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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Questions from work when off sick

26 replies

NoLeslie · 06/08/2018 11:33

I'm off sick and have had a couple of texts 'sorry to bother you but can you tell me xyz'... also had someone ask had I thought about working from home instead of being off sick. I don't want to create issues for when I am back, I'm not off with anything mental health related and so I can see why they are asking me. But, part of me thinks sod off and leave me alone!! AIBU to ignore them for now? WWYD?

OP posts:

PurpleDaisies · 06/08/2018 11:36

What are you off with? Are they important questions?

If they’re asked in a “don’t worry if you can’t answer” way, I don’t think this is totally out of order.

Nikephorus · 06/08/2018 11:37

Are you getting paid in full or SSP? If in full then answer the Qs!

Mummyofone18 · 06/08/2018 11:37

They shouldn’t be allowed to contact you at all, at my workplace if you are signed off sick for whatever reason they are not allowed to contact me work related until I am due back to work. This is also to back themselves up as could add stress which could then cause mental health related issues which could fall back on them. Are you able to say to them in the nicest possible way that you are not in the right frame of mind to be having these conversations or just ignore them! Hope you feel better soon x

user1493413286 · 06/08/2018 11:38

Is it a manager asking if you wanted to work from home? I think if they were trying to be helpful then fair enough but if it’s to help them then ignore them.
Unless it’s essential I’d probably reply to them a few hours later saying sorry I was sleeping etc as I’m off sick to make a bit of a point; it’s likely they’ll have worked it out during that time

Pengggwn · 06/08/2018 11:39

Nobody should be contacting someone who is off sick except for very urgent queries, and even then it should be with an apology.

If you are unwell enough to have been signed off by a doctor, even worse.

Pengggwn · 06/08/2018 11:48

Nikephorus

That is irrelevant. Fully paid sick leave for a set number of days is part of many contracts; it is called "leave" for a reason.

Original poster

NoLeslie · 06/08/2018 11:48

Thanks all. I'm off with something painful but not stress, it was someone roughly equal to me who asked about home working, and a boss who asked me for some update on something. I think I will leave it for a while and get back to them later. Feel bad about being off but also kind of bothered by them!!

OP posts:

Bloodylovepotatoes · 06/08/2018 11:52

Are you getting paid in full or SSP? If in full then answer the Qs!

Er no, that's not how it works.

Hillarious · 06/08/2018 12:04

Depends on what kind of work you do. I provide admin support to a specific group of people, some of which a colleague can cover if I'm off on holiday or (very rarely) off sick, but they might have a query. I'm happy to help if it makes it easier for them to do the work on my behalf whilst I'm away.

It works two ways. Sometimes I might need to go for a parent consultation at school or have a dental appointment, so can pop out without taking leave. I might come in early or leave late, depending on what's happening at work. I might take a longer lunch break if a friend's in town. We're flexible on both sides.

MatildaTheCat · 06/08/2018 12:08

Working from home comment was not ok. A quick update question from your boss is fine if there is no other simple way for them to get that information.

Perhaps I wouldn’t answer very quickly if it was happening frequently. The working from home one would have been ignored.

DoloresTheNewt · 06/08/2018 12:12

Would totally depend on circs for me. If a colleague is going to spend four hours trying to work out something that I could answer in two minutes, then if I'm well enough, yes, I'd want to save them that trouble and would happily answer from home. I might feel more annoyed by phone calls rather than texts, as they are more intrusive and you can leave a text for a little while before responding. A text seems more considerate.

safariboot · 06/08/2018 12:14

I think nowadays the expectation is that when you're unwell you do what work you can. Depending on your illness that could include answering telephone and email queries. On the other hand if you've got serious pain, fatigue, or similar then I'd feel it reasonable to not be doing any work.

trinity0097 · 06/08/2018 12:18

I think a bit of common sense should prevail here, so if you are capable and not totally incapacitated you should provide a bit of advice, if it's necessary. Someone is trying to pick up your work without you there or a planned handover, so they might not know where X is, or what to do next after Y.

