AIBU sickness and absence at work

[WellAlwaysHaveParis]

Last week, I started a temporary job assignment through a recruitment agency (the assignment is expected to last 4 months altogether).

I’ve been really unwell this weekend with the flu, and have ended up being sick a couple of times as well. I’ve been asleep for most of today, and am still feeling really unwell. Have a splitting headache.

I’ve drafted an email to my work supervisor, and to the recruitment agency supervisor who I’ve been asked to report to, to let them know that I won’t be in work because of illness tomorrow.

I’m planning on sending the email to them around 7am tomorrow (before 9am, when I need to be in work by), and then phoning/texting my recruitment agency supervisor to let her know. I’ve been told I need to let them both know.

In the email, I’ve said:

Dear [Recruitment Agency Supervisor] and [Work Supervisor],

I hope that you’re both well.

This is just to let you both know that unfortunately I’ve been unwell with the flu all weekend, and am still feeling unwell today. I’m really sorry about this.

Please let me know if I can provide any further information. I’ll check this email address throughout the day, and will reply to your requests or messages as soon as possible.

I can be contacted on this email address or on my mobile number.

Kind regards,

WellAlwaysHaveParis.

I’m just worried that my absence will count against me, as one of my colleagues (also temporary) was really ill with the flu all last week, but they came into work every day regardless.

In my contact with the agency and the employer, it says that after 3 days of absence due to illness, I might be entitled to statutory sick pay. So it’s suggesting that I wouldn’t be entitled to it after one day.

AIBU to ask whether my email is okay, and if anyone knows about the sick pay entitlement after one day for agency workers? Oh and whether I might look like a wuss for staying off with flu when my colleague went in last week? (I know this last question is daft).

Thanks very much for your help.

If you are too sick to go in then there's little you can do but most employers expect a call not an email.

Temp workers are easy to come by so time off after the first week plus a pre planned holiday might lead them to ask for somebody else who can do the full four months.

flu mild symptoms see here

Thanks @herecomesthesun. I would say it’s flu, yes.

If it comes to it, I understand that I’ll have to cancel the week of volunteering. I didn’t realise I’d have a job by now, so that’s why I applied for the volunteering.

I’ll phone them tomorrow. I just wanted my work supervisor and recruitment agency supervisor to have details of it in writing. I’ve also texted the recruitment agency supervisor.

Definitely mention you’ve been sick. They’ll be more understanding and won’t want you in. People often say it’s flu when it’s just a cold. Like your colleague.

As a temp, you don't get sick pay unless SSP, which isn't much. You might be able to take holiday though, if you have enough.

Some places will try to get rid of people quickly and some will keep you on, it depends. The agency won't hold it against you though if yours turns out not to.

I'd hold off on the email though, and just get up and call if you can.

I'd ring rather than email.

Everyone handles sickness differently. I’m one of them people that goes in with the flu. I was at work 2 days before Xmas with the Aussie flu and a temp of 39.9 I however don’t go if I’ve been throwing up. I does get on your nerves when people come to work almost dying and then employers try to hold it against others. I’ve been used as an example of coming to work when I’ll and I hate it. So I can imagine being on the bad end.

You should stay at home if you are ill - thanks to the colleague soldiering on now you are also sick. If you go in, you won't be performing well and all you'll achieve is passing the bug on so that management have to cope with more sick workers. People get sick, it's a nuisance but it's a fact of life that all businesses have to deal with. Send the email now, say that you have vomitting as well ( some people will say they have flu if it's a sniffle) and concentrate on resting and getting well.

Sophisticated, please stop coming in to work when you're sick. There is a reason it pisses people off - you spread the germs everywhere and ultimately it results in a loss of productivity because everyone's either off, too sick to work properly or infecting everyone else. Even if productivity somehow isn't affecting, it's just not nice making people sick.

The company will not collapse because you took a few days off. I don't know why some people think it's somehow admirable to come in and spread lurgy everywhere.

Sophisticated, you may have a strong immune system but your colleagues and their families may not. Have some bloody thought for them!

That attitude makes me so angry. I have a chronic medical condition which is being managed. If I have a flare up however I have to monitor things really carefully. If I get a temperature during a flare up I have to go straight to A&E probably for hospital admission.

I don't expect special treatment at work but someone coming in when they're clearly Ill is just bloody inconsiderate

Defiantly stop that @sophisticated. So selfish, for some people flu is life or death.

Sophisticated People like you could easily hospitalise someone like me. I know I can’t live my life in a bubble but I do try to have faith in my fellow human. Sadly, some of “them people” (SIC) are too selfish for words,

I understand it’s not ideal, I too have a lifelong medical condition which effects the way I live however if I don’t go to work I don’t get paid. I’m on a 0 hour contract. I work in a section of the building which is occupied by 4 others and I was very carefull, sneezing only into tissues and using anti bac gel every time. No one else caught the flu. It’s very rare I am very ill. I have 2 kids who are school age who catch colds maybe 5/6 times a year. So I’m bound to catch it at least 3 times. I can’t afford to miss work for a bit of the snuffles. I do feel bad if anyone does catch it but at least I don’t go in with a sickness bug. Which many of my colleagues do.