AIBU to tell my boss to take a day off?

[Cinnamoniboni]

I work as a legal secretary. My immediate boss is in his early 30’s, single, and a workaholic!! He comes in at 7-8 every morning and doesn’t leave until 7-8 each evening, usually taking Work home with him.

He has 52 holiday days banked, and really only ever takes off for weddings and funerals. He has been at work all this week (and we are working today) with a horrible cold or virus of some kind. He was flushed with a temperature all week and generally just looked like he felt crap.

I had three “complaints” from his clients who were annoyed he hadn’t rescheduled their appointments when he was ill.

Is it unreasonable to tell him he has to take time off? He’s going to be sick for longer, and he’s going to infect half the building.

Yes, speak to him and pass on his clients feedback.

You can't force him to take his leave but you can certainly let him know that his clients don't want to see him ill / burnt out.

I tell mine to take a day off - very similar job to yours actually. I'm also in charge of her diary though which helps so I put working from home days in as often as I can (I try every Friday but 3 out of 4 get cancelled) and send her random emails saying "X week is remarkably quiet, you've got a lot of leave left to take so it would be an ideal time to book a break!"

Depends on the relationship you have with your boss

I'd pass on the feedback but how he chooses to arrange his working life other than that is up to him. I get very irritated when I get 'told off' by well meaning colleagues for working late or working weekends.

Whilst I don’t want to imply it’s an issue here, many workplaces require staff to take at least a couple of weeks off as a fraud prevention. Does your workplace not have any requirement to take holiday?

@quackduck what have holidays got to do with fraud prevention?

If someone’s fiddling a system, it’s most likely to be unearthed when someone’s covering their role during a holiday.

Yup, my sister is a bank manager and she has to take a full two weeks off at least once every 12 months. Fraudsters can't keep the plates spinning if they aren't there

I agree. In many (most) financial services firms failure to take holiday would have the internal auditors called in (and they are NOT nice people).

I agree. In many (most) financial services firms failure to take holiday would have the internal auditors called in (and they are NOT nice people).

I agree. In many (most) financial services firms failure to take holiday would have the internal auditors called in (and they are NOT nice people).

I agree. In many (most) financial services firms failure to take holiday would have the internal auditors called in (and they are NOT nice people).

I agree. In many (most) financial services firms failure to take holiday would have the internal auditors called in (and they are NOT nice people).

I agree. In many (most) financial services firms failure to take holiday would have the internal auditors called in (and they are NOT nice people).

I agree. In many (most) financial services firms failure to take holiday would have the internal auditors called in (and they are NOT nice people).

I agree. In many (most) financial services firms failure to take holiday would have the internal auditors called in (and they are NOT nice people).

I agree. In many (most) financial services firms failure to take holiday would have the internal auditors called in (and they are NOT nice people).

I never thought of that before - interesting! I'm freelance so no one gives a shit if I never take a holiday ever - bastards 😭Joking.

Oh FFS. Bloody sensitive new laptop!

I think we got the message Mexican....

Well, I don’t know. Bob what do you think?

Whilst I don’t want to imply it’s an issue here, many workplaces require staff to take at least a couple of weeks off as a fraud prevention. Does your workplace not have any requirement to take holiday?

Many financial institutes maybe. I certainly wouldn't say it is common place in most other jobs though.

Even if you've said it many times

Me too Bob.

I literally never considered the fraud aspect, or more likely irregularity or bad case management. He’s super protective of his cases but I don’t think he’s doing anything weird.

He told me he has extra sanitiser at work this week so we don’t all get sick. So that’s a no on taking days off. I think he needs a girlfriend or better hobbies that make him rest or take time.