Work situation, AIBU?

Not your business. Her work arrangement and sickness record is between her and her manager. Keep your nose out!
Concentrate on doing your own job, the job that pays your wages so you can live your life and pay your bills.

Why wouldn't you?

Otoh OP I can see why you feel slightly aggrieved. I'm always very careful what goes on social media if I'm off work at all. It's a bit insensitive to post, knowing you're making the workload for others more.

Absolutely....as opposed to sitting about being miserable? Nothing cures misery like doing something you enjoy. Why on earth wouldn't you?

It would bother me and I say that as somebody unable to work due to MH.

Would people genuinely go to a music festival after a bereavement? Really?

Regardless of whatever reason she is off sick for, going to a festival and putting pics of it on social media is a piss take

If they’re good enough friends to go to a festival together, I doubt that reporting this will go well for you. Personally, yes I find all of that odd, but I wouldn’t expect raising it to get me anywhere.

If the impact on the team isn’t being well managed, discuss that with your manager.

I was signed off work earlier this year for a few weeks due to a miscarriage. In the last week off I was fine both physically and mentally but I’d been signed off and since I’d had a terrible time i didn’t go back to work early and just had a relaxing week. I wouldn’t begrudge anyone in the same situation.

It could be she’s taking the piss but you don’t know what’s going on, so I wouldn’t get yourself worked up over it. You really don’t know the story behind a photo. People without thinking smile at a camera but it doesn’t mean everything is fine.

I would speak to your manager. Whilst they maybe ill, and that won’t mean them stopping doing things etc as that could be good for mental health if they are off with MH issues they do need to consider everybody back at work doing their work and posting stuff on line and a cheery I will be back in a few weeks doesn’t cut it

if you are the others are being expected to pick up her work then I would be asking your manager what they intend to do to support the three of you, get agency in, agree something won’t need to be done until they are back etc

Nope because I know enough about mental & physical health conditions to know there are plenty that could going to a one off concert for a few hours perfectly possible, but longer periods at work regularly not. To be honest you'd have to be very lacking in knowledge about health to actually think this wasn't ok.

If she’s been at festivals with work managers, then you've got to assume that whatever’s going on is all legitimate sickness absence.

But I would be a bit bothered if her absence was causing extra work for me and the rest of the team, even if rationally I knew her absence was none of my business.

Depends on the sort of person you are really tho doesn't it. A day at festival requires far less time, money and planning than a 2 week holiday! Especially if you've got a family or pets?

No not at all ..you never know what's going on in someone's personal life. Me and my wife lost our son and both had a decent amount of time off work (at employers insistence) we certainly still did things to keep ourselves going through a tough time. We ate out, went shopping, went on walks. Anything to cheer ourselves up because what's the alternative? Sit at home and cry for a month?

I’m very open minded about these things but I think a music festival is a bit much, it’s not relaxing like a two week break away.

The point is that the OP doesn’t know why this person is off sick. Therefore, OP hasn’t a clue whether or not there has been a bereavement, or if it’s something else. That means she is in no position to judge her colleague for being at a festival, and nor is anyone else on this thread

Don't say a word. It's not your business.

However, you can email your boss and flag that the additional work load you are doing is impacting YOUR well being and health and ask that they address it.

Create a paper trail.

I’m currently signed off sick for bereavement reasons. Some days are bad some are ok, but there are a lot of steps in organising saying goodbye, some of which are 1-2 weeks apart. I couldn’t possibly go back to work and be in and out for one but I’m also having some really down days. I have still been out to activities (mostly with DC), did day trips, had a few drinks with friends. I’ve even posted some bits on SM where my bosses have liked some content. Every situation is so different. Even if someone has something physical going on, doesn’t mean they can’t do some activities. But I do also understand how it feels like a slap in the face. You just have to take the emotion out of it.

Irrationality it would irritate me.

I'd have to strongly remind myself (probably more than once when I'm hot, stressed and tired) that it is none of my business and extra workload and pressure should be managed by my manager and is not the problem of the colleague who has taken sick leave.

But yes, there are times I would feel frustrated.

I'm sorry about your DM, but nowhere does OP say her colleague is grieving or off sick due to a death in the family.

I was off for 3 months after dd died. I went on a 2 weeks holiday during that time. You have no idea as to why she is off, although I appreciate the booking in leave she’s accrued during her current absence is a bit strange.

Comments like this are so strange.

I was once off sick because my DM died. I couldn’t work as I was bursting into tears at least once an hour. My friends dragged me away for the weekend because I was slowly retreating into myself. If you look at the photos from that time you might well conclude that I look really happy and relaxed. In reality I was struggling to get through the day.

People saying it wouldn't bother them - seriously? You wouldn't be even slightly annoyed that someone was off "sick" and partying at festivals?

I can see why this is annoying but you never know what is actually going on. My fella once had a huge issue with chest pains, he lost stones as the pain stopped him eating, and was really struggling.

As a result he took some time off uni. He also tried his best to keep some quality to his life, and when he felt well enough, we'd go to the pub or for a meal etc.

One of his tutors was a friend of a friend with whom he had fallen out. Passive-aggressive remarks started on facebook about how he had been 'seen' out on the town when he was supposedly sick.

I suppose it looked to them like he must be fine if he was doing anything normal- but they were totally wrong. Never mind the unprofessional gossiping between his tutor and his ex-friend.

What would bother me is the festival going with your manager. Who I assume is her manager too.

Either your workload is affected or it's not. If it is speak to management about needing more staff or more money to cover. What people do outside of work is none of your concern.

You'd presumably have the same workload issues whether she attended a festival for two days or she was lying in bed violently sick for those same two days?