What can and can’t you do while you’re off sick from work?

[StillChangingForTheBetter]

I had a laparoscopy for suspected endometriosis on Friday. I’m still exhausted and generally uncomfortable, but also feel a little more up to doing something gentle - like popping out to return some parcels, or maybe going to get my nails done. We’re also set to have some family visitors mid week next week.

Im off for the next two weeks. No way could I be back at work- I’m exhausted from doing the most basic of things. But is it okay to do small things like that, or is it bed rest only? I obviously don’t want my work to be angry at me, but there’s no way I could be at work right now. I’ve been signed off for a week.

So if you are signed off work ill (which I have totally sympathy for), your first thing to do is book a holiday abroad? I don’t believe there are many workplaces in the UK that would be even remotely ok with that.

If the person the earlier comment was referring to (about posting pictures of the beach whilst signed off) already had a break booked, why did she feel the need to post these to colleagues? There is absolutely no way I could think of my colleagues covering me and send them beach pictures whilst im signed off. Surely if this person felt well enough for 2 full days of travel (which it effectively is to Greece) they would go and keep it to themselves. I have never known anyone in ‘real life’ be signed off work and post holiday pictures at the same time.

I don’t think anyone said it would be the first thing they do, but if it was extended leave (such as for mental health or something like a really serious surgery or something), I can see how it would be beneficial! I’m itching to get out of the house

Funny that my comment has been jumped on.

You can see from all the earlier comments to the OP (when she asked what is ok to do when signed off sick), many people agreed its fine to run errands, go shopping, get out for exercise. Lots of people said they wouldn’t be seen socialising. Not one comment saying ok to go on holiday. If the OP thought it was ok, she wouldn’t have asked the question.

As soon as I disagreed with a comment saying someone ‘posting beach pictures to their colleagues whilst signed off’ was wrong, its jumped on. Do you believe that a genuinely ill person would send pictures to their colleagues? If the holiday was to help with mental health, what was the need to send photos? Why not privately go if that would help with recovery? The comment was very flippant and gave the impression you can live your life as you please. I dont agree woth that at all.

I think the thing is, there's a lot of shame around being ill in this country - see some of the comments basically saying I should be back to normal by now, back to work, or staying in the house. So I guess some people felt a bit upset by that, because we do definitely have a "just get on with it" attitude in the UK

And going out the house is brilliant for recovery. Everyone needs fresh air and exercise and haven’t seen any comments disagreeing with that.

The initial comment I replied to was very much ‘oh its fine to just post pictures of the beach from abroad’. No its not. Yes there are perhaps specific circumstances where a person has a holiday booked and again most conscientious employees would discuss this with their employee. Its a forum where we say how we feel and I would genuinely feel awful posting holiday photos to anyone whilst signed off. If I felt the holiday was hugely beneficial to my recovery, i’d keep it private.

Again, I just find it interesting that you'd feel awful - why?

This is what I mean, there's a level of shame attached to being off. I get the feeling - I feel awful for being off! But I think it's such a shame (I can't think of a better word), because we shouldn't feel shamed for looking after ourselves and our health. it's the most valuable thing we have

I think it’s inadvisable to fly soon after surgery isn’t it, but a weekend away is beneficial.

I did enquire whether your disapproval of going abroad when signed off sick was a blanket disapproval (as you said you didn’t agree with it at all). So is it a blanket disapproval or a case by case?

It does take a few days to get a GA out of your system.

It's a bugger!

I do agree which is why my first comment to you was you shouldn’t feel stuck in the house (whilst signed off) if you have the strength to do some tasks. There is a big difference between errands/exercise/cuppa with a friend and a full on holiday though.

Yes there will be some specific cases where a holiday may help with mental health - if you’re posting photos to colleagues, you would hope it would already have been discussed with their work/manager etc. Nothing in the comment I replied to gave that information and you were asking what can be done in your two weeks off. I imagine if you flew off to spain whilst in recovery, your work may have a big issue with it!

Well yes in my case I can see why they’d be annoyed, but if say someone someone was off for mental health or a long term illness, I can see why a trip abroad might help! Also not everyone finds travelling stressful, they might genuinely enjoy it

I can remember working for the council 30 years ago and the opinion was that if you were sick you should be in bed, you shouldn’t even go to the shop for medicine. It’s very silly, it’s hard to tell how well you are unless you go out I find.