I'm a Deputy Head, I expect anyone who doesn't have their head permanently down the toilet or who has been admitted to hospital to be able to email a bit of an idea as to what their classes can do for cover, if it's short term. If it's longer term then it's different, but a teacher says they are too unwell for school as they have flu type symotoms, they can generally manage to find 5-10min to set some work via email. After all their colleagues will be covering their sickness.

supersop60 · 06/08/2018 12:30

trinity
I would think that if someone has flu, then they're not going to be able to set any work. If it's the real thing, you can't move without everything aching, feeling dizzy/fainting, or being sick. Or is that just me?

GreenFingersWouldBeHandy · 06/08/2018 12:30

The working from home comment was not right. I do get the questions though, if it's something only you can answer and holds up work progressing on something until you come back.

Just a bit of give and take really. As poster above said. Just use common sense.

AlonsosLeftPinky · 06/08/2018 12:35

I don't really understand the issue. You aren't at work and your boss needs to know something.

I fully expect when I'm sick I'll be contacted because it isn't really efficient or reasonable for someone to have to guess at something on which I can give an update by text. Generally people can use common sense to distinguish between things which require an urgent response and things which can wait.

28holid · 06/08/2018 12:40

Are you getting paid in full or SSP? If in full then answer the Qs!

Indeed, how dare anyone who is only entitled to SSP be bothered by having their sick leave interrupted

What a nasty comment.

Original poster

NoLeslie · 06/08/2018 12:49

Thanks all. This has helped me realise that what is annoying is that I'm being asked things which I have briefed the relevant people on, and they are being lazy texting me rather than reading emails I've sent when I got signed off. I don't think I'd mind being asked stuff if I hadn't been so thorough and helpful to start with. I suppose it's like I've sent in lesson plans week ago and now being asked what should class 1B be learning today.

OP posts:

delphguelph · 06/08/2018 12:50

Just ignore them.

possumgoddess · 06/08/2018 12:50

My work is the same as yours Mummyofone18. In fact, when I was off sick a month or so ago and emailed my line manager about something I had been worrying about (work related) I was told in no uncertain terms that I was not to check my emails or do any work while I was off sick and it could actually be a disciplinary offence to do so! I'm not sure about the last bit but I do know that work are covering themselves in case of the stress factor etc. I wonder if we both work for the same kind of organisation.....

LakieLady · 06/08/2018 12:59

Unless I've got a raging fever or something, I generally answer queries from work. But work don't take the piss and only text with a query if it's something that really can't wait. I also usually contact clients myself to cancel appointments, in case they have something urgent going on and need another worker to visit in my absence.

They would never, ever contact anyone who's signed off sick though. I was off for 6 weeks following shoulder surgery and I didn't hear a peep out of anyone, apart from a get well card. Which is a shame, because I was bored shitless and would have welcomed a natter.

I ended up going back a week early in the end.

trinity0097 · 06/08/2018 15:08

supersop - you'll see I very carefully said flu like symptoms, meaning basically a heavy cold/sore throat type thing. Very few people actually get full blown flu. I.e. probably well enough to be sat in an office doing desk work, but working at less than 100%, but not well enough to be standing teaching groups of children.

Nikephorus · 06/08/2018 15:14

My point was that if you're getting paid in full the same as if you're in work and you're well enough to post on Mumsnet then answering a few queries should be perfectly acceptable. Otherwise why should they pay you? If you're ill enough to stay in bed or be glued to the toilet (and aren't on MN) then it's different. But OP obviously isn't and so it's give and take. She takes the money and gives answers.

CaptainHammer · 06/08/2018 15:17

If they are too lazy to go back and read the email then I’d ignore their messages.

ChelleDawg2020 · 06/08/2018 15:17

If you're in work and you're well enough to post on Mumsnet then answering a few queries should be perfectly acceptable.

Exactly this. Assuming the queries are answerable by a quick text or email, I can't see the problem with them being asked, especially as the OP has said it's not mental illness-related (eg stress).

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