Olympics As Easily As Athletes? (networkworld.com)
netbuzz writes: [Network World reports:] "Golfer Jordan Spieth announced this morning that he will not play in the Olympics, citing Zika, meaning the world's top four players in his sport have now opted out of going to Brazil. They're self-employed and answer to no one. But what of the rank-and-file employees who work for major technology companies sending large contingents to Brazil? Are they being asked -- or compelled -- to ignore the risks? Conversely, could women of child-bearing age be denied the opportunity to go at an employer's discretion?" Major vendors like Cisco and GE say they're not making anyone go, though at least one expert says that doing so wouldn't necessarily be a violation of employment law. When asked if anyone declined to go, a Cisco spokesperson said via email: "We're not in a position to confirm whether employees have opted out (that is between them and their manager), but we provide for that option." GE provided a similar response, saying, "No GE employees have opted out of going, but GE employees are free to opt out at any time." Patricia Pryor, an attorney at Jackson Lewis P.C. in Cincinnati who has addressed these issues in a piece for The National Law Review earlier this year, was asked by Network World as well. She says: "Employers are wise to be flexible with travel requirements to Zika-infested areas when they can and when doing so is reasonable. However, there are some jobs where the purpose of the job/or the essential functions of the job require travel to these areas. If it is not reasonable or possible to delay travel to the area, an employer generally can require employees to travel."
I'm confused, the question seems to have been answered quite neatly in the summary. if you have a question, and the answer, why do you ask the question again.
yes apparently they can opt out
I wouldn't step foot in Rio or anywhere in Brazil for that matter.
Couldn't they just send employees from India or China, which they would likely do anyway? What's a Chinese employee going to do, say no?
If you're hardware, no, you gotta go.
If you're software, your employer is trying to do you a favor and give you a way to go to Rio and have fun!
Now go have fun!
It is mandatory!
-- Tigger warning: This post may contain tiggers! --
US media severely overplayed the hype
Of course, you don't have to go to Brazil.
Of course, you will have to accept the consequences of your choice. You don't own your job (unless you own the company), and you have no right to it (in spite of what the SJW idiots may say).
I once was "encouraged" to move to New Zealand for a 6-month contract (which probably would have actually gone on 1-2 years). I'm sure NZ is a lovely place, and I would have jumped at the chance to go for a couple of weeks. But I told my boss that if that was my only choice with his company, that I would quit.
I didn't lose my job, and I suspect if you're a good-enough employee that they want to pay to have you travel the world, they probably won't want to lose you. Unless, of course, international travel was part of the original employment contract and you've had a change of heart.
Athletes aren't employed to compete in the Olympics. National teams aren't employers. For example, soccer players are employed by their respective clubs and have to be released by those clubs to participate in international competition. There's also risk that suffering an injury in international competition could inhibit an athlete's ability to perform in his or her job. Participating on an Olympic national team or any national team isn't a player's job. However, if you're a tech worker and your job is to provide tech services at the Olympics, that's your job. You can't skip that any more than an athlete can refuse to attend training camp or appear in games for the team they're signed to play for. That's their job. Stop being crybabies. Athletes don't get to skip out on their jobs, so neither should you.
The golfers aren't pulling out because of the health risks. The golfers are pulling out because they play 20+ tournaments a year and they're not getting paid for this one.
If you're an adult male, you're going if your company sends you. And you should probably be fired if you refuse except in a few rare situations. (if you're on immune suppressants and traveling you probably have bigger worried than zika)
The consequences of catching Zika are generally mild for an adult. Don't have sex for a week after you return to avoid transmitting it to your potentially pregnant partner. If you've been in Brazil for 3 months, and your partner is less than 3 months pregnant when you return, then you have some non-medical issues to sort out.
Statistically speaking, it would be more dangerous for you to catch the wrong strain of bird flu.
No, tech workers can't opt out as easily as athletes. And if they do go, they can't get laid as easily as athletes, either. Life is unfair on so many levels.
Chelloveck
I give up on debugging. From now on, SIGSEGV is a feature.
It's only the professionals who are opting out of what used to be the games to find the best non professional athletes.
As in, "Hey, you're a great employee, wanna go to Rio for a few weeks?". The employee can then yay or nay, with a nay having no negative consequences.
Now, if you said yay 6 months ago, but at this late date say "ummm, about that....", I can see how companies can be upset.
Me? I wouldn't go anywhere near Rio. Between the raw sewage on the beaches, to the crime on tourists, to the cops not being paid, to the very real possibility these games will be a fiasco, no thank you.
Golf is not a sport. It's a game. Take a look at the physical shape of the top athletes in the sports at the Olympics and then take a look at the physique of the top golfers. You will notice a huge difference. What's next for the Olympics? Darts? Snooker?
We can find some to work for the Brazil min wage way less then even what we pay our H1B's and we don't have to play HR games.
The Zika virus apparently can remain in sperm for some time after an infection and recovery, thus the risk of an infected baby could be higher for a male than a female. A women can delay pregnancy until she is free of the virus but if her partner is infected it would still be possible to pass the infection to the baby, per an NPR report.
I'm a consultant - I convert gibberish into cash-flow.
The job market is still very strongly titled to the employers, in spite of what various news sources claim. If one employee doesn't want to do it, the employer will find a convenient reason to fire them and replace them with someone who does.
Damn_registrars has no butt-hole. Damn_registrars has no use for a butt-hole.
