Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Manager if I'd like my sickness logged as annual leave

58 replies

Chariots77 · 03/01/2025 16:40

Been ill right over Christmas with flu. Our office reopened yesterday, but I wasn't well enough still. Messaged my manager, no problem. I returned to work today, and I'm a bit confused as he asked if I wanted to.use leave to cover my day off yesterday? I was a bit taken aback, so said I'd get back to him. Is this normal? To be honest I thought I'd be entitled to my annual leave back over Christmas when sick. Not having to use holidays when I'm actually sick 😳

I've no excessive absences. Other than this illness I think i had 2 days off 1-2 years ago with a stomach bug, and that's it.

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Original poster
Chariots77 · 03/01/2025 22:46

Thanks again all.

Just to clarify - I'm not trying to claim for all the leave between christmas and new year - just that I know I'd be entitled to it - contrary to being asked if I wanted to take leave for one day yesterday. SSP doesn't kick in for ages at my work, no idea on the exact timings but in this industry it's probably the most generous. My manager knows me well enough to know that I'd never be hungover on a work day, 100% not what he's thinking. But from a few of the responses it seems to be more common than I thought. It surprised me as I used to manage a team in this industry and we were told to be really understanding with people on sick unless there was some kind of pattern emerging - we'd have been heavily reprimanded for suggesting any employee uses annual leave to cover absence. I'll just tell him to keep it as sick - as I genuinely was sick!

OP posts:
Printedword · 03/01/2025 20:27

Gosh it's so surprising that companies only offer SSP, it's like something from another century as an approach if you think about it.

Whippetrealgood · 03/01/2025 20:21

My work do this. It's to protect your sickness record, because the odd day here and there off sick can trigger escalation. It's only an offer, say no if it makes you uncomfortable.

SockFluffInTheBath · 03/01/2025 20:12

Chariots77 · 03/01/2025 17:37

No, just that I think I'd be entitled to do that if I wanted to. But I'm only looking to have yesterday as a day's sickness absence.

Show quote history

Where I work if you’re sick during annual leave you have to contact your manager on the first day to register it. A couple of years ago I had Covid for my 2 week summer holiday and didn’t know this until I returned, so ‘lost’ the days.

Acc0untant · 03/01/2025 20:09

Bearbookagainandagain · 03/01/2025 18:57

The best way forward is to ask him what the difference would be between logging it as sickness vs AL, and go from there. It's not an odd request it itself, a lot of businesses would offer the choice if sick pay is reduced.

Obviously you have the policy documents and I don't, but I'm not convinced by the mention of a 12 months full pay policy. This usually applies to long-term sickness, and are a form of insurance (with doctors notes, potentially other conditions, and you formally have to apply to it). It would be unusual for this type of policy to apply in this case.

Show quote history

I agree with this, have you double checked the sickness policy? Ours has different rules for whether it's short or long term. Long term we are entitled to 4 months full pay, short term sickness is SSP for 7 days and then half pay after that for up to 3 weeks. However SSP is unpaid for the first 3 days so plenty of people ask to use annual leave to cover those days.

TooBored1 · 03/01/2025 20:04

Pandasnacks · 03/01/2025 17:58

Are you sure that’s a legal thing rather than a company policy one?

Show quote history

Yes, legal though HOW you do this may be subject to company policy - eg dr's note

winter8090 · 03/01/2025 19:26

The only advantage to having a sick day recorded as annual leave is if you wouldn't be paid for that sick day.

I wouldn't try and switch your booked holiday days to sick leave. That's just unfortunate.

Bearbookagainandagain · 03/01/2025 18:57

Chariots77 · 03/01/2025 17:33

Thanks all. I get full sick pay for up to 12 months, it's a really good policy. I've never used much and have never took the piss - hence why I'm a bit taken aback by him asking if I'd like to use annual leave! And yes, in the UK. I called in sick yesterday, the office was closed over Christmas.

The best way forward is to ask him what the difference would be between logging it as sickness vs AL, and go from there. It's not an odd request it itself, a lot of businesses would offer the choice if sick pay is reduced.

Obviously you have the policy documents and I don't, but I'm not convinced by the mention of a 12 months full pay policy. This usually applies to long-term sickness, and are a form of insurance (with doctors notes, potentially other conditions, and you formally have to apply to it). It would be unusual for this type of policy to apply in this case.

rightoguvnor · 03/01/2025 18:46

I ink it would depend on whether you had notified them as soon as sickness commenced - be that the day before your AL commenced, or on the 3rd day of AL.
If you started AL on, eg 23 December, phoned in yesterday and said I'm sick and btw I've been sick since 23 December so credit my AL back then that might be pushing it. You should have phoned in on day 1 of sickness and had it changed from AL then.

