Who is being unreasonable - repeated sickness absences

[Marphe]

I have a colleague who has a lot of time off sick, lots of odd days for "flu" or sickness bugs. She also has a lot of leave when her DC are ill. We work term time only, so she can't take holiday for this and policy is that the first absence each term is paid (very generous)

On top of this 18 months ago she had some lower limb problems and was signed off work for 6m+. She wasn't ill, as in feeling ill, but she was advised not to work. This was a biggie, I know she was very worried about everything from cancer to losing her leg. The problem is resolved now though and things back to normal. The odd day absences have been a pattern for the last 10 years!

Anyway, we work for a woman who TBH is very fair (see policy re child sickness) and caring. Whenever I (rarely) have been sick or off with a sick child she's shown nothing but concern. The problem is that she seems to have really taken against this colleague. She feels that her good nature has been taken advantage of. She feels the doctor was asked for the long term certificates rather than being asked to suggest what colleague was fit to do, that there are too many minor illness requiring odd days off and the final straw was that while she was off with the bad leg, attended a colleague's wedding where she danced the night away! She's also not very discreet about what goes on Facebook when she's off sick.

It's been badly managed because boss let it go for so long and also because no-one was going to take firm action while she was potentially seriously ill, but I feel that boss is now being unfairly hard on her, showing disapproval every time she calls in, when she would wish the rest of us well. Boss has. I don't think there's anything that could be described a bullying, but boss has decided (belatedly) to get things under control and the rules are applied very hard, whereas leeway is given to the rest of us IYSWIM. Boss is aware that she should have taken action sooner and over compensating IMO.

Some of my colleague's think you reap what you sow and she's getting what she deserves for the way she's treated us/the boss in the past - it is a pain for all of us when she calls in sick, again.

So, who is being unreasonable?

I'd just like to point out that being signed off sick doesn't mean you have to be locked up in your home.

Going to work and completing your responsibilities is completely different from going to a wedding in which you just park your arse, watch and go home if you don't feel well enough.

That said, your boss is doing the right thing!

Ah yes, those colleagues who are only ill on Mondays or Fridays and always just outside the periods of time that trigger absence infringements in the company policy. I have one, I can almost predict to the day when she'll be off.

If you are well enough to go to a wedding, I'd say you are well enough to go to work.

What's she actually doing to this colleague? Just being unsympathetic on the phone or taking disciplinary action? Because if it's anything short of disciplinary action then your colleague is actually very lucky.

angelos02

That's ridiculous. It depends on the nature of your illness.

angelos depends on your job and illness. I couldn't go to work ill (thirteen hour shifts, on my feet, non stop, vulnerable people) but would be able to sit for a couple of hours at a wedding.

I find it depressing how few full sick pay days people get nowadays.
I started work in the 70s and in my first job(civil service) we got 6 months full, 6 months half pay. My next job (private sector) was 3 months full, 3 months half, after 6 months service (10 days in 1st 6 months) and then 6 months full, 6 months half after 5 years service. In my last job we got 16 weeks full pay after a year's service which I thought was a bit mean! I think sickness pay has really fallen over the last 10 or so years. DF of mine who is a manager at a private firm for over 16 years only gets 20 days full pay. Taking sick leave must be a real worry to people nowadays.
And I do NOT think it is healthy to 'encourage' people into work when they are unwell.

I don't think it is ridiculous. I wouldn't go to a pub on the evening if I'd been off sick that day. I'd be worried I might be seen by someone I work with.

I wouldn't either but management of long term illness is different.

It's not attending the wedding that has created bad feeling, no-one expected her to stay in bed for 6m (she returned the day her sick pay ended!). It was the dancing on tables that has put noses out on joint.

Any more than 8 uncertified days off [so odd days here and there] in a rolling 12 month period here and you go onto statutory sick pay for the following 12 months. After that there's a formal review of your absences during that 12 months.

She needs to apply a policy consistently. Unfortunately it will penalise the rest of you if you happen to have a bad year.

In some cases I don't doubt that while you may not be well enough to work you could be well enough to attend other events. But dancing on a table at a wedding when you allegedly have a leg injury that won't allow you to work is pretty damning.

