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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Throwing a sickie

111 replies

lechatnoir · 30/08/2012 19:23

Sorry not an AIBU as I know throwing a sickie isn't right but I need tomorrow & Saturday off work but can't take annual leave & don't know what to say that will sound plausible without the need for an Oscar winning performance on the phone in the morning or when I return to work on Monday! I've honestly never chucked a sickie & I'm terrified they'll see through me.
Anyone?

OP posts:

Londonista1975 · 30/08/2012 22:27

Agree, stealth, it's the regular ones who usually get caught, too thick to see how obvious they're being. But in this case the OP should be fine and dandy.

Toombs · 31/08/2012 00:44

Should be fine and dandy? If she is found out her employer can instantly dismiss her, there is no defence. You cannot advocate a course of action that will result in that.

Londonista1975 · 31/08/2012 07:13

Toombs, that's a hell of a big 'if'. The OP is smart enough not to get caught and good luck to her.

I don't get the pessimism about this.

whois · 31/08/2012 07:17

If you ARE going to pull a sickie, go for a migraine. Requires little acting as you would have to with a bad cold or tummy bug or what ever. Totally floors you for 24-48h with little after effects

I get a (genuine!) migraine about once a year, and always hate having time off for it as it is such a popular sickie choice.

sashh · 31/08/2012 07:27

but ironically it also means missing going to the Paralympics as I had tickets to go after work tomorrow

That's perfect, Oh I'm ill / have a family emergency / need to travel 200 miles and I'm even missing the paralympics.

In fact get dh to phne, say someone is ill and you have gone in the middle of the night and btw does anyone want your tickets?

ifiwasarichwoman · 31/08/2012 07:36

dont get DH to phone in, in my office that breaches our sickness policy and would result in a call back

whois · 31/08/2012 07:44

Yeah that's very childish getting someone else to call in. At my work, you have to call yourself.

ihatethecold · 31/08/2012 07:57

It's just wrong.
I hate people pulling sickies
It's selfish. Be honest and hope they can let you have unpaid leave.

Tee2072 · 31/08/2012 08:07

You'd better hope there's not a single person on MN who knows you or your employer as if I read this thread and then heard that someone at my work was 'sick' for the next two days? I'd be directing management here.

Just call and say you can't come in. You may not get paid. You may even lose your job.

But you won't lose it for gross misconduct. Which a thing you really don't want on your CV.

And you may think you don't need a reference. But you never know what the future might bring.

bugster · 31/08/2012 08:14

I would agree with the other posters who say you should be honest, not throw a sickie, but say you need unpaid leave for something important. Maybe you can get a sympathetic colleague to cover for you? If it's future job related and you can't get the leave, could you tell the prospective employer you're unable to get time off this weekend? At least then you appear a more reliable employee to the respective employer too.

StormGlass · 31/08/2012 08:19

If you call in sick, there's a chance that your boss will try calling you at home later to see if you're feeling better. Or that someone you know from work might see you when you're travelling and mention it to your boss.

If unpaid leave that's not pre-booked really isn't an option, then saying you've got a family emergency and will of course take this time off as unpaid leave is much better than pretending to be ill.

NumericalMum · 31/08/2012 08:29

I had someone call in sick once after telling me he wasn't coming in that day the week before by mistake. If he hadn't been leaving anyway I would've started a warning process. I hate people pulling sickies so much but I have an "if you aren't dead you can work" wok ethic and have only been off sick a handful of times in my career.
Please be honest. You will probably get away with it and it seems you are unlikely to have a problem if you do get caught as job ending anyway but I hate dishonesty so much.

Londonista1975 · 31/08/2012 12:22

'Directing them here' tee2072? That's spiteful, isn't it? What business would it be of yours?

As she's said she's having a family emergency, even if the boss calls her later or someone sees her travelling (extremely unlikely), there's a few good excuses she could come up with.

