New job, unwell with high temperature... WWYD?

[AngeloMysterioso]

I started my new job 3 weeks ago after redundancy... I began to feel quite unwell yesterday afternoon and have woken up feeling pretty awful with a temp of 38.5°.
I’ve emailed my lovely HR woman so see what she advises... on the one hand I don’t want to have to take time off so soon, but at the same time it might be the kind of office where they think people who go in when they’re ill are dickheads.

WWYD?

No way would I stay off work for that! Get yourself into work and get on with it. If you're worried about your pg colleagues, then stay away from them.

You don’t need to go to drs unless YOU think it’s warranted.

“Take yourself off to the doctors” is maybe because they have a section on your return to work form / sickness form which asks if you have seen a doctor.

I think it was very wishy washy to email hr and ask her what to do. I don’t think that will have come across well tbh, but it’s done now and hr shouldn’t share it with your manager anyway.

In future, if you’re feeling really terrible then just phone in and say so (in line with your policy), or if it isn’t so bad take painkillers and drag yourself in and warn them you’re not your best and might need to leave. No need at all to email hr. it doesn’t look good imo.

Also, if it isn’t a sickness bug, it wouldn’t bother me you coming in and I’m 33 weeks pregnant fwiw. Anyone bringing vomiting bugs into work would get this look from me though .

Hope you feel better soon !

As it is she’s suggested I get to the Doctors, and reminded me that someone I work with was off with a chest infection on Friday

You do not need to go to the doctors at the first signs of being unwell. It's no wonder the NHS is struggling.

Is it really appropriate for HR to be emailing about other employees' sickness and absence?

Is it really appropriate for HR to be emailing about other employees' sickness and absence?

Oh yeah... I retract my earlier “she won’t share it with your manager” then!

"FuckyNellYaBastad

Ok ok can I just point out please that even a chest infection in otherwise healthy individuals go away on their own without the beef for antibiotics. Your free NHS quote of the day"

Totally agree. Which is the attitude I had when I was pregnant. Unfortunately I left it to go away by itself not realising quite how shit your immune system can get while preggers, and 3 weeks of ABs later I was finally free of it.

OP - your pregnant colleagues will not thank you. Stay home.

She didn’t tell me anything I didn’t already know. And she knew I knew.

Dr not required. Time and rest is.

Lots of clear warm fluids, paracetamol and sleep. Get well soon.

You really don’t need to go to the GP, just stay in bed and rest.

If you've got a temperature and really feeling bad, your body is clearly trying to fight something. With regards to seeing a doctor, I doubt they'll see you for this today as emergencies are surely for ongoing health problems which aren't clearing and symptoms causing which clearly need checking out, like shortness of breath or pain which may concern you.

If they're in any way funny about it, volunteer to take today off unpaid as you've just started.

I work in HR and if you had asked me, I would have said to do what's best for you. HR employees cannot/should not advise on these matters because they can be held responsible for the outcomes.

I'm pregnant and have had those symptoms for 5 weeks now. I work in hospitality and sickness isn't really an option so I've been in everyday. Many pregnant women have flu jabs anyway so may be less likely to catch it than others.

But chest infections aren’t contagious are they? You can catch a cold / flu from someone which can lead to a chest infection, but the actual infection isn’t contagious I don’t think?

Don't go in OP, it's freezing and you will probably recover better in bed keeping warm.

These things happen and no one wants to catch your illness so close to Christmas if ever

I have a very similar virus at the moment. I’m very pregnant so can’t do much about it but if I weren’t on maternity leave I wouldn’t be going in to work. You need to think about the effect not giving yourself time to rest will have on you and other people. Of course it’s contageous, it’s bloody everywhere at the moment and it will more than likely get worse before it gets better, much worse if you’re pushing yourself to work through. What could be a 4 day virus could end up as 3 weeks. I know which I’d prefer as your employer!

There’s no medles for being a martyr and certainly no one will congratulate you for passing it on because you decided to push through.

I’m HR. I’m very glad everyone in my company doesn’t ask my opinion if they should come in when they’re sick.

I wouldnt go in if I were you. You're clearly ill.
However 38.5c is not a "high" temperature.

I work in hospitality and sickness isn't really an option

It honestly is.

You emailed HR? 😂 that'll go down well.

I'd go in the look sorry for myself. They'll probably send you home or you might feel better later. Sometimes it helps to get on with things. I sympathise though. I've been in my job a year and only just took a sick day. Last year I had a cough for weeks and wouldn't call in sick. Everyone kept moaning about it!

FGS, if you're not well enough to go in, then you're not. The more decisive you are about saying "I'm not well, and I'm staying at home" the more credible your genuine illness will seem.

You are unwell, you could well be contagious too.
You clearly need to stay at home

Silvercatowner*
I manage a business. If noone can cover me then I can't open and that's not really an option.

I work in hospitality and sickness isn't really an option

Of course it's an option! Why do people insist on martyring themselves? The world's not going fall apart because you're off sick for a couple of days - believe me. Your job is not that important!