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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to have thrown a sickie?

72 replies

BeachyKeen · 27/12/2014 21:01

mitigating circs:
I have a thumping headache. I could suck it up and force myself to keep going, but I work on the phones, so not nice.
I did work Christmas eve, Christmas day and Boxing day.
Its our 20th anniversary of the day we got together. I just want to lay quietly on the couch, snugged up with dh and a cup of tea, and have a nice chat about everything and nothing.

Work will be fine about it, but I feel guilty as fuck about stretching it
aibu?

OP posts:
MammaTJ · 27/12/2014 21:40

I don't think you have 'thrown a sickie', I think, in the job you do, you were genuinely unable to work!

There are some unsympathetic people here tonight, thank goodness I am the student nurse, not them! Grin

I am by no means soft though, I am not easily fooled! You need to look at the whole picture! Call centres sound noisy as a customer, how bad must they be from a member of staffs point of view?

JackSkellington · 27/12/2014 21:49

YANBU, if you work in the same type of call centre I did you'd have customers screaming abuse at you so I don't blame you for staying at home!

Mammanat I worked in a call centre which is open 365 days a year, even though we could literally do nothing on Christmas Day/New Year's Day. Nothing special, just a large high street retailer who doesn't care about its staff. It's quite common unfortunately. :(

Fairenuff · 27/12/2014 21:51

OP called it 'throwing a sickie' so I guess she knows what she's doing?

If she was too sick to work then her OP would read 'AIBU to take a day off work sick because I am too sick to work?' and that would of course be a pointless thread.

TheFairyCaravan · 27/12/2014 21:55

I worked in a call centre, it wasn't that noisy tbh. I did it through many a headache. Our company were really strict about sickness rates, so you didn't tend to "throw a sickie" and only took time off of you were really, really ill.

FATEdestiny · 27/12/2014 22:00

Today was our family Christmas party.

Our DD is just 13 weeks, it is her first Christmas and her first family party with the extended family.

Today my DH had to go into work.

He wasn't due to work today, we wouldn't have arranged the party for today if we knew he would be working. But the woman due in for the weekend shift called in sick. Someone had to do it.

Way to make friends and influence people Hmm

TheReluctantCountess · 27/12/2014 22:01

It's not throwing a sickie if your headache is bad enough to stop you working properly.

susiedaisy · 27/12/2014 22:04

It's not throwing a sickie if you are genuinely feeling unwell

ilovesooty · 27/12/2014 22:05

What a shame FATE

Of course the colleague who phoned in sick may well be genuinely I'll but while you have lazy dishonest shysters calling in "sick" on a whim it means that people will begin to doubt and resent those whose illness is genuine.

FindoGask · 27/12/2014 22:06

Yes, I think you've suffered on this thread from your inappropriate use of the word "sickie". You are legitimately ill! You have a "thumping headache" and you work on the phones. You wouldn't be able to do your job properly. And it sounds from your post like your employer would be able to manage just fine, without additional staff needed, if you took the time off.

I do not believe in working when you're not well. You are entitled to your own life, you don't just exist to clock up the hours for your employer.

Original poster
BeachyKeen · 27/12/2014 22:12

I referred to it as throwing a sickie because I usually go in no matter what, unless I am puking too much. I am an methotrexate and it can have wicked side effects.

As I said before, I accept I am in the wrong.

OP posts:
Picturesinthefirelight · 27/12/2014 22:13

I am assuming as well as phones there are also computer screens?

I'm an ex call centre worker & was rarely sick. I Wouldn't hesitate to call in sick with a thumping headache.

MulledWineMincePie · 27/12/2014 22:14

It's a difficult one. I think you need to be asking yourself 'if this was not my 20th anniversary, would my headache be so bad that I would not be able to go to work, and not be paid, or would I actually probably just take a shit ton of painkillers and drag myself in?' if you could not have managed going into work, regardless of it being your anniversary, then it's not a sickie, it's a genuine sick day and no need to be feeling guilty.

However, if you probably would just have got the fuck on with it, then you probably would be calling this 'pulling a sickie'. Many people go to work sick, and while I agree with a poster who said she doesn't believe in working when sick, there are always degrees of sick, and it's about figuring out what level of sick you are at, and how much the other things going on in your life are influencing your 'sickness tolerance'.

I wonder if you feel guilty because you know that, despite the headache being there, you probably would go to work if it were not also a special day.

MulledWineMincePie · 27/12/2014 22:16

If you had omitted out the bit about it being your anniversary, and simply said 'i have a headache, i work in a call centre, I never normally take time off, AIBU to stay snuggled on the sofa doing nothing and drinking tea'. your responses would have been very different from lots of people I am sure. It's the anniversary that is the 'red herring' or is it?

RoastingYourChestnutsHurtsAlot · 27/12/2014 22:18

And people taking time off for a bit of a headache are why migraine sufferers get such a bad rap

MsColouring · 27/12/2014 22:22

I suspect this is unusual behaviour for you which is why you are asking. You clearly have a conscience about this and don't make a habit of it therefore YANBU.

Fairenuff · 27/12/2014 22:22

Oh come on!!

OP is 'throwing a sickie'

She says so much and completely admits it.

Nice that posters are trying to justify it for you OP but you are obviously being unreasonable here.

ilovesooty · 27/12/2014 22:23

Exactly Roasting

Like people with a bad cold claiming they have flu yet being well enough to post on social media about how sick they are.

ilovesooty · 27/12/2014 22:24

But I do appreciate the OP admits she is BU. I'm addressing the posters who are justifying calling in sick when you could get to work..

Fanfeckintastic · 27/12/2014 22:26

So many goodie two shoes on here!

I was actually coming on to say if you're in health or even retail you're being unreasonable because if any of my staff ring in I have to go in, even if that means bringing 3 year old DD with me Angry

But I was also going to say, unless it's a non emergency call centre, then it's graaand! I managed in one for years and quite honestly, it's not really a big deal when someone's absent and doesn't impact much on other staff at all. Honest.

Ipigglemustdie · 27/12/2014 22:26

Well mumsnet rules state that no you cant throw a sickie because society will collapse and you are worse than hitler. In the real world yeah go for it yanbu

MrsItsNoworNotatAll · 27/12/2014 22:26

Hope the headache fucks off for you op
Happy Anniversary x

Redglitter · 27/12/2014 22:26

I think the mere fact you're saying you've 'thrown a sickie' is an indication that you don't think you're necessarily ill enough to be off work. working through Christmas etc isn't grounds for going off sick

ilovesooty · 27/12/2014 22:28

In the real world most people realise that people with dodgy sickness records are the first in the firing line for disciplinaries and redundancy.

Fairenuff · 27/12/2014 22:29

Well if it doesn't iconvenience anyone else and you won't be paid for your absence then it's fine and you know that YANBU OP. But why would you ask if you already know that?

TheRtHonGeorgianaGobshite · 27/12/2014 22:32

Be aware. Every Time you "Throw A Sickie"; someone pays.
It's usually you.
You have to pay back in extra time or some other method.
When you don't turn up for your job; someone else has to.
And they deserved a Christmas as well as you.