The only time I would be annoyed if I saw someone out is if they had said they were very unwell with flu like symptoms/had something infectious.

It would depend on the mental illness or LTC and where they were on the recovery. For example, if someone had recently been signed off for depression where they're struggling to get out of bed then Occ Health would recommend a very slow approach to getting back on their feet with counselling and a tailored programme that could include getting up and showered one day, maybe a short walk the next, working up to meeting friends for a coffee, and then more in time. A holiday abroad at that early point would be beyond them - but towards the end where they're ready to return and after discussion with OH and their manager then yes, why not.

A D&V or contagious illness - no, don't go an aeroplane 🤢

In the overwhelming majority of cases, i’d say being off sick means you are not well enough to go on holiday. I believe the majority of people would agree with that too.

Like every single topic on Mumsnet, there will always be some exceptions. But if anyone wants to see how their colleagues feel, bring up the topic in work tomorrow. I think most people would say holidays only in exceptional cases (where the benefit of going hugely exceeds the fact the person is signed off ill).

I didn’t like the fact the person originally posting about holidays seemed to say you can just do anything (which is really unhelpful to people genuinely signed off sick).

@ohsososo you’re taking my post out of context and applying it to your own very specific set of circumstances. The poster I was replying to was essentially boasting about going to the pub and holiday while off sick, in a tone that was clearly designed to provoke a reaction.

And yes, I’ve had lots of IVF, a couple of miscarriages, and 2 children, for which I took annual leave and maternity leave.

To be fair you have made several comments that have basically accused me of not needing to be off sick, and that I'm exaggerating how tired I am

It is because you are not sure of what procedure you had done, you have been "stuck in the house" for 2 days only and are already planning on extending your sick leave. By a week.

If I just wanted time off work, I’d use my annual leave.

If you’re talking about me I was making the point that being off sick and going out to the pub for lunch and abroad for a holiday does not necessarily make you some kind of lazy skiver. Not everyone can ‘boast’ they’ve only taken 2 days sick in 28 years so I’m going to guess you’ve never had major surgery followed by six months of chemo. Glad you’re not my gp.

I must’ve missed that they’re a GP! That’s actually so worrying

I had a month off with a total hysterectomy. I had a couple of reasonable allowances made and a slight phased return, working about 3/4 of my usual hours. I was 45 and in an active-ish job.

I probably could have gone off on holiday during the 4 weeks I was off, but it would have been a piss-take frankly. Well enough for the chaos of travel, well enough for work.

I DID have major surgery prior to this, and 6 months of chemo (and radio). And went back to work in between every stage and worked all the way through chemo.

The sheer amount of hospital intervention I'd had was exactly why I was so eager to go back after my hysterectomy. I was sick of doctors, appointments and being ill. I wanted normal life to resume.

Perhaps the reason you posted is because there is a culture of people taking the mick out of the system (and from the start of the thread, I made it clear you have nothing to feel guilty about in your circumstances). Ive heard of people ‘using up’ sickdays and the increased sickness we see after big weekends, bank holidays etc. My DH works in a job where overtime is occasionally on offer and you can absolutely guarantee it’s always available everytime there’s something big on at the weekend (bank holidays etc). We do consider ourselves to be very fortunate to have no health conditions but neither would we ever take a day sick for something we know we can work through (obviously not something horrible like an infectious stomach bug that would bring everyone else down). I do think there should be a sense of pride with work and that sickdays are for genuine sickness.

The comment of someone coming on your thread about what tasks you can do in 2 weeks off after surgery basically saying ‘you can do anything including sending holiday photos’ did annoy me when we work so hard. I would have compassion for those with holidays in exceptional circumstances who were on long-term sick leave.

In 25 years in different workplaces, i’ve never come across anyone sending holiday pictures into work whilst on sick leave. If they have gone on holiday, they must have done it privately. I would step up for any of my colleagues sick, send them a lovely message but wouldn’t expect a bunch of holiday photos back.

Isn’t it just! I’m seeing the actress Joan Sanderson in their posts. (For anyone old enough to know who that is😁)

I also worked through chemo, except for the weeks I was actually having it , but I was given three months off to get over my surgery beforehand. That’s when I went abroad for a holiday. I needed some sunshine and a change of scenery. I did whatever I was capable of doing in those three months whether it was a holiday, pub lunches, shopping etc without a moment of guilt about not being in work.