Third degree phoning in sick

[Pinkpowerofthought]

I've been at my work for a year now. No sick days previously.
I phoned in this morning with flu and said I won't be in because I have flu.
My work is super busy this time of year so is a pita for them but I phoned at 6.30am.

They asked about my flu symptoms and said maybe it's just a head cold. Um no if it was a head cold I could just muddle on. I've got sore throat, headache, swollen eyes and achey muscles. I also feel really sick and have pains in my stomach.
They suggested I call them at lunch time to see if I can come in tomorrow and they can find something for me to do even if it means something lighter.
Aibu to think they were totally unsupportive, pressuring me to come in before I'm better and making me feel like I was exaggerating my symptoms?
They asked if I was going to see a doctor. I told them bed rest and fluids would be all he would tell me to do.
Aibu to think this was ridiculous?

I'm much more interrogatory to the latter about when they'll be back.

Maybe your attitude will come back to bite you on the arse at some point.

You don't interrogate people who are ill. FFS.

I'm much more interrogatory to the latter about when they'll be back.

This could easily be counted as harassment, especially if in conjunction with other incidences.

From a management perspective, the ONLY appropriate reply to an employee calling in sick is ‘ok, thanks for letting me know’ and then if it seems a longer term thing you can ask roughly when they might be back so you can arrange cover.

You NEVER ask about symptoms- that’s private and could land you in serious hot water
You NEVER pressure. A simple query along the lines of ‘ok I need to arrange some cover - is there anything pressing I need to reassign and roughly how long for?’ Us all you should do.

It’s highly unprofessional and also could land you in hot water to pry or pressure.

A previous employer of mine asked a colleague for a stole sample when she called in with v&d 😂 she would have had to walk through canteen and kitchen to get to mangers office with her sample 😷

Fuck. Your username seems eerily appropriate for that story, Batsh1t.

When I had flu there's no way I could have typed up a Facebook post. I could barely lift my head.

This doesn’t sound like flu lark annoys me.
I had someone tell me that a few years ago.
It was flu that turned into pneumonia.
I was still on the Internet and as a single parent still had to take my children to school. I had no choice - it wiped me out for months though!
It was officially diagnosed at hospital.
There were people being wheeled in with far less symptoms than me and they had flu that went onto pneumonia.
They were older and it can just present as a sharp pain in their stomach.

They clearly want to catch it if they are asking you to come in. It's so contagious, they should be grateful you don't want to go in and infect everyone!

Totally out of order.
If I call in sick and am not even asked why, Just if it’s contagious. Because it could be personal and something that isn’t appropriate to talk to an employee about.

It's highly unlikely you've got the flu as you wouldn't have the energy to go on Mumsnet and post this. However, they are obviously going over the top with questioning you.

If more people who were ill stayed at home then viruses of whatever nature wouldn’t spread like wildfire. Whether or not it’s flu you’re going to be touching peoples mail, and I think it’s possible (I’m no expert) that people who pick it straight up could catch it, including elderly, sick and children. So you are definitely not being unreasonable. In addition you need to rest or you could feel off for weeks.

Well said ! Unreasonable pressure by her boss . Rest up and get well soon . Although tomorrow sounds a bit soon

According to NHS, it sounds like influenza

You don't work for NHS do you? Heard they have an appalling sick policy.

When I had flu there's no way I could have typed up a Facebook post. I could barely lift my head.

I've had flu like everyone and horrible though it was it didn't render me incapable of tapping out a short sentence on my phone. Mind you I wouldn't be silly enough to post anything on Facebook as a lot of people seem to think typing a sentence is comparable to working a full day in a stressful environment.

Also you can't share your bug with everyone through a phone screen, unlike when you take it to work and give it to colleagues unlucky enough to have weakened immune systems.

I would complain, it’s not reasonable. You can’t tell at lunch time how you are going to feel the next morning and it’s anti social to expose colleagues to your infection if you go in to do some ‘lighter work’ - what does that mean anyway? - and it will delay your recovery. I went in with a bad cough once and one of my (male) colleagues emailed my manager to complain i was disturbing his concentration! (She told me about it later).

It's not flu whatsoever, if you've had flu you'll understand. It's a feverish cold and resting in bed for a couple of days means you are less likely to infect your work colleagues.
Sounds like your workplace are struggling with staff shortages. If you're conscientious you'll return once feeling better.

It's highly unlikely you've got the flu as you wouldn't have the energy to go on Mumsnet and post this.

Because mumsnet demands so much energy

I've worked for NHS for thirty years and they do not have an appalling sick management policy.

Sounds like your workplace are struggling with staff shortages. If you're conscientious you'll return once feeling better.

Scrooge alert!

It's not flu whatsoever, if you've had flu you'll understand

Liketoshop
If you had read the thread, you would understand how silly your comment sounds.

my employer is terrible if its me that's ill, the 3rd degree is guaranteed along with a instantly going to warning on work record etc.
Having said that i've a disabled child at home which they know about and they are very helpful and understanding when its him

Serious hot water?? Asking about symptoms isn't against the law, it's how you ask and if you're being paid whilst sick, an employer is entitled to make enquiries! Some people have habitual sickness record and going to work an occupational hindrance - which isn't the case here!

This is what a lot of employers are like today and people put up with it.
I would have said "look, I've told you I'm sick...I will update you tomorrow but won't be back until I am better.'

Where do you work OP? The Germ Exchange? If not your boss is a twat insisting you come in and infect the rest of his staff. Hope you're feeling better soon. Having been down a horrible bug last week- which probably wasn't flu but something much more hideous , I sympathise. I could've picked up a fiver but would then have projectile vomited on it and been unable to hold it as I was shaking so much.

If I had a boss like that, I’d be looking to work elsewhere