To go off sick in December?

Do it and don't think twice about it. Cover yourself. As pp have said life is too short for this crap. You haven't even taken any sick leave for 4 years!!!

Do you get sick pay? If not you could take unpaid parental leave.

It’s also the kind of behaviour that gets disabled people a bad name, and makes it much harder for them to find a job - they’re already seen as unreliable, and for any employers reading the OP, that’s only going to reinforce that attitude. How much more unreliable can you get than to go off sick for a substantial period of time, at Christmas, citing your disability as the reason when there’s nothing wrong with you except that you fancy a couple of weeks off with your kids ?

I have a very different stance to the apparent majority. Yes, I think you are being unreasonable. Not only are you planning on playing the system and making light of a chronic illness by skiving work and getting your dr to be complicit in this-you’re also falling into the trap that your children are more important than any other child in the world. You said yourself that you’ve always had Christmas off-which means the scales have been unfairly tipped in your favour for years. Other people deserve the chance to be off at Christmas too, and it’s more than fair that it’s your turn to work. Before anyone comes at me, yes, I’ve been through this. My son is now 18, but in his whole life I’ve only had Christmas off 3 times. Twice was booked the proper way, and once was genuinely through a period of ill health which kept me off work for 5 months. We took it in turns at work-I wasn’t the only one with a child, but those without young children also had a fair chance at being off for Christmas. Yes it’s inconvenient finding childcare, and I live absolutely nowhere near my parents so it was a struggle every year, but I was no more deserving of having Christmas off than any of my colleagues.

I don't think "for the kids" is a valid excuse to cheat one's employer and colleagues.

And if mum is seen out and about doing her Christmas stuff when she’s supposed to be sick, they’ll learn that the Jobcentre isn’t the be all and end all too.

At their age the kids aren't going to be learning anything besides ah isn't it nice to have mum off with us for a few weeks over the school holidays. If anything hopefully they'll learn work isn't the be all and end all.

Presumably if you stay off work, someone will have to cover for you?
Unless that's not how your job is. But whichever it is, the work won't be done by you.

On another note, what message is this giving to your kids?

Okay you may say they won't know the truth- but you do. And you know you'd be lying.

Does that sit with you okay?

Presumably you asked here because you wanted everyone to tell you it was fine.

Under the Equality Act employers are required to make reasonable adjustment for those with conditions qualifying as a disability under the Act. This can include not counting any sick leave taken which is entirely due to the disability, as sick leave - it’s recorded as disability leave and doesn’t count towards disciplinary action.

As someone with a severe disability I really object to the idea that a disabled person would have so little respect for the fact that they actually have a job and an employer who is inclusive of their disability, that they would even consider going off sick unless they were genuinely ill. Faking in this way betrays all those who fought so long and hard for the rights disabled people have in the workplace now. If you’re finding the job too much because of your child care responsibilities then I’d suggest you find another job, not commit fraud to get around it.

In this instance I’d be trying to get your employer to work out a proper rota for Christmas leave. Drawing names out of a hat is unfair - some will be lucky year after year and some won’t.

It's fraud and doctors have enough to deal with without you adding to their workload by wanting a sick note. The colleague who is being off sick repeatedly is unreasonable, but you are probably unaware of any action that has been taken if that is the case (my unproven suspicion is weak manager or the person knows something and keeps quiet in return).

Time to look for another job. I think that making the decisions about Christmas leave and a random draw are at least a positive, better than some companies who have no system or leave it until almost the last minute.

Sorry, morning brain missed that! I agree that its hypocritical.

Take some time off sick, but not a month, perhaps a week. I’ll health is not just physical, take the time out.

Unless the employer can get a medic to state in writing that the OP is faking her symptoms of an illness that she’s already been diagnosed with, then your assertion about her getting sacked is clearly bollocks designed to distress the OP.

Did it make you feel all superior to post such nonsense?

Wow your an employer and use language like that, how unprofessional are you.

It is rarely difficult to prove sick leave abuse.

A very fair and sensible way of doing it.

I's get a different job where I could guarantee the time off with the kids. You are definitely right to prioritise being with them over the holidays so not sure whey you took a job where this wasn't necessarily always going to be possible.

To be honest, although you can't say anything, as a line manager I would be very suspicious of someone going off sick under these circumstances, and so would the rest of your colleagues. Depends if that bothers you.

I’m not going to comment one way or the other about whether you should or shouldn’t do it, but how will you be able to go out and about and do all the Christmas stuff you want to do, if you’re pretending to be too ill to go into work? Someone will see you. They always do. And nobody will keep quiet about it if they’ve had to work and you’ve pulled a sickie. You’re playing with fire.

You will be spending Christmas with the kids though but you want more??? What about your colleagues who would have to cover for you? What do you think other parents do. You are being incredibly selfish

Could you apply for unpaid parental leave?

Request parental leave? It’s statutory.

I think "luck of the draw" is a really bad way of doing it. One person could get lucky year after year, and another never!

When I was on a team where only a few could be off at any time, first dibs at time off over Christmas was reserved for those who hadn't had any the previous year.

Yes we had a pisstaker used to take the same fortnight off 'sick' at Christmas. She didn't even try to hide it and took a weird pride in it. The managers were toothless. It was just one of many reasons I left that very toxic workplace!

Right? And I suspect she does if she's off the bank holidays.