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AIBU?

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Original poster

To expect people ill with Covid stay home?

795 replies

LakelandHiker · 12/10/2026 18:09

This week, my manager and a friend who goes to my exercise class are ill with Covid. I don't know if they've tested, but they've both said they have it. However one is still coming into the office and the other still attending the exercise class. AIBU or overreacting here... but why don't they stay home until clear? Even if 'feeling 95% better' wouldn't you wait until potentially exposing others? I can't help but feel mad at them both for being so selfish. I often look after an elderly relative and can't risk passing Covid on to her as she is frail. I get life can't be on pause forever but my manager can get paid sick leave and my friend can miss a class, it isn't like there's anything at stake...

OP posts:
Apaoqh · 13/10/2026 11:16

ruethewhirl · 12/10/2026 22:51

Bet your workplace gets a lot of people going off sick then. Far more, I imagine, than if people weren't placed under the sort of ludicrous pressure UK workplaces put on their staff to work when they're ill and probably not even that productive anyway, and were able to actually take a bit of time to recuperate. The logic fail is blindingly obvious, but unfortunately too many workplaces only care about profits and not people.

BTW for many people Covid isn't 'like a cold'.

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I don’t think the shop I work for would survive if we all took time off whenever we had a cold or similar illness where it’s not a seriously ill situation. Yes it would be nice but it’s not really workable

ExpectMore · 13/10/2026 11:17

vodkaredbullgirl · 13/10/2026 10:45

We don't get paid for the 1st 3 days, that means £600 down a week. Luckily I don't get ill often, but it's a hell of a lot to lose.

Pull your employer up on that one if that’s the case as they’re breaking the law. It changed in April 2026 so it’s now a day one right.

Waitingfordoggo · 13/10/2026 11:18

It doesn’t make any difference @ExpectMore whether you ‘earnt’ it or it fell in your lap. The point is that you are more fortunate than many and you are incapable of seeing it.

ExpectMore · 13/10/2026 11:18

HappyLizard23 · 13/10/2026 10:51

There’s no greed about wanting to heat your home and feed your family

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At the expense of someone else’s health or life? Of course there is

ExpectMore · 13/10/2026 11:19

Maverickess · 13/10/2026 10:54

They are, which is why they can't afford to be ill and take time off work unless they're physically unable to avoid it, or save for a 'back up' to see them through illnesses that other people think they should stay at home for.

I used the same amount of everything I did 10 years ago but the price of them has at least doubled, my wages have not.

Oh and how do you suggest people navigate disciplinary action from their employer for having too much time off sick? Because that's a big motivator too.

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No employer will discipline anyone for taking reasonable sick leave. If they do:

  1. speak to Acas or take them to tribunal
  2. seek a different better employer. The “bad employers” will soon get the hint and treat people better
ExpectMore · 13/10/2026 11:20

x2boys · 13/10/2026 10:56

You abdolutley did not grow up in poverty if you did you wouldnt be lacking in such empathy

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Ha. What a silly and arrogant assertion to make knowing nothing about me.

vodkaredbullgirl · 13/10/2026 11:21

I took one night off sick, didn't get paid for it. My contract hasn't changed to say we do get paid.

ExpectMore · 13/10/2026 11:21

HappyLizard23 · 13/10/2026 10:56

Us povvos should just sit in our cold damp homes with hungry children so that strangers don’t get sick 🙄 after all the poor are dispensable

Well no, you should of course heat your home and feed your children. Thats basic.

x2boys · 13/10/2026 11:22

ExpectMore · 13/10/2026 11:20

Ha. What a silly and arrogant assertion to make knowing nothing about me.

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You yourself have made some pretty wild assumptions about me without knowing anything about me either
As well as calling me a cretin for not agreeing with you .

PeasOff · 13/10/2026 11:23

ExpectMore · 13/10/2026 11:13

Sadly I think I’d be wasting my time given the selfishness displayed by many on this thread.

Seems more than I’d imagined only think of themselves and don’t want to plan beyond the end of their noses.

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And yet you are not answering how they should plan for it, so I'll ask for the third time;

If someone is already struggling financially how do they plan for or save enough for sickness provision?

x2boys · 13/10/2026 11:23

ExpectMore · 13/10/2026 11:21

Well no, you should of course heat your home and feed your children. Thats basic.

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For which people need to go to work
Is it sinking in yet?

ExpectMore · 13/10/2026 11:24

Waitingfordoggo · 13/10/2026 11:18

It doesn’t make any difference @ExpectMore whether you ‘earnt’ it or it fell in your lap. The point is that you are more fortunate than many and you are incapable of seeing it.

Again no, not fortunate which is defined as:

“Fortunate is an adjective that means having good luck or receiving a good thing by chance”

Comfortable (which I’m grateful for), to an extent, as a result of hard work and perseverance. Privileged or fortunate through a matter of divine intervention or sheer luck: no.

ExpectMore · 13/10/2026 11:25

x2boys · 13/10/2026 11:22

You yourself have made some pretty wild assumptions about me without knowing anything about me either
As well as calling me a cretin for not agreeing with you .

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I called you a cretin (perhaps wrongly) at disgust for choosing £75 over the health and wellbeing of others.

