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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To want people who are clearly ill to stay at home?

54 replies

Firsttimer78 · 04/03/2012 21:05

Boss has been ill all week - feverish, hacking up a lung every time she tries to speak, aches and pains, upset stomach. She NEVER takes a day off ill, and that's her perogative, but when you're clearly infectious AIBU to think you should stay at home and not spread it around to anyone else in the vicinity? I've now got the same thing and will more than likely pass it on to DS/DH. :(

OP posts:
raspberrytipple · 04/03/2012 21:11

I hate people doing this too. Had to sit in a small room in a meeting the other day with a manager who was clearly unwell and was coughing his guts up constantly for two hrs. I did throw a couple of disgusted looks but for some reason some people can't bear to think the place could cope without them so insist on coming in. Well, if they infect me they'll have to cope cuz I sure as hell won't be going in if I catch it.

tangledupinblue2 · 04/03/2012 21:11

YANBU

Hope you feel better soon

rubyslippers · 04/03/2012 21:12

YANBU

I have been off work this week with an horrendous virus - work in a small team and no-one would appreciate being infected

IUseTooMuchKitchenRoll · 04/03/2012 21:12

YANBU, it is incredibly selfish to do this. It's something I hate with a passion!

fishandlilacs · 04/03/2012 21:14

I hate it too-it seems to be bloody prevelant too. So much pressure to be in work that people infect others. Thtas fine if you haven't got very young DC's or fragile elders to look after but it's totally unfiar on those that have.

Original poster
Firsttimer78 · 04/03/2012 21:14

Oh yes, Raspberry - she thinks the place will fall apart without her for one day!

Glad I'm not alone. There should be a rule.

OP posts:
rubyslippers · 04/03/2012 21:15

I thnk she is setting a bad precedent too

People are allowed to be ill and have time off

McHappyPants2012 · 04/03/2012 21:16

Yanbu and yabu.

It ok if you have an understanding boss, but most company has sick policy and it goes against you.

I don't want to go into work when Ill but if I don't I could risk losing my job

Sapphirefling · 04/03/2012 21:17

YANBU

fallenpetal · 04/03/2012 21:18

SOOOOOOO NBU !!

I hate this so much! I have a very low immune system due to the large amount of steroids I need to take to live - a cold or flu virus can literally kill me. Because of I avoid many of the key times for flu etc have jabs because hey I dont expect the world to stop for me in flu season.
Yet you can bet if I go for a coffee with a friend even in the summer there will be someone hacking without covering their mouths behind me :( Ill end up on nebulisers and yet more steroids, probably in hospital leaving my kids yet again...

Its so incredibly selfish and I wish people would be more considerate before going to a packed public place without so much as a tissue

WhiteTrash · 04/03/2012 21:19

Does piss me off when people do that. Its selfish.

NoWayNoHow · 04/03/2012 21:21

YANBU - I started a new job on Thursday, boss was very ill and leaning over me to train me, and I'm now sick as a dog (genuinely feel like it might be flu, SO much worse than any cold I've had recently, and I'm in so much pain!)

However, I'm going to have to perpetuate the cycle as I can't stay off sick on my 3rd day, especially if she's setting the precedent of coming in when ill!! At least if the other staff members get it, I won't be to blame!

Also think it's really irresponsible of her as one of the woman I work with is heavily pregnant and this is her last week at work - doubt she wants to be terribly sick on her last couple of weeks before giving birth!

sodapops · 04/03/2012 21:23

YANBU and I would extend it to children at school and nursery as well. Last winter there was a nasty flu type virus going round the DC's school. DS1 caught it in the last few days of term. I was so pleased to be put in bed from Christmas afternoon for a week!

Meglet · 04/03/2012 21:24

yanbu.

If you're sick you're sick. Some people catch everything, some don't. We used to have a twatty HR manager who came in with everything going Angry.

Dee03 · 04/03/2012 21:27

Just coming in from another angle...I work in a preschool and for the past few weeks we've had a LOT of children coming in with colds/coughs etc....hence I've spent all weekend in bed with a stinking cold feeling like death warmed up Sad....but work in the morning to be sneezed all over again I expect.....oh the joys Grin

Original poster
Firsttimer78 · 04/03/2012 21:28

DH just been up to re-settle DS and come down saying he's really hot and might need calpol :( It's one thing to infect me, but passing it on to my child third hand makes me REALLY cross! tries not to imagine slow painful death for germ filled boss

OP posts:
FeathersMcGraw · 04/03/2012 21:29

YANBU to want sick people to stay home, but...

... sometimes the sick people have little choice. DH's employers have always paid sick leave at management discretion but announced at the beginning of the year that only 1 absence per year would be paid. As DH pulled his back out in Jan and had to take a week off until it healed he now has no more paid sick leave for the rest of the year. Let's hope he doesn't get ill as we cannot afford for him to go unpaid...

fallenpetal · 04/03/2012 21:34

FeathersMcgraw - thats awful, is it even legal I wonder :( I hope he stays well

Cherriesarelovely · 04/03/2012 21:37

Totally agree OP. I think that it is mad. Obviously it is also very annoying when people are off all the time for very trivial things but if you are actually ill then you should stay at home. Feathers that souunds absolutely dreadful. How on earth does your DH's company get away with that?!

OhdearNigel · 04/03/2012 21:41

i have been at work with a shitty cold for the past 3 weeks. I work in a very busy office where we are currently struggling to manage our workloads due to staff being on sick leave/annual leave/court duty/training courses. If I had not gone into work for those 3 weeks then my colleagues would have had to cover my work. In my previous job calling in sick would have meant another duty manager having to pull a double shift to cover me.

Unless you are physically unable to do your job or get out of bed you should be at work. People seem to call in sick at the drop of a hat nowadays.

OhdearNigel · 04/03/2012 21:44

It's one thing to infect me, but passing it on to my child third hand makes me REALLY cross

OP, if your child isn't exposed to disease, how on earth do you think he is going to build up any immunity ?

lydiamama · 04/03/2012 21:45

YANBU, but if you just got a bad cold, the employer would look with bad eyes if you are fit to go (not fever, just a cough, and feeling rough), but take it off sick, so unfortunately many people carry going around while they can stand up and drive to work, just to be a good employee and not get into trouble...........

sunshineandbooks · 04/03/2012 21:46

I think this is worse now than ever. People are so scared for their jobs in a time of recession that they will go in even when really ill because they know that if they can't hack it, there is always someone willing to take their place.

The sad fact is, that despite legislation to protect someone, it is NOT illegal to let someone go if they take a lot of time sick even if that sickness is genuine.

FeathersMcGraw · 04/03/2012 21:48

don't get me started on DH's company Angry Considering it's parent company is a well-known multi-national, the management at his site are amateurs at best...

The company line is that employees will get SSP for any other absences.

starwisher · 04/03/2012 21:48

Yanbu