Why not ask about all non-athletic employees?
Sod the Zika virus why are PROFESSIONAL sportsmen going to the Olympics?
Build a Man a Fire, and He'll Be Warm for a Day. Set a Man on Fire, and He'll Be Warm for the Rest of His Life.
There was a recent article here on Brasil that portrayed the actual scientists which are dealing with the Zika virus on a daily basis. And they put together the odds of someone being infected with it during the games. It is low. 3 in every 100k. The odds of being shot by a stray bullet on Rio is 3,8 in every 100k. So, quit the fear mongering and come play on this ridiculous thing that is the Olympics.
We can find some to work for the Brazil min wage way less then even what we pay our H1B's and we don't have to play HR games.
Minimum wage in Brasil is about 800 reais per month (yes, it's defined per month instead of per hour). Last time I checked the US dollar is worth R$3.20. US$250 would be a great price for companies to pay. My tourist visa to Brazil cost that alone, not to mention airfare (about a grand), hotel, etc. Additionally, good jobs should lower the number of Brazilians in poverty.
There was a recent article here on Brasil that portrayed the actual scientists which are dealing with the Zika virus on a daily basis. And they put together the odds of someone being infected with it during the games. It is low. 3 in every 100k. The odds of being shot by a stray bullet on Rio is 3,8 in every 100k. So, quit the fear mongering and come play on this ridiculous thing that is the Olympics.
You forgot the other exotic diseases like yellow fever and dengue - much more prevalent and easier to catch. I needed 10 vaccines in order to spend two years in São Paulo. Oh, and that worm medicine every 6 months. If you're just spending a couple weeks to a month there, you should be able to avoid most of the medical perils by following simple rules (most importantly, don't drink tap water). Athletes are at much greater risk than spectators (spectators shouldn't accidentally get splashed by water from the lagoon, for example).
LOL , i have a shit load of countries i will not travel for work , basically all dictatorships , north korea iran irak saudi barbaria UAE (actually make that all middle east) , biellorussia russia , USA (because of the rampant gun violence) , and i have even more companies that i will not cooperate with (cie from all countries above J&J (for their pedophile heir)
You are stupid or what? Big cities do not have risk of yellow fever disease. And while dengue indeed has an infection factor higher than zika, it still is 5 to every 100k. We are on winter here in Brasil, in case you all don't know. If the Olympics were being played during the summer, then the rates would be way higher.
Brazilian here, have lived in Rio, in Boston, and now in Belo Horizonte:
- You CAN drink tap water in Rio, that wont kill you.
- Stray bullets or carjacking are a more likely cause of trouble.
- No, Zika wouldnt be a concern durign winter.
And the beach...
I wouldnt go to Rio. You shouldnt.
Jose T Oliveira Jr.
There was a recent article here on Brasil that portrayed the actual scientists which are dealing with the Zika virus on a daily basis. And they put together the odds of someone being infected with it during the games. It is low. 3 in every 100k. The odds of being shot by a stray bullet on Rio is 3,8 in every 100k. So, quit the fear mongering and come play on this ridiculous thing that is the Olympics.
You forgot the other exotic diseases like yellow fever and dengue - much more prevalent and easier to catch. I needed 10 vaccines in order to spend two years in São Paulo. Oh, and that worm medicine every 6 months. If you're just spending a couple weeks to a month there, you should be able to avoid most of the medical perils by following simple rules (most importantly, don't drink tap water). Athletes are at much greater risk than spectators (spectators shouldn't accidentally get splashed by water from the lagoon, for example).
I take worm medicine every year, because industrial amounts of organic vegetables I eat. If you eat plenty of vegetables [especially leaves] you got to take vermicides, regardless of where you live.
I think you are overstating your Sao Paulo problems. I get to doubt you ever stayed here.
You are stupid or what? Big cities do not have risk of yellow fever disease. And while dengue indeed has an infection factor higher than zika, it still is 5 to every 100k. We are on winter here in Brasil, in case you all don't know. If the Olympics were being played during the summer, then the rates would be way higher.
Define "big cities". I was in Campinas which has millions of inhabitants. Also, there is "mato" close to many of the cities in Brazil where I stayed. My wife is from Fortaleza, so I understand that Brazil is on the other side of the equator, hence opposite seasons. Many of the cities in SP I visited during winter (June-August) were still hot enough for mosquito problems. Admittedly, it was February when I visited Rio, so maybe it gets colder than SP.
Brazilian here, have lived in Rio, in Boston, and now in Belo Horizonte: - You CAN drink tap water in Rio, that wont kill you.
My experience in Brazil is limited to São Paulo state (Campinas region), Fortaleza, and a very brief stay in Rio. I was expressly forbidden to drink tap water from host families, them citing health problems. Maybe it won't kill you, but you could pick up worms - especially for gringos whose immune systems aren't developed for local pathogens.
- Stray bullets or carjacking are a more likely cause of trouble.
Yes, crime is a major concern, but you can avoid the favelas.
- No, Zika wouldnt be a concern durign winter.
Again, in SP, I saw mosquitoes all months of the year.
And the beach...
I saw many pristine beaches in Fortaleza; my travels didn't take me to the beach in SP. I was specifically referencing the lagoon where the canoe competitions will be held.
I wouldnt go to Rio. You shouldnt.
I avoid big events in general, so I'll go to Rio in an off season.