ExpectMore · 13/10/2026 11:27

vodkaredbullgirl · 13/10/2026 11:21

I took one night off sick, didn't get paid for it. My contract hasn't changed to say we do get paid.

Speak to your employer as you should be paid for it. You don’t need your contract to change, it’s a legal right. This link might be helpful:

https://www.acas.org.uk/statutory-sick-pay-changes-2026

PeasOff · 13/10/2026 11:27

vodkaredbullgirl · 13/10/2026 11:21

I took one night off sick, didn't get paid for it. My contract hasn't changed to say we do get paid.

Submit a SSP form to them as they should pay you.

SSP is only £123.25 per week so divide that by your working days and that is what you'll get. Don't worry about your contract as it's via the government 🙂

HappyLizard23 · 13/10/2026 11:27

ExpectMore · 13/10/2026 11:25

I called you a cretin (perhaps wrongly) at disgust for choosing £75 over the health and wellbeing of others.

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Happily a cretin then 🥳

ExpectMore · 13/10/2026 11:30

PeasOff · 13/10/2026 11:23

And yet you are not answering how they should plan for it, so I'll ask for the third time;

If someone is already struggling financially how do they plan for or save enough for sickness provision?

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The answer is self evident. That’s why I’m not wasting my time answering.

As you’re clearly struggling, to give you a clue: how does anyone plan for any foreseeable future cost….?

It’s not rocket science, it’s not magic, it’s sheer basics. And it’s more important when money is tight.

x2boys · 13/10/2026 11:30

ExpectMore · 13/10/2026 11:25

I called you a cretin (perhaps wrongly) at disgust for choosing £75 over the health and wellbeing of others.

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But you also ssid feeding your childfen and heating their home is basic
How do you propose people do that on Statuoury sick pay you cant have it both ways
I could call you some pretty unpleasent insults too
But to do that would be to admit defeat and i wouldnt stoop that low.

PeasOff · 13/10/2026 11:31

ExpectMore · 13/10/2026 11:25

I called you a cretin (perhaps wrongly) at disgust for choosing £75 over the health and wellbeing of others.

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Are you aware cretin is an ableist derogatory term?

ExpectMore · 13/10/2026 11:32

x2boys · 13/10/2026 11:30

But you also ssid feeding your childfen and heating their home is basic
How do you propose people do that on Statuoury sick pay you cant have it both ways
I could call you some pretty unpleasent insults too
But to do that would be to admit defeat and i wouldnt stoop that low.

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Because they’ve provisioned for it in advance….? If money is that tight that they can’t then why on earth did they make the situation worse by having kids?!

how will they pay for their ever increasing needs if they can’t afford a days sick leave? Think about it

vodkaredbullgirl · 13/10/2026 11:35

PeasOff · 13/10/2026 11:27

Submit a SSP form to them as they should pay you.

SSP is only £123.25 per week so divide that by your working days and that is what you'll get. Don't worry about your contract as it's via the government 🙂

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Luckily I made the money back, with paid training.

HappyLizard23 · 13/10/2026 11:36

ExpectMore · 13/10/2026 11:32

Because they’ve provisioned for it in advance….? If money is that tight that they can’t then why on earth did they make the situation worse by having kids?!

how will they pay for their ever increasing needs if they can’t afford a days sick leave? Think about it

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Oh god, Expect More is promoting eugenics now! Poor people shouldn’t have kids apparently, only for the privileged and wealthy!

vodkaredbullgirl · 13/10/2026 11:38

HappyLizard23 · 13/10/2026 11:36

Oh god, Expect More is promoting eugenics now! Poor people shouldn’t have kids apparently, only for the privileged and wealthy!

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Crazy isn't it.

x2boys · 13/10/2026 11:39

ExpectMore · 13/10/2026 11:32

Because they’ve provisioned for it in advance….? If money is that tight that they can’t then why on earth did they make the situation worse by having kids?!

how will they pay for their ever increasing needs if they can’t afford a days sick leave? Think about it

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Why dont you have a little think about it ?
When i got married and had my children we were a two income family and we owned our home ( well mortgage)
It became increasingly obvious our second child wasent developing as he should
He was diagnosed with Autism and learning disabillties at three and at 16 functions at around 2/3 years as welll as being totally non verbal
This made it impossible for both of us to work
Life is not black and and white and even when you think you doing all the right things
Disabillty and illness can happen to anyone .

PeasOff · 13/10/2026 11:40

ExpectMore · 13/10/2026 11:30

The answer is self evident. That’s why I’m not wasting my time answering.

As you’re clearly struggling, to give you a clue: how does anyone plan for any foreseeable future cost….?

It’s not rocket science, it’s not magic, it’s sheer basics. And it’s more important when money is tight.

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Oh the irony of being condescending while refusing to acknowledge the actual point!!

Planning for future costs requires having money left over to plan with. You could budget every penny perfectly, but you can’t save money that simply isn’t there.

It's not about people not knowing how to plan, it’s about the assumption that everyone has the financial capacity to do so. Telling people to work harder or budget better doesn’t magically create a disposable income.

Perhaps try addressing that point rather than hiding behind “it’s self-evident” and trying to patronise anyone who disagrees with you 🙂

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