To go into work with an upset stomach?

[HarriRose]

Not to be TMI, but 2 lots. With stomach cramps...? I don't have any bowel issues. Might need to go again, but it isn't constant and work in a supermarket, so not too bad.

Actually I think lots of people don't know how germs spread! I have been in work lavatories in several places and seen how women wash their hands. I don't call it an effective hand wash if someone uses the loo and walks out after just combing her hair, or by running water over the fingertips , or washes her hands all over but uses no soap despite the dispenser being full . Or sticking her finger up her nose and then asking me if she can make me coffee! I have honestly seen women doing all of these often, needless to say my colleague's offer to make coffee was declined. And yes I do give my own hands a thorough wash using hot water and lots of soap and singing Happy Birthday twice so I can time myself for effective hand-washing. And now anyone who knows me will know who is posting!

Ooooo, I am quite the hand scrubber!

Hiphopopotamus said everything I was trying to say only ten times better

I know two kids with leukaemia. Common bugs could put them in hospital for months, a tummy bug could kill them. OP and Lottey90 spreading your viruses around is nothing to be proud of. Most bugs are spread via your hands. If you work in a shop which sells food, you're putting them directly into people's mouths. That's just stupid.

Even if you aren't handling food by touching objects and handing them over you are still risking infecting other people. You could make an immunocompromised, elderly or young person seriously ill

kingjoffrey but if your ill your ill. Doesn't matter if there's no one to cover. nobody wants what you have!

I know all of that. I do.

But they're making me go in.

My hands are tied. I have DC to think about. I can't afford to be sacked. And my work are ruthless when it comes to sacking people.

I wouldn't want a vulnerable relative of mine in a care home that forced employees to come into work with D&V.

I regularly go to work with an upset stomach but I'm intolerant to so many foods that I have an upset stomach every other day. I go in as I know my upset stomach is not caused by illness.

It is a horrible symptom. My DD went into work after throwing up last week. She works in a hotel and they threatened to fire her on the phone. She's only 16 and went in. I wasn't angry as how was she to know it was empty threats?

In the past when I was very badly off I have also been into work with a sickness bug. My company were also very ruthless about firing and they meant it. Not proud of it but it was that or not be able to feed my family.

ilovesooty unfortunately that's most care homes ime. The carers are usually amazing but the people at the top mostly care about money rather than quality of care.

OP are you even actually sick or just a dodgy stomach from smth you ate?

If King's employers need her in as they're understaffed, how can they afford to sack her?

@tehmina23 I work for Tesco, my manager is so far from nasty... He doesn't even care

Tesco was an example.... Hence I put for example

Why is everyone assuming it's Tesco? I put for example! Anyway, no I'm not I'll at all and haven't even been again, it was clearly just one of those things.

Not having a go at you directly, but one of my twins has a serious and rare condition and simple bugs can literally put his life at risk, as well as risk of brain damage and coma. We spent much of their first year quarantined after he caught a life threatening virus in NICU - there were parents and nurses everywhere with coughs and colds. I believe as a society we need to do more to prevent the spread of illness, going into work with a contagious illness just spreads it through the staff, before you even get on to customers and vulnerable people. One or two days off any time someone had a contagious bug would save companies a fortune and prevent serious illness.

It's not even just work. I was at my DD dance awards today. Woman sat behind us talking to her mate, mate comes our with, 'Oh, I've been sick 4 times today, no idea what's wrong with me, but I have to be here for little xxxx, don't I?'

No, no, she didn't. It wasn't even her child, just her friends kid. That room was full of young kids, babies, elderly grandparents. So selfish!

No! It isn't a good idea

@Wilburissomepig

And King, under no circumstances should you go in - the will have to get agency staff or something in. You need to stay home, it's ridiculous to even contemplate going in and of course they can't sack you for it.

Yes, you can most definitely be sacked for being off sick. I have sacked people for it.

If they have under two years of service they have no right to bring an unfair dismissal claim.
But even with the two years, as long as the dismissal was done fairly, then absence from work and unreliability are completely fair reasons for dismissing.

See here: www.gov.uk/taking-sick-leave

While this is about long term sick it also applies to people who are regularly off sick.

KingJofferys it's hideous that your employers think nothing of putting elderly frail patients at risk. D+V can lead to hospitalisation for the elderly population

They should be ashamed.

OutToGetYou For one-off sickness or repeatedly taking the mick? Or genuine illness?

@Nanny0gg

For one-off sickness or repeatedly taking the mick? Or genuine illness?

For any of that. 'Taking the mick' is not a genuine reason for dismissal. Absence is. An employer is on a hiding to nothing trying to show that an employee isn't really ill so I always advise them not to bother and to focus the dismissal on absence, regardless of what the reason is.

So, whether it is genuine or not is irrelevant. It is sad, and unpleasant, but employers are not a social service, they cannot continue employing people who are never there, those people need to find jobs where that level of absence isn't an issue, or fall back on welfare (I make no comment on whether the welfare system is adequate!).

With under 2 years of service you can be dismissed for any reason that does not constitute unlawful discrimination, of course (or breach of contract, but that's a slightly different area). Other discrimination is fine, only unlawful discrimination cannot be the reason for the dismissal - this does mean that people with disabilities will get more consideration as an employer has to make 'reasonable adjustments'.