I think your boss has been more than generous in trying to accommodate this colleague, who I would say is taking the piss.

These repeated absences would be having a knock-on effect on everyone, and I should think there must come a point where it has to stop. At times your boss will very likely have had to pay this person when she wasn't in, and whilst that is fine once in a while, it isn't when it is repeated too often.

It sounds like it IS time to clamp down on the colleague.

How old are the colleague's children? Primary school? Secondary? If secondary then they really can look after themselves for illnesses like colds.

This reminds me of the guy who called in sick when facebook status said he was having a very good time in Ibiza (happened where I work)

in your OP
She called in sick with a bad leg.
she expects sick pay because she was sick.
except she wasn't sick.
She just lied about being sick.
What she really wanted was a paid holiday so she could go to a family event. she clearly didn't have a bad leg because she spent the evening dancing.
Your boss has been more than fair. the guy who took the mick and claimed sick pay when he wasn't actually sick where I worked was "rightly" sacked.

It's not quite that straightforward notauniquename. She was signed off by the doctor for the long term absence, she was definitely sick and we all (including boss) very worried about her at the time.

The FB posts aren't of her being on holiday etc but she's one of those people who updates it every minute, so whilst she's not out living it up when she has "flu" she will have visited her mum or had coffee with a friend, gone shopping etc.

It sounds like your colleague is taking the piss to be honest. So yes, I think your boss's position is understandable.

I get 6 months full pay. Which is just as well as I've just suffered my 3rd miscarriage in 7 months. So I was off sick for 1 week for Mc 1. 2 weeks for mc number 2 and I'm signed off for mc number 3 for 3 weeks. Both 2 & 3 I had surgery.

I'm grieving for my 3 babies and so grateful that worrying about being paid is not something I have to do.

I have an incredibly supportive employer and for that I'm very grateful but I do feel guilty about the added workload on my colleagues

I wonder why your boss isn't pursuing disciplinary? I wonder if she's been badly advised - either by an ineffectual HR team or a more senior boss who thinks dismissing someone will automatically lead to a tribunal - and is basically showing her frustration in the hope colleague resigns?

It would be better all round for her to be icily professional, apply the policy and take appropriate action.

If she's not able to do that, I don't wonder that her frustration is showing through, but it won't actually change the situation.

OP, there is a lot of detail here that could lead to the individual and manager being recognised. If this thread is linked back to you it could be considered a serious breach of trust and possibly result in disciplinary action. You may wish to consider asking for it to be deleted.

FFS, just read your 'flu' update. It's one thing to still be up and about when you are long-term sick, but if you've rung in with 'flu' then you should be keeping your mouth shut.

Why is colleague untouchable, do you think?

Here's the thing, and it's happened to my own lovely boss and my DW who is a lovely boss, when people try to be caring and considerate and someone takes advantage of that it is VERY upsetting and frustrating.

I have every sympathy with people who have genuine health problems (I was ill myself for 2 years) but I cannot stand malingerers who take the piss. It is so selfish and dishonest. Your workplace is not a charity, your colleague is meant to work there. I have every sympathy with your boss and none for your colleague. She is being treated differently because she has abused the good nature of your boss.

I had a terrible 2014 with 4 operations, 3 laparoscopic and 1 full open op. I had about 8 weeks off work in total, not all at once but after 3 of the ops (one I had in middle of holiday). I was encouraged to walk around and get outside etc by my surgeons, it's horrid to think that colleagues were judging me and thinking "if she's well enough to walk around she should be at work"

Brummie, I'm so sorry for your losses. I'm not referring to those in your situation or the genuinely ill but there is a particular breed of person who acts like this and I have worked with a couple.

Your colleague has probably taken more time off than she strictly needed. The goodwill has all been from boss to colleague, with none back, and now the trust is gone. And once you've lost trust in somebody, I think it becomes very hard to work together.

I'm astonished anyone who needs this much time off would be updating Facebook, but not have the courtesy to explain things to their employer.

Brummie, I am sorry to hear it. I have got a colleague in the same position and I can tell you categorically that those of us who cover for her, often at short notice, don't resent it in the least.