To think your work should leave you alone when you're ill?

Absolutely. So many people like to oversimplify this as 'significant time off sick = skiver/malingerer/isn't looking after themselves properly/poor work ethic', when the reality is way more nuanced.

(And that's why I think the Bradford factor is problematic - it might be fair enough if the entire working population was healthy most of the time, but that's not real life.)

This is absolutely true. On the face of it I am one of those halo polishing people, but I'm fully aware that I am 1) fortunate to have a really good immune system, and that is blind luck, 2) privileged enough to have the flexibility to work from home if I'm not 100% but well enough to work, and 3) have good sick pay terms and conditions (NHS) so if I can't work, I can take time to get well. Spreading the sickness is not a thing I do, but I'm fully aware that most people aren't lucky enough to have that option.

And it wasn't always like that; when my DC were little, they'd bring home every bug from nursery and share them with me. I'd also have to train people in IT systems on wards with a lot of elderly people, so I caught a lot of norovirus. I got Bradforded a couple of times.

Yes, this is why I can't abide it when people make halo-polishing 'I haven't had a day off sick since 1976' type comments. IME these are so often people who have some leeway to keep a low profile if they're not well. And also, IME, the ones who spread the bugs around so half the office gets sick as well.

@Jasnah yes these are very valid points being here. The nature of the OP's job role, is crucial to the debate.

I know that if I had a less intense WFH job, or a desk job where I could just slow down for a few days, I'd be working through my chemo right now and not having to take yet more time off. But as it stands, I work as a TA in a lovely ( but intensely busy) SEN school and working right now, would be too exhausting.

OP, what is your job role? ( apologies if you have said already).

People on here are still ignoring the very valid point that it completely depends on the OP's job.

Anyone working with lots of different people day in day out, especially sick people or children will be ill much ore often.

There's also a huge difference between carrying out a desk job, where you can hide in the office and take things easy(ish) for a few days while you feel under the weather, and physical work like care, or work where you have to be on stage at all times, like teaching.

It's easy to say you're never sick enough to be off work when you don't need physical strength, when you don't need your voice or when you don't need to interact with strangers who will judge your company by how well you perform in a presentation on a daily basis.

Well said!!!👏

@PeachBlossom1234

At my work (charity) we don’t get paid for the first 3 days of sickness to stop people taking the piss. It’s amazing that most people can drag themselves out of bed when they’re not getting paid!

Frankly it is not something your company should be proud of! people can't help being sick and you are actively penalising people with long term health conditions and disabilities who often can't help having more instances of sickness.

People 'dragging themselves out of bed' if they have things like flu or covid is irresponsible and will cost more to the company when their illness spreads to the rest of the team.

If some individuals abuse sick leave then it should be addressed with them, not used to 'punish' the entire staff.

The lack of grown-up thinking is amazing...

The conversation should wait till someone is back at work, I agree, but perhaps the OP has given them cause to wonder if she is genuinely sick, or was she actually taking time off for other reasons - half term etc.

Maybe she had previously requested holiday and been refused?

So whilst I agree that normally it should wait until someone is back, or at least don't call them the first day, no-one on here, apart from OP knows the full story and why her manager felt it was appropriate to call within a few hours of her calling in.

Sorry, three days was a mistake on my part, I meant three occasions.

@Thatsnotmynameee so that we're clear here. When you said you phoned in sick, did you speak to your manager or was it leaving a message with someone else to pass on?

People are only human and nobody can predict when they will be ill or how often that will be, it’s pure luck! Three days might be above average but I wouldn’t say it’s particularly excessive, it totally depends on what it’s for, surely? Three times for three cases of the sniffles? Yes, too much, but OP’s reasons don’t seem unreasonable.

Totally agree, we cannot help being ill and OP's reasons don't seem unreasonable at all. People should take time off when ill absolutely and people definitely shouldn't be going into work with D&V etc.
What IS unreasonable is OP's claim that 3 lots of sickness in 10 months isn't rare - it really is (not 3 days - I think that was just for one of the occasions).

And people like you are the reason why norovirus is rampant in the winter. You should be staying at home for 48 hours. Not spreading the virus everywhere! Not all d&v is norovirus, however, the symptoms are the same. Why risk spreading it to others other than selfishness and martyrdom? I say this as someone who has taken three periods off sick in over six years (once covid and two pregnancy related).

