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Original poster

To think she’s faking?

670 replies

Appleofmypie · 27/05/2018 14:34

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

OP posts:
Aus84 · 30/05/2018 02:31

This is on a mainstream news site in Australia. Screen shots of your first post and the one about your boss adding you all to Facebook so you don't get blamed as outing her.

Putyourdamnshoeson · 30/05/2018 07:59

I developed HG whilst on holiday. That was the worst flight home EVER and I've had dysentery coming back from a trip before.
I was signed off for 6 weeks, I barely saw anything but the toilet bowl or my bedroom ceiling.after 5 weeks dh took pity as the weather was nice and set the tent up in garden, So We could have a pretend holiday. I couldn't manage more than an hour. It was the most dreadful time of my life. She deserves everything she gets.

SofieMonde · 30/05/2018 10:14

congrats on going global i wonder if the story made the greek papers and they are reading it over a rather awkward breakfast lol pass the oozo quick

Gemini69 · 30/05/2018 12:22

congrats on going global i wonder if the story made the greek papers and they are reading it over a rather awkward breakfast lol pass the oozo quick

chuckles Grin

probablynapping · 30/05/2018 14:24

Shamelessly place-marking

Leapfrog44 · 30/05/2018 14:28

I think she faking it and you should say something. Morning sickness is one thing you don't go on holiday with a serious illness like that. Its fraud.

TheMonkeyMummy · 30/05/2018 14:29

@Hiphopfrog rtft!!!

HouseworkIsASin10 · 30/05/2018 16:03

If this goes public OP, I'd get the thread pulled. The main thing is the boss knows about the CF so can be alert to any more skiving.

DevilsDoorbell · 30/05/2018 16:15

Good for you for telling the boss, if she’s not faking it, she’ll be able to prove it easily enough

Sparklyshoes16 · 30/05/2018 21:40

Been on a spa day today with a group of friends as a half term get together...3 out of the 6 of us had heard about this on MN the other three hadn't, 2 out of 6 have suffered with the hypermeisis thing (not myself) and said it was horrendous and there's no way they could have travelled etc like others have said on here previously...by the end of the conversation/debate all 6 of us and three random women that were listening in on our conversation Grin so in total 9 people have said you definitely did the right thing!

Inforapenny65 · 30/05/2018 22:38

Can’t the boss call her on her mobile from a withheld number .. They can hang up as soon as the different ring tone confirms that colleague is abroad

Inwaiting · 31/05/2018 00:16

Any update OP? I have a similar circumstance at work at the moment so I’m keen to know the outcome. (Not pregnant but on holiday whilst on sick leave )

slowlywiltingpetal · 31/05/2018 01:20

Inwaiting - I think if it's a case of being ill and being on holiday, the GP might have advised the person get a break from it all. Depending on what the problem is.

With HG which I was blessed with twice for the whole pregnancy, I couldn't do much at all, even facing the wrong way when lay down would set it off. So badly that when first was born I actually couldn't look at them as I was still suffering through labour / section.

The thought of flying / transfers / got country / not really knowing what you were eating makes a recipe for disaster baby moon or not.

Nb65988 · 31/05/2018 03:02

Upto u it's only going to put u in a bad place within work and if she's handed in a sick note from doctors then ure boss has to take that but she shouldn't be on full pay u get hardly anything if ure off sick maybe ure boss should look into that of ure boss offered full pay u don't know the circumstances

BuggerOffAndGoodDayToYou · 31/05/2018 09:08

she shouldn't be on full pay u get hardly anything if ure off sick

That depends on your contract. My current job I would get full,pay for six months, half pay for the next three months and then SSP thereafter. After two months I would have a telephone interview with occupational health. I’ve never worked anywhere with less than six months full pay for sickness.

However the employees of the catering company we use get no sick pay from their employer - they have to claim SSP themselves.

Original poster
Appleofmypie · 31/05/2018 10:10

Sorry for the lack of reply.

Colleagues certificate runs out Friday, she doesn’t work weekends so should be back in work Monday.

I don’t want to say too much but

boss has seen the slurs regarding her and the business (there’s a bit more than I wrote in the first place)
it’s breach of contract to discuss any aspect of the company on social media
Colleague has had a previous written warning before
The temp has expressed interest in a permanent position if one was to become available

Reason I’m ‘in the know’ is because I’m colleagues direct manager (I actually interviewed her 5 years ago) so will be involved in any meetings that have been and might be happening next week. Boss has done nothing wrong discussing anything with me.

Friend request is still pending but no further updates on colleagues profile since 2 days before the request was sent.

Boss is happy to let this thread stay.

Will update when I can.

OP posts:
KateGrey · 31/05/2018 10:44

People like this make it so much harder for genuine people! She’s essentially stealing when she should be taking annual leave like the rest of us.

dinosaurkisses · 31/05/2018 11:27

Fair enough OP- you definitely did the right thing if you are CF’s line manager.

Best of luck to your boss- I’m sure this is the last thing she needs!

IrmaFayLear · 31/05/2018 12:34

Dh had a pregnancy faker a while ago. The person was already on a warning, and dh had called her in to speak to her again, and she got in first and announced she was pregnant. Of course she then went off sick, and then said she had a miscarriage... The entire office knew it was a load of codswallop and the other women were particularly furious.

TittyGolightly · 31/05/2018 12:47

Employers can ask for proof of pregnancy......

Tistheseason17 · 31/05/2018 12:48

One written warning about social media already - that'll be her gone then without needing to discuss holiday or pregnancy!

halfwitpicker · 31/05/2018 12:51

So you can get rid of her because of the breach of contract and hire your lovely temp. Simples.

Original poster
Appleofmypie · 31/05/2018 13:23

The written warning wasn’t about Social media

OP posts:
LilacIris · 31/05/2018 13:44

Employers can ask for proof of pregnancy......

Yes, if someone says they wish to take maternity leave (which all women after 24 weeks must, even if it is just a fortnight). However, generally, doctors take it in good faith when you tell them that you are pregnant and usually the first definitive record will be either booking bloods or a 12 week scan and not all women choose to have either.

Tistheseason17 · 31/05/2018 13:59

Shame,OP.
Although, if what she has posted on line is that bad then your boss could go straight to dismissal for gross misconduct. Hope the external HR advice is good!

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