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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think if you have a virus which causes vomiting etc you shouldn't be at work

32 replies

OrangeClub · 07/01/2013 14:04

I work in a small office (15 members of staff in total). Someone has come into work today having been vomiting all day yesterday. She still feels sick now and has other symptoms too (aching, fever, cold like symptoms as well). She was told at 11.00am to go home by one of the directors and she is still here now.

AIBU to think that she shouldn't really have come in at all and secondly that she should have gone home, bearing in mind she has been told to go home?

OP posts:

gazzalw · 07/01/2013 14:13

It's totally anti-social/selfish of her and if she has got norovirus you'll probably all come down with it....

Why on earth wouldn't she just go home if one of the directors told her to do so? It could almost be an disciplinary offence as her virus could potentially impact massively on the productivity of your Office over the coming days/weeks....

I'm all for people being stoical but this is just total selfishness although I'm pretty sure she probably thinks she's being a martyr!

Sirzy · 07/01/2013 14:14

yanbu

I dont know why people struggle so much with staying at home if vomitting for at least 24 after,

verytellytubby · 07/01/2013 14:15

Totally selfish.

BettySwollocksandaCrustyRack · 07/01/2013 14:16

YANBU.....so out of order and bloody selfish!

Alisvolatpropiis · 07/01/2013 14:20

Does she actually get sick pay? Lots of people can't afford to lose a days pay. Or even half a days pay. So though it might be selfish there could be reason for her not going home.

Obviously if she does get sick pay she is being an idiot.

Original poster

OrangeClub · 07/01/2013 14:22

This was exactly what I was thinking. There aren't many of us and if even a few of us go down with it then the office will virtually grind to a halt. Some of us have young children and/or elderly relatives and of course we don't want to make them poorly too.

I accept that in this climate people feel that they have to drag themselves into work but if your boss has told you to leave, because you might make other people ill, then why wouldn't you just go home?

OP posts:

Original poster

OrangeClub · 07/01/2013 14:23

Without wanting to out anyone, yes she is paid sick pay. We get around six months full pay.

OP posts:

Findingmyself · 07/01/2013 14:24

She is being a martyr, and extremely selfish

MrsMuddyPuddles · 07/01/2013 14:25

nip out, buy her a dust mask, they prevent the spread of germs by the sick even if they don't keep the healthy from getting them.

Original poster

OrangeClub · 07/01/2013 14:28

Mrs Muddy - Ha ha!!! I can just see her wearing one of those. I told her to bugger off home at lunchtime (she is also a good friend of mine outside of work) and she got a bit huffy about it. Then she went into the kitchen, touched the fridge, kettle, cups, milk etc etc etc. Aaaahhhhh!!!!! She has also got her air conditioning on in her office, which will no doubt spread her germs far and wide.

OP posts:

Wishfulmakeupping · 07/01/2013 14:29

Yanbu it's so irresponsible and drives me mad when people do this- I'm moan everything no-one listens but last time 3 others caught it so maybe they will agree next tome

gazzalw · 07/01/2013 14:36

Problem is that it's a bit late now if she's been breathing all over everyone for about six hours of work-time [frown].

emsyj · 07/01/2013 14:37

YANBU - the assistant who served me in TKMaxx the week before Christmas was complaining loudly to the assistant on the adjacent till that he had been up all night throwing up but had dragged himself into work because 'I know how hard it is to get people to cover'. I was and and complained (no response whatsoever) to TKMaxx - I was 34 weeks pregnant and would not want his infection, plus there is the very real possibility that a severe bug could kill an elderly or otherwise frail person.

Idiot.

Someone should send your colleague home...

Original poster

OrangeClub · 07/01/2013 14:42

emsyj. I should have thought of that, but to be honest I didn't. Both me and my immediate boss work with the elderly. We quite often go on home visits or out to hospitals to see clients. So there is probably a risk to them too.

I appreciate that you can pick up a bug from anywhere and unless you are in a clean room then there is always the chance of catching something. I was just a bit pissed off that she has come in today, knowing she was being sick yesterday, and been told by a doctor this morning that she has a virus. It justs seems a bit selfish of her to be honest.

OP posts:

emsyj · 07/01/2013 14:49

It is extraordinarily thoughtless - have you said this stuff to her, very simply and without being angry etc? I genuinely believe that the guy in TKMaxx thought he was a top bloke for turning up for work despite being ill - it simply had never occurred to him that he would be putting others at risk. Maybe just tell her?

GobblersSparklyExplodingKnob · 07/01/2013 14:54

Generally, no I don't think you should and most places of work tell you to take 24/48 hours off afterwards to stop the spread.

I am lucky enough to be a particular degree course where once we are working in the industry time off is not really possible, we have to drag our arses in unless actually dying. If we are throwing up we have a bucket (I am not joking) If we then all catch it and all end up throwing up, we have several buckets. I think we are all developing very strong imumne systems

So generally YANBU but for some jobs YwouldBU.

mrlazysfishwife · 07/01/2013 14:55

I would be fucking FURIOUS with her. What the hell is wrong with people that they don't get that these bugs spread like wildfire and she could infect everyone and their families, and your elderly clients????? What does she think she's going to gain from this? What's her reasoning for coming in and then staying?
Your director should have TOLD her to leave, full stop. I've made people leave work for the same reason (after telling th how bloody irresponsible they are, we also work with vulnerable adults)

Original poster

OrangeClub · 07/01/2013 15:02

We work in an industry where if you are off ill then no-one does your work. However she has been told to go home by a director and she does have a secretary who is more than capable of covering for her for a couple of days.

I have told her to go home. Not in a pissed off way but I did say that she was being a bit thoughtless, because of colleagues/clients/family members potentially catching it. She is still here though so it's probably a bit late now!

OP posts:

muddledmamma · 07/01/2013 15:38

I get mad with people like this. So selfish. Think the govt needs to put out a message about basic health & hygiene, so many people seem unaware.
I hardly touch a door handle outside my home if I can help it atm. Not that it matters with 2 lo's. They bring in everything going.

MadamFolly · 07/01/2013 15:42

What industry is that Gobblers?

Don't answer if it will out you but

Whatdoiknowanyway · 07/01/2013 16:05

My boss did that with flu and i caught the bug from him. I was about 8 weeks pregnant and ended up being signed off for 2 weeks. Turned into gastric flu combined with morning sickness. I was throwing up on the hour, every hour for days. DH caught it from me and my parents had to drive 100 miles to come and look after us and DD who was just 12 months old.

At 3 months pregnant I had a concave stomach. (Never had one since mind!).

I have several friends undergoing chemo - makes me mad to think abut people like this jeopardising their health so needlessly.

valiumredhead · 07/01/2013 16:10

Oh yuck!!

3smellysocks · 07/01/2013 16:16

I think it's selfish of her.

Original poster

OrangeClub · 07/01/2013 16:37

She finally left at 4.00pm, moaning that she had been sent home and that she had loads to do etc. Fingers crossed that no-one else comes down with it. Several people had flu over Christmas (the office was closed over Christmas) and I would imagine that their immune system is not that good.

It's about time that all businesses had a proper policy regarding sickness that was based on common sense, rather than punishing people for being off when they have possibly caught whatever it is from being at work!

OP posts:

Alisvolatpropiis · 07/01/2013 16:57

If sick pay isn't an issue then YANBU.

Lots of people have jobs in which nobody does their work if they don't. She was being very selfish.

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