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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be asked to ring in work each day when you are off sick..

161 replies

curlysmum · 28/02/2007 14:53

I have been off work for almost two weeks with this sickness bug then it developed into flu and I am off this week my second week. In my first week I rang I think 3 times to state I was ill then finally saw the doctor last Friday who took one look at me and said you need to rest and I 'm signing you off for 1 more week.
I rang my boss on Monday to tell him this put the Certificate in the post and now today he calls me at home , sounding a bit on the sarcastic side 'how are you' etc I explained all of it again he says , 'so when will you be back ' I told him next Monday and he sounded not impressed so I told him well I have sent in my Doctors certificate etc, he says well I still want you to call in each day WTF! am I a child or a 38 year old women, my dd father said I shd ring the Human Resources lady and give her a piece of my mind. By the way this is a very big American City Company who treat most women like idiots anyway, any view on this??

OP posts:
lizziemun · 28/02/2007 15:32

I don't think you being unreasonable. You told them that you have been signed off and sent in the certificate.

I didn't think they can contact you when you are ill.

Hope you feel better soon.

fortyplus · 28/02/2007 15:33

A colleage of mine was signed off in April until the end of January. Should she have phoned in every day? Of course not. If you're signed off you are unfit to work. Your boss is a dick.

expatinscotland · 28/02/2007 15:34

I would ring HR and ask for a copy of their sickness policy and explain the situation.

He's being unprofessional at best, in violation of the policy at worst.

I would never, ever work for an American company again.

fortyplus · 28/02/2007 15:34

Should've been 'colleague' of course. Hope you soon feel better

pinkranger · 28/02/2007 15:35

lizziemums is right , they are not allowed to contact you when you are off sick to ask when you will be back, i would speak to Hr and tell them that you have signed off until friday and all being well you will be in Monday morning! and no more phone calls !!!

Good Luck

Miaou · 28/02/2007 15:39

He only wants you to ring in each day so that he can put pressure on you to return sooner. I had a boss who did this to a girl who had been signed off for stress for two weeks. She insisted the girl rang her every day, at which point she harangued her for "malingering". Poor girl, by the time she returned to work she was in a worse state than when she took time off . Pathetic bully.

Don't do it curlysmum, it is not necessary and IMO could delay your recovery.

merryberry · 28/02/2007 16:18

everyone else has been sensible. if you want to go down to their level, ring twice a day every day and tell the colour of your bodily emissions, how often you have coughed, which joint is currently twinging and ask for detailed updates from >your boss< on the micro management of the most complex and tedious piece of work you have to hand.

they are out of order.

nogoes · 28/02/2007 16:28

It seems to be standard policy in a lot of organisations now. It was at my last Company, I worked in HR and I was dead against it, I would only enforce it if an individual was being coached through the disciplinary process and then it would still depend on the nature of the illness. If you have been signed off sick then it is pointless to ring in every day.

Original poster
curlysmum · 28/02/2007 17:16

Thanks, you are right my boss is a real dick , this is of course the same man who when I asked for a half hour working time change ,told me his wife does'nt work and its difficult for them to manage on one salary but they believe that the children shd be looked after properly.... they do of course probably really struggle on his six figure salary, I'm so annoyed I will ring the HR lady tommorrow and complain.

OP posts:
bananaloaf · 28/02/2007 17:21

once you have a certificate then you need not phone in as unless you get another certificate you should return the day after the line expires. however for the 7 days preceeding my staff do phone in as i need to get cover.though not everyday usually they phone with the expected date of return. under policy i an expected to phone staff who are off sick for longer than 15days to enquire how they are and if they may need a referal to OH. hth and that you are feel better

VeniVidiVickiQV · 28/02/2007 17:30

You dont have to ring in if you have a certificate from the doctor.

The doctor's certificate is valid to state that you are incapable of coming into work until the date stated on the certificate. Furthermore, it invalidates any insurance that covers you whilst at work, because you shouldnt be there. So you cannot go into work anyway.

