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Original poster

How many sick days do you take?

191 replies

Mushroo · 25/07/2022 11:02

Inspired by a Reddit thread. How many sick days do you take on average each year?

The consensus on Reddit seemed to be about 4 a year which I thought seemed quite high. Personally, I think I’ve had 2 or 3 in my working life (8 years) which I guess is low.

So just out of interest how many do you take?

OP posts:
dodobookends · 25/07/2022 22:16

I've had one day off sick so far this year, and that was because I had an upset stomach and was sat on the toilet all day.

Rupertgrintismyguiltypleasure · 25/07/2022 22:17

I’ve worked at my place for 13 years and only been called sick 3 times (3 days total) One of them times I was pregnant, another time I had norovirus which then turned into gastritis the week after. I’ve got martyr syndrome lol... I will keep going until I’m almost on deaths door. Went to work with tonsillitis and a 40oC fever that was an interesting day 😂

Rupertgrintismyguiltypleasure · 25/07/2022 22:18

Forgot to mention the sickness was back in 2017, so 5 years..

CaptainTroy · 25/07/2022 22:20

Practically none.

TravellingSpoon · 25/07/2022 22:20

I've had to have 7 days off this year after Covid and not being able to return to work until I had 2 negative consecutive tests.

Before that I hadnt been had a day off in 4 years, although had a couple of days of compassionate leave to visit my Grandad when he passed away, and for his funeral.

gingergiraffe · 25/07/2022 22:21

In 40 years of teaching, dh had a fortnight off for a nasty flu bug and only 10 more days in total, though a couple of those were when the dcs had chicken pox. We split time off between us. I doubt I had 10 days off in 38 years, including the chicken pox ones, though I was part time for a few years.

Fortunate good health for us but also coupled with the thought of the inconvenience it would cause to others and the children we taught if we did call in sick. I like to think we passed our work ethic onto our children.

stockpilingallthecheese · 25/07/2022 22:24

None!! Haven't taken a sick day at this job, been here for nearly 8 years. But I do work from home most of the time so it's easy to avoid others if feeling gross, or just take the odd hour rather than a whole day.

comfortablyfrumpy · 25/07/2022 22:24

I worked with a lady who had one whole sick day in the 40 years she worked in the office - she was made of strong stuff. :)

mackthepony · 25/07/2022 22:24

I do feel like that a lot of people just take the off whenever they fancy a free vacation day.

Whereas people who don't take them don't seem to get compensated for them

Unfair

RedDiamond · 25/07/2022 22:34

I have had about 30 this year so far. All genuine. Undergoing medical investigations but it takes time...

I do go in but can only work a few hours then I have to come home and lie down. I now have the facility to WFH on these days, so after a rest of an hour or two, I can carry on.

I am very lucky to have a brilliant boss who knows I am not pulling the wool over his eyes.

He is very flexible, so am I. And if I feel good on a weekend, I just go in and catch up.

TheChosenTwo · 25/07/2022 22:40

Despite working in a school (or maybe BECAUSE I work in a school?) I’ve got quite a good immune system and seem to dodge all the disgusting sick and shit bugs that fly round and attack children and many colleagues!
I did however finally catch Covid this year and had 3 days off, the 4th (a Friday) the school shut because of the storm and then it was our half term so I mainly spent the half term feeling crap!
So this academic year I’ve had 3 days off which is more than I’ve had in years for illness. I had to take a day off last year for something else but haven’t had a poorly day off in years until February.
I do go into work when I’m feeling a bit grotty but it’s the guilt at not being there that stops me. I know that if I had stayed home I wouldn’t be lying in bed all day, I’d be up pottering about, chucking on a wash load etc and I always had to get up and sort the dc anyway, by the time I’m up and got them to school I may as well be at work myself!

Crinkle77 · 25/07/2022 22:44

My sickness was pretty shit before the pandemic but I've not had any sick days in almost 3 years. I have chronic fatigue and used to work in customer service and woykd be face to face all day. If I wasn't feeling well I couldn't face being front facing all day as well as 2 hours travelling time. I've since changed roles and am office based the vast majority of the time now. During lock down I was wfh full time and have been doind hybrid working for about thd last 12 months or so wfh twice a week. This has really helped because if I'm feeling shit I can usually manage to wfh. I can lie in until half an hour before my start time, slouch on the with the laptop and no travelling.