Wow this thread's been so useful! I won't bother with sickness and the D word excuse now if I have to pull a sickie!

Arabellasmella · 31/08/2012 12:30

Defo ring yourself. Cystitis is a good one as you don't need to put on a voice and its not one people want to probe further. If you are seen you are going to the doctors/pharmacy.
I have not done this myself, but i have had awful cystitis before and rung in with it

Cherubim · 31/08/2012 19:40

What did you end up doing OP?

Tee2072 · 31/08/2012 20:11

No, Londonista. It's being a good employee. Which pulling a sickie is not.

I am self employed at the moment so I have no employees, but if I did and find out that one had called in ill when they weren't? I would indeed warn them the first time and fire them the second.

Londonista1975 · 31/08/2012 21:04

Tee, your post read to me as you were posting as someone with no power to do anything, but wanted to get someone in trouble when it's actually got fuck all to do with her. Really pathetic behaviour. Reminds me of the Roz character in Nine to Five...

But you clarified and said you'd do it as an employer which I can understand, though probably wouldn't do myself.

Tee2072 · 31/08/2012 21:31

Actually, if I am on the team of the person who called in ill? Then yes, it does have 'fuck all' to do with me. If they are truly ill? Totally sympathetic and happy to pull my weight.

If I found out they weren't really ill and could prove it? I would prove it.

I very nearly did do so with a woman who was off for months when I used to work for a company. I enquired after her health through a mutual acquaintance and the friend said 'Oh she's great!...er I mean, you know, she's doing as great as expected...' I had no proof so I let it drop, but if I had found some? You bet I would have dropped her in it.

Smile29 · 31/08/2012 21:33

Stomach bug from dodgy food up all night and constantly in the loo is pretty fool proof x

GhostShip · 31/08/2012 21:34

If someone rings in sick at our place it completely effects the whole running of the shift. We're short staffed as it is. If they're genuinly ill we'll do all sorts to accommodate them. We're a caring bunch. But it really really fucks me off when someone pulls a sickie because of daft reasons or they've drank too much. 2 people rang in sick bank holiday Monday, surprise surprise. Which meant I had to do the 2 person job I already do. As well as added stuff from them. Inexcusable.

StormGlass · 31/08/2012 21:36

Some people do take sickies too far.

At one place DH used to work, some of the staff had a 'sick' rota - they'd arrange in advance that person A would call in sick, and person B would cover the shift and get overtime money. DH wasn't involved BTW, he's only ever taken sick leave when he's actually been sick.

ShellyBoobs · 31/08/2012 21:39

It really pisses me off to see how many people in this thread are talking about what makes a good story and how it's fine to pretend to be sick when you're not.

Makes me feel totally justified in coming down as hard as possible on anyone I ever suspect of taking the piss pulling a 'sickie'.

I'm more that generous and understanding when people need time of work, paid or unpaid, but threads like this just remind of how many scheming, cheating cunts there are out there.

StealthPolarBear · 31/08/2012 21:41

Shelley I agree. I've had 1 day sick since 2004 and never pulled a sickoe. But this persons boss is not being understanding e paid leave. The op is going to lose Er job and this is a job opportunity. What do you suggest?

StormGlass · 31/08/2012 21:41

GhostShip, sometimes people do get genuinely sick around holidays.

I once had a very nasty case of food poisoning on a bank holiday weekend - I couldn't even keep down water for the first 24 hours, and couldn't eat solids without vomiting for another 48 hours. I wasn't fit to do anything other than lie in the bathroom clutching the toilet. But luckily for my work, I'd already booked the bank holiday weekend, and the week after, as annual leave, so they weren't affected by my illness. Yay.

GhostShip · 31/08/2012 21:43

stormglass i didn't say they didn't but they dropped themselves in it. One girl I have on Facebook. It was plastered with photos of her in town drinking.

One lad slipped up and asked for Monday off because he was going out, he was refused and decided to call in sick

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