Would you do this at work?

[RapunzelsRealMom]

Just a poll really to see if I’m in the minority or not...

If you are relatively serious about your job, not senior but in a responsible role, and you have booked annual leave at work but, at that time, you end up sick , would you bother to ‘reclaim’ the sick days so that you can use the annual leave at a later date?

I probably wouldn’t bother because I suppose you’re still getting paid to be off sick and it’s classed as your holiday. But I can see why people do, especially if it has ruined their plans

I think it depends on the situation. Bi had a colleague that was signed off for a period of time her a/l fell in the middle of this she went on get holiday and still claimed her a/l back. That's a bit of a piss take! But still allowed

Yes, and I am SM. I trust my staff not to abuse the system. It has never been an issue.

I think it would depend on lots of factors - how seriously ill, whether I had done it before, etc. It's also important to remember that your family will probably have had their holiday ruined so maybe they deserve another few days.

Work in the Nhs and yes absolutely I would. It happened a few year ago to me I was off with a bad back for 6 weeks with doctors note. Had a weeks annual leave booked in the middle of it. I was due to drive to Sussex to visit family for a few days which I couldn't do because of back pain. My manager automatically put it back into my annual leave days.

It's in our policies and procedures that you cannot reclaim holiday days that you are sick

They are acting illegally as law changed a couple of years ago

It's a legal right whether it's in the policy or not. Though that legal right only extends to the 5.6 weeks (28 days for full timers) statutory leave, not any extra leave your company gives by your contract.

So it's not cheeky to reclaim it. It's a right and it's a right for good reason!

I wouldn't, our absence policy is so draconian that it would seriously be more hassle than it was worth (unless it was something that would turn into long term sick)

If anything staff go the other way, and instead of taking sick leave, have it recorded as annual leave.

It's in our policies and procedures that you cannot reclaim holiday days that you are sick

They need to change their policies then as this is unlawful under the Working Time Regulations, as confirmed by case law.

www.personneltoday.com/hr/annual-leave-13-holiday-pay-cases-employers-know/

If it was just a sniffle then I'd think they were being extreme. If it was an illness that caused them to be housebound or admitted to hospital then I wouldn't think ill of then at all. People need to have to have breaks from work to go back refreshed and this can't happen if their AL is used up by them being ill.

Depends on the seriousness of the ailment. A stomach complaint or a heavy cold, no. A more serious complaint, yes. As pointed out, legally you can. If somebody is very ill, nobody should cock a sneery brow at those who claim a legal employment right. I have never had to, and hope I never do, but if I was very ill, yes I would. Bugger the sneers and the judgements.

We spend so much time at work and so little time "on leave" in comparison that if I was entitled to claim my leave back when it was overtaken by sickness then I absolutely would. You can do this easily at my work but you do need a sick note.

If you had booked a day of unpaid leave for whatever reason and you were sick, would you want it to be classed as sick rather than unpaid?

You're entitled to your own judgement of the situation but it would be harsh to hold it against someone when they're entitled to it.

It really depends, a couple of days with the cold, no but if I was really poorly I’d ask for the time back - and would provide a fit note as evidence of illness. I was off on long term sick and did get pre-booked annual leave back when I returned to work.

I’d be more worried tbh that you thought less of someone availing themselves of their legal rights than that someone reclaimed annual leave.

You sound like a terrible manager, and rather clueless about bringing out the best in your team.

I did. I wasn't bothered about it. But my manger was keen that I should take it.

The rule of thumb is that 20% of staff give a manager 80% of the HR problems.

Lots of employees just see it as bad luck to fall ill (I don't mean hospitalised) whilst on holiday and would not occur to them to claim it back. But there is the 20% .

Staff having their sick time back as holiday is not an "HR problem", it's not any sort of problem. You possibly have to adjust two numbers on a spreadsheet or system. Hardly an issue.

Depends on situation but most likely no. I don't think it looks good.

I have a real problem with people not taking what is rightfully theirs. In the past union members have fought hard for workers rights like paid holidays and sick leave, paid maternity/paternity leave, paid dependent leave. It is not being cheeky or taking advantage to claim something that is rightfully yours to begin with.

Why not ?
Annual leave is precious enough, if your company allows this go for it.
I bet everyone else would.
There is no point taking any moral high ground, you just get shit on!

Our policy mentions that you can.

I would not hold someone in lower regard for doing it, not at a junior level anyway.

I think the only way I would is if I was seriously ill, possibly requiring hospitalisation. Or maybe norovirus. That can ruin you for a few days.

I'd be more inclined to take the leave but then have a few days sick after it to recover fully to be honest.

Interested to know how it works, how do you prove you were sick if you were off and did not have to report it?

Ours is only allowed if sick noted som7 working days plus

So 7 🙃 but I’ve always let hr take the lead in reinstating it