ScarlettnotOHara · 25/07/2022 22:48

Currently have covid, been utterly shocked at how unwell I have been . I have coughed up blood, back, chest pains and currently on antibiotics for a secondary infection . I had today off as I work from home by part time, contemplating whether I should start back Wednesday or wait until next week . It’s totally floored me 😞

bloodyunicorns · 25/07/2022 22:49

I think I've had one in 20 years. But I'm self employed...

PrezelwithMarmite · 25/07/2022 22:53

When i was younger, i took the piss. I used to call in at the drop of a hat. Nice weather for beach, call in sick. However i did have a few mh issues but i also stupidly played on it like an idiot,
I totally played the system!

When i had my first dc i grew up a lot. And only took genuine time off, dc sicknesses and maybe twice for me in 6 years. ( i rarely ever catch bugs even if whole house is ill)

Then around 9 years ago my MH took a huge battering, i was in an abusive relationship, i couldn't function and stood up to him. I was off for best part of a year but my works were amazing.
I left there 6 years ago because although i was 'better' i was struggling to cope, i was a sahm until we opened our own business.
If i feel i cant work one day or whatever its fine. I still get paid and dh can sort my stuff but tbh that's been maybe 3 times and i just caught up later on once i could.

Fernticket · 25/07/2022 22:54

Public sector worker. Had 2 days off sick with a cold/sickness bug in Jan 2019. Nothing since. We aren't all skivers😡

Lapland123 · 25/07/2022 23:01

It’s a weird question- what about asking how often do you become too sick to do your job?
That said, I work in public sector currently and there are a few so called ‘team members’ who are completely taking advantage. They enjoy their full 6 months sick leave, come back for a few days, and are off again. They disgust me and have had a hugely destructive effect on those of us that come to work. They are a major reason why I am considering quitting for private sector better paid job. They are making me sick!!

gamerchick · 25/07/2022 23:11

I don't get paid for being off, so unless I'm bedridden my arse is in.

FatOaf · 26/07/2022 06:25

I don't get paid for being off, so unless I'm bedridden my arse is in.

What about the rest of you?

MissMaple82 · 26/07/2022 06:44

This is a ridiculous question to ask, everybody's health is different.... end of debate!

HarrfordFern · 26/07/2022 09:03

Fernticket · 25/07/2022 22:54

Public sector worker. Had 2 days off sick with a cold/sickness bug in Jan 2019. Nothing since. We aren't all skivers😡

😂 skivers, bless you.

Destiny123 · 26/07/2022 09:09

DenholmElliot1 · 25/07/2022 11:04

None because i'm self employed.

I think you'll find the more generous the sickness package, the more sick day are taken. I'm looking at you, public sector workers!

Assumptions! I've had 7 days sick in 14yrs as a medical student/ doctor (when I caught covid from working in covid icu)....most medical professionals have v v low sick rates as feel so guilty for making wards even more short staffed than they currently are (or operations cancelled now in our case as anaesthetists)

Sellorkeep · 26/07/2022 09:11

What a pointless topic for a thread. How long is a piece of string? And go you for being less sick than the average.
And for everyone posting who drags themselves to work no matter what as they are self-employed - I’ve been there and I feel for you. Not having sick pay is indeed crap.

shinynewapple22 · 26/07/2022 09:33

Amazed to see people in public sector where colleagues are still able to take the piss and have endless weeks off ..... twenty plus years ago maybe ..... but do you not have sickness policies which are getting progressively stricter each year ? At my work people were dragging themselves in with all sorts (and spreading it around) as everyone was too scared to take time off . In fact working from home has doubly helped there - not only is it easier to manage your own sickness but (Covid aside) people are picking up less bugs in the first place .

Lapland123 · 26/07/2022 10:09

In my workplace I don’t know how they do it- I don’t linemansge any of them. Word on the street is that they are off with stress. For six months.I see them coming back for a week, and then off again. All on full pay. They drag the rest of us down big time. If the job is that stressful, they should find a new job. Not happily claim a full salary while simultaneously making the workplace far more stressful ( ironically) for those of us that actually come to work todo the job. They are actually making us sick, sickened by their behaviour

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