To go off sick in December?

Yes, probably true.
OP doesn't want to work over Christmas and let's be honest, one more person going sick is not gonna save the "work culture".

cant you just say the truth.. which is that you have no childcare over Christmas and you cannot work?

Do you get weekends?

Meanwhile, OP doesn't mention being on any sickness benefits, nor having any accommodations at work. For an existing conditions GPs will invariably just sign it, no need to fake anything.

I have a chronic illness and I wouldn’t personally want to tempt fate. What if I took ill and needed those days?

What Christmas stuff could you do anyway? I assume the children would have school/nursery and anyone who was actually sick wouldn’t keep them off to go see Santa for example so if you were seen you would risk losing your job!

This.

Sorry, that post was in reply to @Moggmegg

It depends what the job is and what the condition is. You can be unable to work yet okay to be out and about doing some activities. Again, you're signed off as unable to currently fulfil the duties of your job, not from doing absolutely anything.

So? Neither have I, it doesn't mean I'm entitled to take 4 weeks off when I'm NOT sick and leave everyone else to cover for me.

I completely agree with you. The entitlement is insane.

Yes, it does. And if that condition means that if she can cope with being out and about with Christmas shopping/preparation then she can just as easily be in work, then she has a problem if she’s seen. And it doesn’t make any of it right. She’s not sick. She’s faking a flare up of a condition that her employer is accommodating, and she’s implicating her GP in the process. It’s taking the piss.

Honestly I do think taking weeks off is taking the piss. If you must I would return before new year, i couldn't take both Christmas and new year leaving colleagues to have to pick up the slack. Most people have families they wanna spend Christmas with, why are you more important than them?
I work either Xmas Eve late shift & Boxing Day or New Year's Eve late& New Year's Day, I have 2 children and was upset last year that I missed Christmas Eve with my then 2 and 4 year olds. But this year it's my turn to be off so I will get to put the carrot out for Rudolph and get to put them to bed on Christmas Eve 🙂

It's not ideal having to work Christmas when you have a young family but it's a sacrifice of the job sadly, someone has to do it

Is you being off going to mean that someone else has to lose their time off to cover you? If so YABVU.
Other people have kids / family / friends / just need some time to themselves - why should your wants take precedence over anyone else if the system used is fair to all?

Id be tempted (I have 3 very young children) but then wouldn't do it as I'd be too worried I'd lose my job. How do you plan to do all these Christmas things and not get caught out?. Tbf I'd be fuming if a colleague called in sick and I had to lose my family time to cover you, then you were seen floating about at christmas markets...but then I guess it depends what the illness is?

Sorry, no way is this reasonable. I don’t understand why you’re acting hard done by for not having a MONTH (!!) off over christmas. I don’t know anyone that has this! You say you get the bank holidays off, so you’re off Christmas Day and Boxing Day with the kids? Why do you think you deserve more than that? Plenty of people leave their kids on Christmas Day to go to work. You have the luxury of every Christmas Day off.
I am assuming that it isn’t an office type role where you won’t be missed…so presumably your colleagues will have to pick up the slack while you sit in your backside.
For me it’s not about cheating your employer, it’s really shitty to your colleagues who you work alongside every day. I would never do this. If you didn’t want a job where you work the days around christmas then look for something else.

Don’t care if she hasn’t taken sick leave for ten years, never mind four. She’s not sick. And if her employer is making reasonable adjustment and not counting disability leave towards disciplinary action it’s even worse. She’s proposing to use her condition as the reason to go off sick, so she’ll be faking the symptoms to her GP to get a sick note. She’s doing everything the right wing press are accusing the sick and disabled of doing.

And I’m not assuming anything. She’s been told she has to work Christmas, so she goes off sick for a couple of weeks. It’s not rocket science.

Also someone else I am sure will have said this but if you take your one day on the 26th you’ll get a 5 day stretch off (24- 28 Dec) is a decent break, plus you’ll have all the other weekends in December. I would also inagine there will be holiday clubs on the 22/23 you can sign up for if you organise yourself.

I don't understand why you need to take multiple weeks off to enjoy doing Christmas activities with your children? Surely you have at least 1 day a week off, if not two? Normally people just do fun things with their children on their day off.

My DM worked in retail and always worked over Christmas.
Only days off were Christmas, Boxing Day and New Years. She was a lone parent of 3. I am sure it wasn’t easy but perhaps you can take a couple of days sick leave rather than weeks

I’ve seen many threads here accusing those who are on sickness benefits of being able to swing the lead to get signed off in the first place. As an ex disability outreach worker, I’ve always defended them because I’ve seen first hand how genuinely sick and disabled people struggle and the hoops they’re made to jump through to get benefit.

I find the OP’s post disturbing, not least because she would have to get her GP to sign her off as sick to be paid. She is proposing to make her chronic illness the reason for going off sick and clearly doesn’t see that as a problem, so presumably knows how to fake the symptoms of her condition. So she’s kind of proving those who question the motives of at least some of those claiming sickness/disability benefits right. And not one single thought for all those who have fought for the rights she now enjoys as a disabled person in the workplace. Having spent my working life fighting prejudice and ableism, and advocating to get disabled people into work, I find this really disheartening.

I thought you were going to say a couple of days but that’s a MONTH!

Yes YABU. You’re likely to be making everyone else’s Christmas more miserable. Don’t be surprised if they get rid of you- not sure a disciplinary/ redundancy/ business folding is the best new year’s present.

You’ve got more than enough time to find a new job if it’s this much of an issue, or arrange childcare for the critical days.

OP hasn't taken sick leave for 4 years, disabled or not someone taking 1 instance of a few weeks shouldn't ring alarm bells for an employer, if it does then I'd suggest finding another job. You're also assuming they'd somehow now she was faking it, which again, working for such a suspicious employer doesn't give much confidence does it.

I have a very different stance to the apparent majority. Yes, I think you are being unreasonable

Your view is the majority view on this thread though.

It depends what the chronic illness is doesn't it, people don't get fired for being out and about whilst signed off, only if it contravenes why they're off; I.e. if you say you have a broken leg and you're seen out running it will raise some eyebrows. For some conditions it's encouraged to try and get out- you're signed off from work, not from your entire life.

Kids come first, they are only young for a little bit. Do it.

what makes you think you are entitled for a whole bloody month?