Why oh why do people turn up to work when they’re poorly?! 😡😡😡

[slippedawaylikeabottleofwine]

I hate it. My colleague turned up, whinged about how sick she felt for two hours, then threw up in the middle of the carpet and went home. She admitted she’d been feeling poorly all weekend. There’s no excuse for it

Perhaps they can’t afford not to?

Because they need money?

Because of work sickness policies.

Does your company pay sick pay? If not, blame them and not the colleague.
If they do… well then she’s a bit selfish, but maybe she didn’t think it was a bad as it turned out to be.

Gee i wonder!!

Maybe because youre likely not to get paid, or sacked....?

I’d guess if they rang in they’d have to justify being out, the amount of managers I’ve had that would delve into how sick you are and try and talk you around. Also yes, money. Although some people just won’t acknowledge they’re sick!!!!

Needing the money - mang jobs are SSP only and it doesn’t pay the pittance tgat it is for less than three days in a row illness. Rampant presenteism ground in right from school age.

I’m in the NHS. She’s been here ten years, so gets something like six months fully paid sick leave.

Financial security.

If she also has diarrhoea, she should e away from work for at least 48hrs since the last episode.

Edited as saw your update re sick pay. Does she have direct patient care? 😷😬

Yes, needing the money I guess.

Vomiting on the carpet is truly disgusting. No excuse for anyone doing that who’s not a child or severely disabled in some way.

Sick pay/record?

Maybe didnt feel too bad until she got in?

Culture of company shit so you have to "present" as ill before going home?

The only time I stay off work is if I'm too ill to work. That often means I'm ill, but ok to work so will go in (unless I can WFH that day)

Nope, thankfully we’re not patient facing.

she has felt sick all weekend she said. I don’t see any of it as an excuse though because she’s now probably spread a bug to the whole department!

You’ve obviously never been taken suddenly unwell. Can’t always be helped.

Because of sickness policies and pay.

I think there’s a limit to it though.

a bit of a snotty nose? Fine, come in. Sickness and vomiting? Stay home!

Poor woman. Nobody wants to go to work when feeling ill so I’d assume it’s either financial, feeling like her job is at risk, or feeling like the work will only stack up or be done badly in her absence.

I used to go into work sick (never D&V) sometimes because otherwise I’d be facing an impossible mountain of catch up when I got back. Wasn’t the kind of job where someone else could just step in, or where deadlines could be pushed back.

Many people don’t get sick pay, they may have exceeded sick days, might be worried about ringing in sick, want work to see they are actually sick. There’s lots of different reasons.

you can always tell what kind of job someone has / what their work culture is by their approach to sickness.

im a doctor in the nhs. The culture when I was training (and still now) was come in unless you are dead. I’ve worked through broken bones (and not gone to a&e), miscarriages, the flu.

it was drummed into me. I was terrified of phoning my consultant to say I wasn’t coming in.

and it’s all for nothing. It’s a black hole of effort, time, energy. A lesson I wish I had learnt 15 years ago.

But she hadn't been sick at home, I assume? She felt unwell and nauseous and thought maybe it would resolve, so came to work, it didn't get better then she vomited. I can see why you would give it a go - I often feel a bit queasy but you can't always tell if its a sickness bug or hormones or other stuff.

Because even if you get sick pay, managers can be pretty awful to people who need to call in.

I doubt she did it out of choice 🙄

Maybe she’s pregnant

The sensible thing is to stay at home. Employers and schools can make that hard

My friend who works for the NHS has been brought in to discuss her absence a couple of times, she gets every cold going, catches coughs off her kids, etc.

She tries to turn up now no matter how sick she is (although I don't think she'd go in with a norovirus type thing).