To think this is a bit off?

[SharkiraSharkira]

There's a member of staff at my work who has been off for 2 weeks following a minor injury at work. This week she will also be off so that will make 3 weeks off work, 2 of them in the Easter holidays.

It has been quite busy and we are feeling her absence as we are only a small company and I was supposed to be having some time off to help MIL recover after an operation but I can't have it off because this other staff member is.

I'm FB friends with her and have noticed, over the past week or so, her bf posting pictures of their meals out, day trips, trips to the beach (a beach miles away from us) etc.

Aibu to think this is a little bit off? No one has said why she's not come back to work yet so I suppose it could be MH related or something, and I don't expect anyone signed off sick to just sit inside the whole time but this seems a bit unfair, especially when the holidays are busy and she would know that.

Anyone? Or is it just me?

Sounds like she's taking the Mick, maybe planning for compensation setting in?

YABU to make judgments about her health based on Facebook pics- being able to lounge around on the beach doesn't mean that you would be able to put in a full days work.

If you had time booked off to help MIL and work is now saying no, then that's an issue with your workplace. They need to have contingency plans in place for situations like this; could they not hire a temp? If the place cannot cope with someone being off sick and someone on annual leave (not exactly an uncommon occurrence) then that's really something they need to look into.

But don't blame the person off sick. It's hardly her fault.

Hard to know without knowing what this 'minor injury' was. Are we talking a paper cut, or she lost the tip of her finger but could quite easily of lost her whole hand?
If as you say it's on minor, and she's clearly out and about and therefore not struggling (as an assumption) with mobility or fine motor (assuming again), then all I can think is it's something that could of been much worse and it's the shock she's struggling with.

Or maybe she's just plain taking the piss, I know plenty of people that have done that, some seem rather pleased and proud of it too... most odd, and deeply unprofessional.

To me I would be trying to find a way to question management/drop her in it if management think she's housebound due to whatever. I don't like being a grass, but it's not just affecting the other staff in terms of them having to do more work, it's also affecting your MIL's recovery.

That said if her being off has left you short staffed so that you are all over worked, then clearly your place of business needs more staff, as it stood before wouldn't they still of been over worked/understaffed what with you being off to help MIL?

I hadn't booked the time off to help MIL yet as she didn't have an exact date for the op, it just so happened that the op is scheduled for a date next week, which is too short notice for me to take it off, especially since collegue is still off sick. Obviously none of that is Dcollegue's issue its just annoying for me

We are short staffed in general but its a new company and they are keen to keep costs down so seem to prefer to make the current staff work more/harder rather than hire extra people although since Dcollegue has been off I think they have realised that this is a stupid idea and have taken on 2 extra staff (although one is only very PT as it is her second job). Due to the busy-ness of this time of year it is still a bit tight though.

Said injury was her fault (not blaming her at all, just to illustrate that she wouldn't be eligible for compensation etc), and was minor - something like a broken finger that required brief treatment. She was off for a few days initially, then did come back to work for about 5 days, albeit not able to function entirely as normal but still able to do stuff. Then was off again and hasn't come back since.

Just 3 weeks off seems like a lot for a minor injury!

Well, then yes, expecting to be able to take time off at short notice at a place you know is shortstaffed was a bit daft. As for the signed off woman, it could really go either way. That bit of work she came in for may have exacerbated the problem and made her realise she needed more recovery time. Or, the weather turned nice and she fancied the time off. Point is, since you aren't her doctor then how could you possibly make that judgement?

What was the minor injury?

Callous, I had asked about the time off when j interviewed for the position as the original op date was booked but it had to be cancelled. So at the time when I asked for it neither of us knew we would be short staffed when the time came. I would have had more notice but there was a last minute cancellation that MIL wanted to take.

Ah well, either way I guess Aibu! If it was me and I was signed off work I wouldn't refuse to leave the house but I wouldn't be going on day trips at places far away from where I live etc. But maybe that's just me.

I hear you OP. It's annoying when you can't take leave for whatever reason especially if you think someone is taking the piss in regards to sick leave.

YANBU

Could be more than the injury which is causing her to be off. She could be suffering with poor mental health. Your employer would not be able to disclose this information to you.

If it were me though, I would probably "like" her pictures and ask if she was enjoying her time off Not really

If she's off for three weeks, a doctor has signed her off.

Clearly her doctor thinks that's warranted.

If your employer wants to investigate when she returns then they can.

Because it's absolutely unheard of for people to exaggerate their symptoms to their GP in order to get a sick note, ever?

She is being pretty stupid having that stuff available to see on FB, because even if she is genuinely sick then it leads to exactly this scenario.

I don't understand this. She has something akin to a broken finger, yes? An injury which might well prevent her from working. It wouldn't prevent her from sitting in her boyfriends car/on a train and being taken to the beach though would it?

I don't see what the distance has to do with it. I think you should keep your nose out. You hadn;t booked the time off to look after MIL so there was alway a chance that would be refused.

She's injured her finger, why should she stay holed up at home?! She's not capable of doing her job but that doesn't mean she has to stay in!

When I broke my leg and was signed off work, I sure as shit didn't spend 6 weeks at home!

X post happy!

Taking the piss.
Speak to management about it. Suggest they get a temp as she is clearly going to be off for a while. Maybe when the costs start to pile up they will investigate.

This "can't work" - but everyone else has to pay for it crap - annoys me. Often if you had to you would.

Of course she may be really ill, unable to answer the phone or type with nine fingers or whatever. And of course you don't know the whole situation - but it is impacting on you so you should speak to your employer.

Never judge someone based on what you see on social media.

Two years ago I had a horrific miscarriage. Yet because I decided to go on holiday (going to my hometown to stay with my parents, hardly a holiday!) to recuperate, a few colleagues were vile towards me. Even went as far as reporting me to the company directors who thankfully, told them to mind their own business. I was also berated for going food shopping because I was 'so sick'. It was horrible. And your colleague doesn't deserve to be treated as a fraud, unless clearly proven otherwise.

My point is you have no idea what is going on in your colleagues life, and she doesn't have to share that with you.

However it is unfair that her absence is causing strain on you and your colleagues. If she's going to be off for a while, there needs to be someone in her place picking up the slack, or someone needs to be looking as to how they can streamline processes to ease your workload. Have you spoken to your line manager about this? They might not be aware of how much pressure you're all under in her absence. I'm sorry if that sounds harsh! But as others have said it's your employer at fault, not her.

We had similar at our work, someone called in sick over xmas and then posted pics of themselves having a lovely time. The activities she were doing weren't inappropriate for someone with her illness but it caused a lot of tension in the office and people effectively felt she was rubbing their noses in it enjoying family time whilst they were working xmas day.
Posting on fb is optional and I think it's best anyone off sick avoids the chance of pissing their colleagues off by updating their status with trips out etc. Certainly from a managers point of view it'd be easier if people didn't!