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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be so fed up with people spreading illness?

107 replies

pookie29 · 20/05/2026 07:08

All last week there was a woman floating around work saying “ooh I feel awful today but I still came in” she was hacking her guts up everywhere and generally did sound unwell.

I’m now on a two week holiday and today my throat is sore and I’m very achy. This sort of thing seems to happen to me all the time! My one time to relax and I feel like crap because someone else is so inconsiderate.

AIBU to think that if you’re ill then you should stay off work? If you really really have to be in then you should try to avoid people where possible and wear a mask etc.

OP posts:
Uniaccomm · 20/05/2026 07:18

YANBU. I sit opposite a woman who seems to catch more colds etc than others, and who also practices performance presenteeisim. She also sits near the window and won't allow us to open it to get some air in/let the germs out, because she's in a 'draft'.

I thought we'd all learnt from COVID about respecting the fact that others might have babies/elderly family etc, and to be mindful of that, but no.

Peanutbutterkitty · 20/05/2026 07:17

Of course you're being unreasonable. If everyone stayed home every time they had a cough or cold, they wouldn't have a job to return to!

Floppyearedlab · 20/05/2026 07:16

Would she have been paid in full for being off with a minor illness? If not, there’s no way I would lose pay to save someone else’s holiday if it meant I’d be short if I could physically get in.

If yes, you have a point.

Agix · 20/05/2026 07:15

People who go around other people in when they are ill are terribly selfish and inconsiderate.

Some employers need to get the blame as they are funny about people being off sick or working from home when contagious.

But no excuse for sick people who go spreading their illness in shops or socially etc.

DurhamDurham · 20/05/2026 07:14

Are you going to totally isolate yourself while you’re on holiday from work? Or are you going to get on with things?

I know it’s unpleasant when people cough etc but I think people are scared to be off sick too often. I think if everyone went off sick when they felt ill in my team we would never have a full team at work.

Hope your illness doesn’t last long and you enjoy your time away from work.

Larrythecatforpm · 20/05/2026 07:13

As someone who has two immunocompromised people living in my home, YANBU. People are so very stupid & selfish.

LoveOldFilms · 20/05/2026 07:11

I have 2 kids under 5. I'd be off ill from work from September - March if I did that. They literally bring home a bug every other week.

Even if you have the option to WFH, most employers don't like you abusing it and it tends to be held against you come review/promotion time.