Pulling a sickie

My one brief stint as a civil servant was like this. I gave notice, they wouldn't let me take leave but took all my work off me because it would have had a conflict of interest with my next job. I had to go in every day, no WFH, and disrupt the others in the office. Wasn't allowed to attend meetings because conflict of interest but could share an office with people working on projects competing with where I was going to. No gardening leave, its the civil service, 3 months notice period. 3 months sitting reading books, surfing the internet, going for lunch time runs, chatting shit with colleagues. No amount of blatant fart arseing about was enough to let me take my owed leave.

3 days is usually good as doesn’t arouse suspicion….is that a croaky throat you’ve got OP 😏😏

https://www.boots.com/health-pharmacy/covid-19-information-products-and-testing/covid-test-kits

I did last october. Had symptoms and a relative i was due to visit was due to start chemo (all ok now thank god) so I tested thinking nah. And it was. Didn't feel too bad, but i had to avoid the office for 10 days to minimise expose to colleagues who may be vulnerable or have vulnerable relatives.

I’d call in sick for your whole notice period, see how “disruptive” that is! 😂

Not unreasonable at all, love. If they won’t let you use your earned time off and you’ve got one foot out the door anyway, pulling a sickie for your sanity is hardly a crime. You’ve done your bit — take the day, breathe, and don’t feel guilty. xx

Imagine if you got covid? Had to check because your DP/DC/friend caught it and you have painful sinuses and checked because you visit someone old/fail/immucompromised.

At my place that would require minimum WAH

You feel ok but would hate to risk vulnerable colleagues... 3 - 4 days at least.

Most companies will calculate and process their payroll at least two weeks before payday so it may be that your annual leave entitlement has already been calculated into your final pay. If you then try to take an annual leave day it will be refused as they cannot recalculate the payroll.

Then surely you'd be shooting yourself in the foot?

Who will do your work in your absence?

I think it's a really shitty thing to do if some other poor worker has to end up doing your job for you.

Of course it's unreasonable, even though your employer is also being unreasonable.

An odd day seems more credible if it is midweek.

I suppose if, for example, you're directly responsible for people/processes which they have nobody else to cover, and are using your notice period to recruit your replacement, that might fall under a 'business need' specific to you. I could see them denying a request for two weeks off (or all your leave) in that scenario, but to deny a single day is ridiculous.

What are the business reasons? Unless they are denying all other relevant employees AL at that time for the same reasons, you're being treated differently and you don't have to put up with that.

Have you checked your contract? I've only ever heard of AL during a notice period being 'frowned upon', never seen a contractual ban on it. In fact the only time I can recall seeing it mentioned contractually is when the company makes you take any accrued AL instead of paying it out.

In terms of your legal position - technically they could sue you if you just walked out tomorrow and it caused a detriment to the company, however this is extremely unlikely. For example, if you were due to deliver a project and as a direct result of you not doing so, the company lost a client or suffered financial penalties. They would absolutely not take legal action against you for taking one day off.

They could put you through disciplinary/sack you if they deem it gross misconduct. Obviously you're under no obligation to engage with a disciplinary process, but it could be mentioned on your reference. Again though, it's very unlikely as it's a waste of time and effort on their part.

Do you even need a reference if your job is secure?

My recommendation (once you've checked your contract) would be to tell - not ask - them that you will be taking that day off. Tell them you're not aware of anything in your contract preventing you from taking AL during your notice. Tell them that any business need must be applied fairly and equally to all relevant staff, and you will not be treated any differently than your colleagues, or bullied, just because you have handed your notice in.

Wednesday to Friday and opps it’s the weekend. Definitely will be better by Monday

I'd say not a problem, it will depend on when payroll runs etc.., as you are leaving there are other bits and pieces to sort out, so if you are at payroll time, it makes sense for you not to take any leave, as this will flop over to next month, and you're not there (?).
It could be a boring admin/hr thing, or it could be your boss is an arse - either way, take a sickie, notice in, not gross misconduct at all!