KrisAkabusi · 03/01/2025 18:43

HellofromJohnCraven · 03/01/2025 18:34

Tell him to jog on!

It's a perfectly reasonable question to ask, and as shown, could be doing her a favour!

oldmanandtheangel · 03/01/2025 18:41

very common in retail..for the past 30 years or more I've often taken AL where I was actually sick... or, was asked to make it up (by working on my day off)

Letstheriveranswer · 03/01/2025 18:39

StormingNorman · 03/01/2025 17:38

I think if you want to convert annual leave to sick leave, you need a doctors note to prove you were ill whilst on annual leave.

Asking if you want to use annual leave for a sick day when you get full pay for sick leave is him testing whether you were sick or hungover!

I agree with this.
Really if you were due to start work at 9am most employers would expect you to be calling in sick before 9am, not later on in the afternoon.

He is thinking you were maybe hungover or just too tired after New Years, in which case he is giving you the option to do the right thing and take it as retrospectively approved annual leave.

notacooldad · 03/01/2025 18:36

If anyone os sick more than 3 times in a year it sets a trigger for an investigation. Staff at our place have asked for emergency leave rather than get occupation health involved.

HellofromJohnCraven · 03/01/2025 18:34

Tell him to jog on!

Thewrongdoor · 03/01/2025 18:19

Definitely entitled to your leave back if you are sick when on leave.

Nearlyadoctor · 03/01/2025 18:18

@Chariots77 you wouldn’t be entitled to your annual leave to be taken as sick leave unless you reported it on day 1. Even if that was Christmas Day for example you should have emailed your manager on that day to report you were sick. It’s just a tick box exercise especially as the company were closed. Also by yesterday you would have been out of the self certification period so would need a dr’s note to claim back annual leave.
But it doesn’t sound if any of the above is relevant as it’s only yesterday you were actually taking as sick in which case your manager sounds a bit out of order.

SoNiceToComeHomeTo · 03/01/2025 18:06

Pandasnacks · 03/01/2025 18:02

Dodgy in what way?? It’s a really common work place offer and he only asked.

Show quote history

Oh, OK. I've never heard of it before and neither has OP by the sound of it. Taking sick leave as annual leave would not have been allowed by my employers. They wanted it officially recorded when people were unwell in working time.

Ceeekay · 03/01/2025 18:05

I get offered this sometimes I like that I get this option to be honest but not for all

Pandasnacks · 03/01/2025 18:02

SoNiceToComeHomeTo · 03/01/2025 18:01

In that case, his question was odd and possibly dodgy! You can just say no thanks you'd like to take sick leave.

Show quote history

Dodgy in what way?? It’s a really common work place offer and he only asked.

SoNiceToComeHomeTo · 03/01/2025 18:01

Chariots77 · 03/01/2025 17:33

Thanks all. I get full sick pay for up to 12 months, it's a really good policy. I've never used much and have never took the piss - hence why I'm a bit taken aback by him asking if I'd like to use annual leave! And yes, in the UK. I called in sick yesterday, the office was closed over Christmas.

In that case, his question was odd and possibly dodgy! You can just say no thanks you'd like to take sick leave.

Popadomorbread · 03/01/2025 18:00

My manager always asks if we want short term sickness as annual leave rather than ‘sick’ we have a very strict sickness policy so it can be preferable to some people.

Pandasnacks · 03/01/2025 18:00

TooBored1 · 03/01/2025 17:57

That's the law - they are entitled to do this if they wish.

Show quote history

Nethermind that answers my question

Likewhatever · 03/01/2025 18:00

Annual leave is intended as time for you to rest from work. It shouldn’t be used to substitute for sick leave, which has a different purpose (and is monitored). That was the line taken when I worked in the civil service.

SolarWinds · 03/01/2025 17:59

Facecream24 · 03/01/2025 17:44

To get your annual leave back at my work you need a doctors note.

Same where I once worked, a hospital discharge slip isn't enough apparently!

Pandasnacks · 03/01/2025 17:58

TooBored1 · 03/01/2025 17:54

You can have the leave back if you are sick whilst on holiday.

Show quote history

Are you sure that’s a legal thing rather than a company policy one?