Also, there is no need for you to ring in if they are aware that you are not coming in until a specified date - they already know you arent coming in.

The ONLY time you need to ring in is if you are self certifying for the first 7 days OR if your certificate has been extended/circumstances have changed.

Judy1234 · 28/02/2007 17:33

In the first week as someone said having people ring in personally every day is standard and very very wise. So many people I(not you) malinger and if they have to speak to someone at work every day it helps ensure they realise the problems their absence is causing the employer and makes it harder for them to lie about things. Also if you can afford the phone bill there's no reason you shouldn't ring in, is there? Nothing wrong with pleasing employers. Good tactic as an employee. May be there is some work you can offer to do from home too once you start to get more on the mend next week.

Frizbe · 28/02/2007 17:34

The company I used to work for had a call every day policy, its an american thing, its good policy to let your employees know you care about their welfare by speaking with them every day!! Mind you if we had a valid sick cert then it was only once a week.

Legacy · 28/02/2007 17:37

Think CurlysMum needs to ask for her own company's POLICY though, as many companies (US ones I might add!) have this as a policy.

I got dragged into some absence management issues in a former life, and I know this is done because it WILL discourage people who throw sickies without real reason, however best practice is for a manager to exercise judgement and tell someone who is genuinely ill that they needn't call in every day.

BibiThree · 28/02/2007 17:38

I'd not ring and speak to HR instead. If he rings you, tell him you're sick and don't wish to be bothered at home while deemed incapable of work by a medical professional.

BibiThree · 28/02/2007 17:38

PS yes, he's a dick.

Legacy · 28/02/2007 17:40

Bibi - why cause unnecessary conflict? After all, this is someone the OP has to work with all the time. I always find being uber-helpful about things like this actually embarrassed my boss in the end....

Original poster
curlysmum · 28/02/2007 17:54

I'll ask the HR lady , I do understand that the US has different ideas but I am in the UK and the part of the company I work is based is London and is a UK Ltd company and I do not really see the point in me having a nosense conversation with my boss we have a very poor communication anyway and most of the time when I'm at work he does not bother to even say hello , goodbye etc or speak to me at all , oh but now I'm off all of a sudden he wants to hear my voice every day, its a joke , he's just trying to make me feel worse I think.

OP posts:
VeniVidiVickiQV · 28/02/2007 18:01

Dont offer to work from home unless they have an existing flexible working policy.

expatinscotland · 28/02/2007 23:33

I agree, curly, this is the UK and if they're not willing to work w/i the parameters here they have no business being here.

Sorry, but that's just f*&^ing ridiculous.

And what's your point, Xenia? Of course the employee knows the hardship caused to others whilst she's ill.

She's got a doctor's certificate, she needs to stay home and recover and stressing about work isn't going to help her.

Some people actually put health before work, however much that comes as a shock to you.

Pann · 28/02/2007 23:46

Xenia. This manager is bullying her. You can't please bullies by ringing in every day. IT merely emphasises his/her right to bully her.

Tinker · 01/03/2007 00:00

Can you just email him instead? "Still ill. curlysmum"

nightowl · 01/03/2007 00:01

when i was in hospital after having my first child my boss sent flowers by post and some work with my partner.

i feel this showed my commitment to the company, what do you think xenia?

Judy1234 · 01/03/2007 08:39

I said employees should go out of their way to please employers. It's how people who do well operate. You can choose that path or not - it's up to the individual and usually felt in your pocket and career propsects. You can play the game or opt out of it. if an employer wants you to make one call a day when you've got time to post on mumsnet and haven't lost your voice why on earth not make it. Calling in every day is a very normal wise HR practice as any HR person on here will testify to. It really does help to make people realise they are needed back at work and in a sense it shows the employer cars so just make that call.

Pann · 01/03/2007 09:14

HR peeps anywhere??

Your position, X. is absurd, oppressive and unjustifiable in any sense of what is reasonable.

but that is IMVHO.

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