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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to book holiday whilst off sick?

24 replies

ILikeBirds · 07/01/2013 09:53

Not a thread about a thread btw

We normally go away on holiday in February. OH's holiday year runs January to January and they're not normally allowed to book time off in advance of the holiday year so it's something he has to do first week back after Christmas. Except that last week he was off work with a chest infection. I'd hoped to book the holiday this weekend so he rang his work and asked about the time off. His line manager's response was "are you taking the pee?"

Was it unreasonable to ring up and ask whilst on short term sick leave?

OP posts:
ebersneezer · 07/01/2013 09:55

It doesn't sound at all unreasonable.

CloudsAndTrees · 07/01/2013 10:08

Not unreasonable, but maybe a bit thoughtless to the people that are having to cover your work while you are ill.

slartybartfast · 07/01/2013 10:09

bit cheeky

Original poster
ILikeBirds · 07/01/2013 10:13

Now i feel guilty Sad

I was the one booking the holiday and persuaded OH to ring up to see if he could confirm time off work so I could book. My work would have been fine with this if the situations were reversed so thought it would be ok.

OP posts:
slartybartfast · 07/01/2013 10:15

not unreasaonble though and why shouldnt he, he could be recouperating, hopefully he will be better soon?

Icelollycraving · 07/01/2013 10:16

I would be a bit pissed off tbh if one of my team did that.

Original poster
ILikeBirds · 07/01/2013 10:21

Normally we'd just have waited, but it's less than 4 weeks until we want to go away and no opportunity to book leave before because of their rules.

OP posts:
hammyimo · 07/01/2013 12:21

Although I can see your logic, I think it would come across badly to them.

Imagine if you were working extra hours and feeling really pressured to cover a sick colleague's work then they ring you up to ask about their holidays. You would feel a little agrieved.

But if he's normally a good employee, hopefully they'll forget about it.

Ilovesunflowers · 07/01/2013 12:25

Yes YABU. You should have waited until he went back.

Original poster
ILikeBirds · 07/01/2013 12:34

Nobody will cover his work whilst he's away for short term absences like this. My work is the same, short of answering a phone, if a colleague is off sick for a couple of days there's very little impact on me due to the nature of my work. If they rang and enquired about holidays it wouldn't bother me one bit.

I just don't understand why it comes across badly unless people are under the impression that you should be too ill to even think about a holiday to have a day off work. He went into work today, but has been sent home again so it's not like they think he's not genuinely ill.

I accept that I must be being unreasonable to think this shouldn't be a problem. Just trying to understand why

OP posts:
Floralnomad · 07/01/2013 12:38

YANBU , I can't understand why people think you've done anything wrong !

slartybartfast · 07/01/2013 12:39

tis better that he has gone in, sadly he has been sent home. i am sure it will be fine, it just would ahve looked better to actually ask for holiday while at work not off sick.

Binfullofresolutionsfor10thjan · 07/01/2013 12:42

For me, being off sick means you are lying in bed feeling so bad that you can do nothing and think of nothing much.

So I would feel it was a p*ss take if one of my team members did it tbh.

Icelollycraving · 07/01/2013 12:44

I think the reasons have been explained. If you are too ill to work,you would think you are too ill to be looking at holiday websites,or along those lines.

nethunsreject · 07/01/2013 12:46

It was unreasonable, yes.

happynewmind · 07/01/2013 12:46

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Floralnomad · 07/01/2013 12:49

He wasn't booking the holiday ,the OP was all he needed to do was confirm he could have the time off ! He's only off with a bad chest he's not dying!

BackforGood · 07/01/2013 12:54

Logically, he's not done anything wrong, but like everyone else says - I would be really pee'd off if I was having to answer extra calls etc and not getting my work done because someone was absent, and they then rang in to book some holiday. I'm surprised you can't understand why it would annoy people.

Is there really likely to be that much competition for booking time off in February, anyway ?

AnyFucker · 07/01/2013 12:58

eh ? He was confirming whether he could have the annual leave he is entitled to because you have a bit of a tight schedule to book it. He just so happened to be on short term sick when he called. Unless he is in the habit of taking "short term sick"? Is his nickname at work "Sick note Bob" or summat (I know a few of those and they boil my piss)

I can't see anything wrong with that, otherwise

Original poster
ILikeBirds · 07/01/2013 13:00

It's not like annual leave is a favour you ask your boss for though is it?

I'm not a manager but I do handle/coordinate requests for a time off for a small group of people. For me it's a question of goodwill, if someone phoned up whilst off sick and said "Sorry for troubling you, normally I'd wait until I was back in work but we're looking to book a holiday for the first week in Feb and I'd prefer to book it as soon as possible can I check some dates"

I'd think no problem, it costs me nothing, it changes nothing but it helps that person out and it might generate some good will with that person and what goes around comes around. It wouldn't even register that I should be peed off that they had the audacity to make a simple request when not well enough to come into work. Perhaps that's why I'm not a manager... Wink

OP posts:
CelticPromise · 07/01/2013 13:02

YANBU. I can't see an issue with this. I've been in hospital and perfectly capable of reading/watching tv/booking hols/making calls. You don't have to be on your death bed to be off sick people!

Original poster
ILikeBirds · 07/01/2013 13:04

No, no competition for time off in February, it's 99.9% certain it will be approved but I still wouldn't book anything before getting confirmation. The short notice means that it's not ideal to hang about. Flights have gone up £90 over the weekend Sad

OP posts:
LadyClariceCannockMonty · 07/01/2013 13:05

YANBU and what Celtic says above. The line manager didn't need to be rude to you, either.

BonaDea · 07/01/2013 13:29

YANBU.

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