Christ, some of these posts are screaming ‘Look at me!’ Look what a good little employee I am, I’ve not had a day off in years despite being ill!’ Nobody cares, it doesn’t make you superior, it’s a bit pathetic really. Your company doesn’t care about you. If you died tomorrow they’d replace you very quickly so stop feeling the need to work yourself to the ground to please them.

People are only human and nobody can predict when they will be ill or how often that will be, it’s pure luck! Three days might be above average but I wouldn’t say it’s particularly excessive, it totally depends on what it’s for, surely? Three times for three cases of the sniffles? Yes, too much, but OP’s reasons don’t seem unreasonable.

I don’t think it’s wrong for your manager to check up on you, but not on the first day. If I was them, I’d ring you the next day first thing to see how you were feeling and take it from there.

I'm sorry you're going through this @Enigma52 , sounds really tough, and I hope your employer is being supportive. I think OP is receiving the responses they are because they really believe 3 periods of sickness absence in 6 months isn't unusual - which everyone is trying to tell them it is. Obviously there will be people who do have that amount and more for very valid reasons, but the majority of people don't hence OP's claim being rubbish.

Sorry that you're going through that but no one is talking about that kind of illness, that's a totally different situation

Like everyone I've not worked anywhere that three absences in a year for minor things would be thought of as usual.

What kind of workplace is it OP?

You had a lot of sickness in a short time op. Hope you feeling better soon. Might be worth finding out if there's an underlying reason.

Your manager should have left you alone and did a return to work interview on your return. Odd calling you on the day you went off sick. I’d text someone the next day to check in if I hadn’t been told when they’d be back, some places you gave to call daily but it doesn’t sound like that is your workplace policy.

maybe the issue is that you did not speak to your manager to start with? Our sickness policy states that you ring your manager by 8.30 am starting why you are unwell and when you expect to be back. If I spoke to a member of staff who had had D&V I would tell then not too come in until 48 hours after last symptoms and ask when last symptoms had been. If they did not return on the expected day, they would be expected to update me as to why. If the 48 hours was at 10am in the morning, I would ask them to start work late and come in if they felt well enough.

I don’t believe the last paragraph, as much as it would be nice if it were true. It’s a guise but at the end of the day a company wants its staff to be at work for financial reasons.

Sorry you are having such a rough time, illness like that doesn't count towards sickness policy so wouldn't trigger any disciplinary action, it's the odd day here and there for a cold, migraine, that kind of thing. As it bakes covering shifts awkward.

Being off 3 times in 10 months is a lot. Where I used to work you if you were off more than twice within a year you’d get a disciplinary.

Not just ill... I'll enough to ring in sick for work. You don't skip work for a common head cold. Most adults aren't properly laid up with illness 3x a year.

3 days is also quite a long time to be off for. If you get a water infection or chest infection surely the first day you are ill enough to be off work you head to the pharmacy or docs for medicine, antibiotics generally start working really quickly!

I was off sick last week. Rare for me to be off, last time before last week it was 4 months ago and then 6 months before that one.

3 periods of sicknessn in a year are excessive under normal circumstances. Not surprised your line manager isn't happy. Have you been signed off? you did not say. Unless you are signed off by a doctor, it's normal to ring in daily.
Read your other responses in this thread - you dont seem to take your job seriously and sound work shy. Maybe find a more fulfilling role? Or do you have any underlying health condition you need to address?

To all of you who are never ill enough to need to take a day off sick from work; you are bloody lucky!!

I'm on my 3rd cancer diagnosis in 13 fucking months. Already had 8 months off for surgery and treatment. In less than a year, I'm off again. Started chemo yesterday. If anyone called me today re: work, I would not be happy at all, as currently feel like shite!

And yep, I will probably go down the IHR route, before anyone tells me I'm being unfair to my colleagues etc ( I work in a school).

We are humans beings, not machines. But slightly jealous of all
you super healthy MNetters.

Well you are wrong. I've been off work once in the last 4 years. At my work, 3 absences within 12 months triggers an attendance meeting.