To be pissed off with presenteeism

[ChuffinAda]

Because due to an idiotic colleague coming in, declaring they have a d&v bug, and going home sick half way through the day I will be spending today getting better acquainted with my toilet.

Not impressed.

Why do people do it? If you're sick with something nasty stay home!

I worked for a charity - they had very good sick pay, so some bastards people counted it as additional holiday. This ruins it for everyone else, as they kept cutting it - instead of dealing with the people who abused it. Sad really - as it was only a few but then it had a knock on effect for a couple of people who were seriously ill - and that was not the intention.

I absolutely hate calling in sick. I think it's from when I was at school and 99% of my sicknesses were made up, because I wanted to stay home and not be bullied for the day. I get the same feelings of guilt now even though I only call in sick when I'm actually sick, and I always feel like my manager will be angry at me (he never is).

But I still do it, because it's not fair on my colleagues to have me sneezing and coughing all over them. I understand we're usually infectious before we start showing symptoms but that's no excuse to come in once you are showing them. Especially in this company where we have 10 paid sick days a year, can use annual leave if we go over that, and there is no shame culture about calling in sick. I wouldn't blame people for coming in if we had no sick pay or if it calling in was going to damage their career.

Until employers start encouraging their employees to stay home when sick and infectious, it won't happen. We get annoyed at the wrong people.

I work for a charity too. On a personal level the managers are very supportive when people are ill and people really do get in if they can, not just because of the sickness policy but because they care about the team - who don't snipe and bitch when people are sick.

I'm appalled by people with d&v working round food. Places where that happens ought to be named and shamed.

My colleagues and I go in to work unless otherwise we're in hospital. none of us want to let the other down

Yanbu. A partner at the first firm I worked in came in acting all heroic because she was working despite having d and v. Not so great when half the team then came down with it!

Abuse of the systems in place are usually easy enough to spot if you pay attention, where I work we deal with the abusers rather than punish everyone (I have instigated disciplinary proceedings and ultimately sacked one person for pulling this stunt, I like to think I'm fairly compassionate as a boss but I will not be treated as a mug).

I don't get paid for my first day off sick. I therefore have to be really ill before I take call in sick.
This situation came about because my employers got fed up with an employee calling in sick for the odd day on a regular basis. Whether he was genuinely sick or not (I suspect not) it has ruined it for everyone else.

I hate this. Not the people doing it but the policies that force them to do so. We were allowed no more than 3 occasions in 12 month period even if they were all one day or we'd get a disciplinary, and also had to attend back to work interviews afterwards asking how they could help so it wouldn't happen again.. Well can't really help getting the shits, tonsillitis etc? I worked in a school abroad and it was great, just rang in and no more questions asked, just "get well soon". We are human. I have to admit I rarely get ill but many people do and it's not their fault. Don't blame you for being pissed off either OP, it's the threat of job loss for illness even if the employee is exemplary in every other way, that is at fault.

Always seems to be in the lower paid jobs too, as if people aren't struggling enough.

We have back to work interviews after any absence, even for a day. Your manager asks about your well being, it's confirmed that you reported your absence according to procedure and whether you've consulted a doctor and any medical recommendations. I don't have an issue with them.

mrsgtinch I don't want to let my colleagues down which is why I wouldn't go into work with a streaming cold or d&v as I don't think spreading my germs around is in anyone's best interests.

YANBU to be pissed off about getting ill. If you have good sick pay AND the colleague isn't at risk of any disciplinary issues if they stay at home, YANBU to be annoyed at them. Otherwise, YABU to blame the colleague instead of the company. Of course people are going to drag themselves in feeling like shit and infect everyone else if their job depends on doing so.

Ilove the situation with food handlers is industry-standard I'm afraid.