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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think 2 days off work when ill isn't too much?

23 replies

QuestionableMouse · 11/04/2016 11:34

I do a fairly physical job (on my feet for 8+hours, lifting and carrying stuff, mopping large areas of floor)

I'm struggling with a combo of tonsillitis and what I think is a chest infection. I can hardly make it out of bed let alone do my job safely and yet work are trying to force me to come in. I was off at Christmas for about a week with the flu but apart from then I've very rarely been off. I understand they have a business to run but I'm sick of being bitched at if I need to phone in. Aibu?

OP posts:
sepa · 11/04/2016 11:37

They are being UR. It pisses me off when people come to work sick as you spread germs to everyone. Do they want the whole work force going down.
Take the days off. Not like your going out and getting pissed up instead of work

Imnotaslimjim · 11/04/2016 11:40

Let them bitch, you can't help being ill. And going back before you're better will only have you getting ill again as your immunity is low.

Original poster
QuestionableMouse · 11/04/2016 11:41

Thanks. I already feel guilty about phoning in and the way they go on isn't helping. I'm losing in the region of £100 that I can't really afford to lose because of it!

OP posts:
wheresthel1ght · 11/04/2016 18:31

I had a similar issue recently. My work kicked off because I had been off with dd twice as she had d&v and so obviously couldn't attend childcare I then came down with it about a week later. I was in trouble for 3 periods in 6 months.

I had a heavy cold which then turned into flu but went in as they had made it clear I was not to be off sick again. I am now in the proverbial for going in when ill. They have demanded to see my medical records or I risk being sacked on the basis of capability to do my job because when I went back to work I still had a cough. Irritating yes but not contagious unless snogging anyone.

It pisses me off big time. I get they need to stamp out those who take the piss but when they punish the genuine cases too you end up with people going into work poorly and spreading it around.

I also get no sick pay so am nearly £200 down on wages for them sending me home and refusing to let me back to work!

oldlaundbooth · 11/04/2016 19:47

YANBU.

Stay home and recover.

Original poster
QuestionableMouse · 11/04/2016 19:53

I've had a text from them asking if I'm going in tomorrow. FFS, that's not right, is it? Also had a manager hang up on me when I phoned in today.

"Hi, this is QM. I'm phoning to let you know I'm too ill to work today."
Manager- "What's wrong with you?"
Me "Explains."
"Will you be in tomorrow?"
"I'm not sure, I have a doctor's appointment in the morning and I'll let you know what they say." (It's about 8 hours before my shift starts, so not like I'm letting them know five minutes before.)
"Make sure you do." -Phone goes dead-

OP posts:
QueenLaBeefah · 11/04/2016 19:53

My workplace is like this and they don't even pay sick pay. It goes without saying, though, that the owner is a total arsehole.

Original poster
QuestionableMouse · 11/04/2016 20:23

It sucks, doesn't it?

OP posts:
wheresthel1ght · 11/04/2016 20:41

That is really shit!! Is their a HR sept you can speak to?

You have advised when you will be able to tell them if you are going in
, persistently contacting you is classed as harassment surely?

BrandNewAndImproved · 11/04/2016 20:47

I used to work in place like that. It's really demoralising and doesn't make you work harder.

In contrast my last manager was the best ever. I was never moaned at for being ill or the dc being ill. I could come in late/early to fit sports days or an Assembly in and it made me and the majority of the team work harder.

However there's always piss takers in every job and when you're so lovely people do take advantage.

trinity0097 · 11/04/2016 20:50

It's not unreasonable to ask if you will be back the next day. I do that every afternoon with sick colleagues, means I can then plan next day in time. I often though will tell them to take another day off if they need it rather than them struggling on in.

Original poster
QuestionableMouse · 12/04/2016 00:13

Oh yeah I get that they need to know what's going on so they can plan. It was the way the question was asked that upset me a bit!

I have a feeling that I'm going to end up with a sick note tomorrow anyway because if I'm not mistaken, I've got conjunctivitis now too. I couldn't fecking make it up. Confused

OP posts:
Sceptimum · 12/04/2016 07:44

YANBU and I'd be keeping an eye out for a new employer if I were you.

Ragwort · 12/04/2016 08:03

What are the 'rules' about sick pay - years ago when I was sick (the occasional day only) I was still paid, but in hindsight that was a very good employer. In my current job my colleague was off sick for two days and lost two days wages - is this correct?

NoahVale · 12/04/2016 08:09

what horrible employers you have op.

dementedpixie · 12/04/2016 08:11

It depends if the employer offers company sick pay or if it is just statutory. You don't get paid for the first 3 days with statutory sick pay

ihatethecold · 12/04/2016 08:12

Why are none of you getting sick pay?
Are you on zero hours contracts?
If not surely you should be getting it.

dementedpixie · 12/04/2016 08:13

It's not just zero hours contract that don't offer company sick pay. Lots of places only offer statutory sick pay and you don't get paid that until day 4

BIWI · 12/04/2016 08:17

I had something that sounds like your illness recently - couldn't even swallow my own saliva at one point because my throat hurt so much. Horrible chest infection too. (Which I ended up being prescribed antibiotics for).

I was in bed for about 4 days with this, an I never take to my bed.

So you have my every sympathy.

Do you have a line manager that you can talk to about how you've been treated, or is this your line manager? In which case, is there anyone in HR who might be sympathetic and plead your case for you?

Drogon · 12/04/2016 08:29

You have my sympathies OP! Something similar happened to me in my last work place.

I worked in retail and it was a big sale week. I was working 9 hour shifts that week instead of my usual 4 hour shifts (I wasn't asked to do this overtime, they just assumed I would and I went along with it, pre-children days!)

Only I came down with a bad case of tonsillitis, couldn't swallow, could barely talk properly, fever, in bed with no energy. So I call in and had the misfortune to speak to the store manager. Even though I sounded terrible (and was genuinely really poorly) he berated me for letting my team down and said it wasn't acceptable, especially in the sale week! I got off the phone and cried Angry

I was so terrified to phone in sick again the next day that I dragged myself into work for my 9 hour shift. I spent the first hour curled up in the fitting room before my manager agreed to send me home because there was no way I could work. The next 2 days I contacted my manager to tell him I wasn't coming in. Breaking the phoning in sick policy but there was no way I was risking having to speak to the awful store manager again!

We didn't get sick pay either so I only took days off if I really needed them. I was actually in that store recently (I left for a new job over a year ago) and I saw said store manager. I walked past him just thinking "you are a cunt you are a cunt you are a cunt!!!"

LaurieLemons · 12/04/2016 08:42

My work place was like this it's fucking rude isn't it. You'd think my time off came out of their wages. I never got sick pay either a lot of places don't. You only get SSP after 3 days off plus a doctors note.

Funnily enough when it's the supervisors no problem at all. Don't feel guilty OP and ignore their rude comments!

wheresthel1ght · 12/04/2016 15:23

Not on a zero hours contract here in fact I am contracted to 30 hours but regularly work over this. My company only pays ssp although I have never been off long enough for it to kick in.

If companies want people to not come into work poorly then they need to stop treating everyone like a criminal when they are off

LagunaBubbles · 12/04/2016 15:58

Until employers accept employees are human beings and not robots this stuff will continue to happen sadly.

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