To think she’s faking?

[Appleofmypie]

One of my team at work is 14 weeks pregnant. She’s been off sick for 5 weeks with severe hyperemesis and still has a week left on her sick note (she’s being signed off for 2 weeks at a time)

By complete coincidence she is Facebook friends with a friend of mine.

My friend has put some pictures on Facebook this morning of her Greek holiday she’s still on, and my work colleague is in most of them - sunbathing, eating, swimming in the sea, playing volleyball. She has obviously blocked me as she is tagged in the pictures but her name is unclickable.

I’m gonna sound like a complete cow but I think she’s faking her sickness.
She’s on full pay from work and we’re having to pay an agency temp to cover her work too. It’s a small company that is struggling and I doubt we’re going to make any profit this month due to this.

My questions are:

Should I tell/show our boss?
What evidence of hyperemesis does a GP need to see to sign you off or Could it just be on her say so?
Is she actually doing anything illegal?
I know that pregnancy sickness is covered separately to normal in terms of disciplinary but if it’s proven she’s faking could it still be gross misconduct?

Thanks

How can these people lie so much? Its incredible.

Maybe I'm naive but I feel guilty about even white lies, never mind on this scale!

And for those who are suggesting preggo colleague could maybe use a week in the sun, they obviously don't understand HG. There's a thread in here dedicated to HG and it sounds bloody awful.

WOW to the countdown!

Also, in the vein of the company not being able to afford a temp cover without risking going under: how was your boss planning on covering her mat leave?

there’s a ‘countdown to holiday’ picture from 4 weeks ago so was definitely preplanned

Dear god, she really does think she's untouchable doesn't she??

For the sake of all the genuine folk who lose out due to this sort of thing, let's hope she finds out otherwise. I trust the boss will cover her back properly if taking any action, though - someone like this will be the first to scream "discrimination"

Clearly she’s taking the P! Kate Middleton had it so bad she was hospitalised.

I would screen shot and show your boss.

Moo employers can claim back 92% or 103% (Small Businesses) of Maternity Pay. They can't claim back any Sick Pay - although they used to be able to claim back 70% until recently.

It the boss decides to take disciplinary action, she will need all the evidence available. So yes, give her all you have

Also this ^^

I'm not on Facebook but surely your boss could look her up herself. You have done your part and quite rightly so.

Wow. I would show her everything (except the personal insults). Silly silly girl

I've had HG. If she did she wouldn't have been able to face the trip to the airport nevermind a flight. She is a total fake.

M/L is reimbursed 90% to the company, so they only have to cover 10% plus the cost of a replacement.

I would screen shot everything relevant, I wouldn't give it to the boss at the moment but say that there is other relevant stuff posted and maybe your boss should look at CF facebook account for herself

we have all vented about our jobs but don't do it on social media unless you are not identifiable

One. How stupid of her to post whilst off sick and not remember you have TWO profiles.
Two. How unprofessional to vent on social media.
She has it coming. I would screen shot the lot. I wouldn't want someone like that working for me

Whilst I understand everyone saying 'when I had hyperemesis I...' what the real truth is is that everyone's experience is different. I only had 2 days off in my hyperemesis pregnancy and went on a holiday of a lifetime booked before I was sick. My second hyperemesis pregnancy I sat on the sofa for 5 months. I remember both as awful times and I've no idea how I got through that holiday.

I felt well between 12-1 each day so might possibly have managed volleyball for 5 minutes.

But that's irrelevant. This is your colleague who you don't know how it's affecting her. All you can do is gather the evidence, submit it to your boss who can use it as the basis of a discussion with your colleague.

Hyperemesis can affect people very differently so it's impossible to say how she 'should' be behaving. You can share your suspicions and leave your boss to do the rest.

Total piss taking by the sounds of it. DD had severe sickness and nausea with her current pregnancy to the point I needed to go look after DGD for about 6 weeks as poor DD could barely turn over in bed without being consumed with severe nausea. She was beyond rough and that was without the vomiting that hyperemesis causes. Getting on a plane and playing volleyball - DD couldn’t make it downstairs.

If it’s a small struggling business then this is just unfair behaviour and although I don’t like snitching, think I’d have to say something .

I had hyperemisis during my first pregnancy. To be honest, initially it didn’t make me feel that ill. I continued working with airline bags some one found me on my desk - , sick several times a day and lost a stone. I did take a few days off eventually as got a bit dehydrated when weather turned warm so had shocking headache and felt poorly. Then it went away!
I do think people take the piss. How could she let her colleagues down like this?
I wouldn’t make a thing of showing your boss as that kind of puts you in a bad light as a bit of a sneak. However, do as others have suggested screenshot, then say “ how was Greece” in front of him if possible.

Sounds like a vendetta if you start showing your boss personal Facebook status updates

There is a fine line between reporting someone taking the piss with sick leave and then stalking her page using an old log in and forwarding old face book status updates to your boss

I would imagine she is going to extend her sick note by another couple of weeks when she returns as otherwise how will she explain her fresh Grecian tan when she’s back in the office?!

Just received a Facebook friend request from my boss along with the message ‘this way I’ll have found out on my own xx’

I’m actually glad I sent the photos. Thank you for all the advice.

I'd give the boss everything.

Hope she loses her job. Skiving little so and so.

I worked with people sacked for much less on social media. She's a fool.

I agree two. Anticipate another sick note because she's claiming she's too exhausted to come to work.
Then when she hits the window where absence can trigger early maternity leave, she'll be in all the time, then she'll go ob maternity leave, then tag her holiday on the end of maternity leave (legitimately) and then she'll probably get herself signed off for a bit for PND (again a very real and serious issue but one someone like this will latch on to for time off).

So you friend her with your unblocked profile. Sounds good to me.