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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Falsely caling in sick?

48 replies

Rezie · 10/09/2018 13:00

I'm asking for a friend (for real). In general I am totally against calling in sick if you are not sick but this situation has me re-think.

My friend is having her last day in a few weeks. She has a temporary contract (no option of staying since the person who was off is coming back) and managed to get a new one starting a week before her existing contract ends, but she had unused annual leave so she is able to start earlier (start date could not be negotiated). All great news and going smoothly.

The problem: her partners grandfather passed away and she would like to attend the funeral. They have met several times and she would like to be there for her partner and his family. In order to make it she needs to leave work 3h earlier on her last day (office job, no clients). The boss said no. She offered to work longer days but that was not ok nor was taking unpaid time off. Only solution according to the boss is that she uses her annual leave. But she needs the annual leave to start the new job.

So now she is contemplating calling in sick so she could make it to the funeral. The odds are that boss figures out that she is not actually sick. She just feels like she needs to be there for her partner and his family. She is not the type to call in sick unless she actually is. What would be the concequences of calling in sick when the boss knows you are not? It's her last day so they can't really fire her, but are there some ramifications if she does this?

OP posts:

Liverbird77 · 10/09/2018 13:11

It's a horrible situation and she has made lots of reasonable suggestions. Even so, I wouldn't risk it. People talk and she never knows when she may need a reference from them.

serbska · 10/09/2018 13:13

Her boss is an absolute dick face.

In this situation I would call in ‘sick’

JLG19 · 10/09/2018 13:18

Rather than call in sick, she should jugdt tell her boss that she isn't going to be in and they will have to take it out of her wages. They can't force her to go in.

JLG19 · 10/09/2018 13:19

*Just woops!

Shockers · 10/09/2018 13:22

She could tell her boss that she will be taking it as unpaid leave, to support her partner.

Iwasjustabouttosaythat · 10/09/2018 13:22

Good lord what a lot of overthinking! Of course she should call in sick and of course there will be no ramifications. She’s finishing up there and will never see him again. And even if he truly believed she wasn’t sick what could he possibly do? He couldn’t prove anything. This is a total non-issue.

But also conjunctivitis is the best thing to call I sick for. No need to sound sick on the phone and he won’t want her around infecting people anyway. 😉

HeckinGoodDoggo · 10/09/2018 13:24

What JLG said

LostInShoebiz · 10/09/2018 13:24

Of course there will be no ramifications...unless she ever needs a reference.

themuttsnutts · 10/09/2018 13:24

Yes, under the circumstances, she hasn't much of a choice. Boss is being a bell end (unless he doesn't believe her) and so I don't think she owes him anything.

Oddcat · 10/09/2018 13:26

I'd be honest with the boss, I'd go into work early and then say I'm leaving at lunchtime - tell him you're taking it as unpaid leave .

ToesInWater · 10/09/2018 13:29

Is it only sick leave in the UK?i am in Oz and I have leave that can be used for personal/Carer's/sick so taking it to support a partner through a bereavement would be totally legit.

BarnabyBungle · 10/09/2018 13:33

Her boss is being an arsehole. Unless it adversely affected her colleagues, I’d be inclined to take a few days off “sick” at the end of my contract in the circumstances!

Guavaf1sh · 10/09/2018 13:35

Taking sick leave like that makes it difficult for the genuinely sick. And there may well be ramifications as her boss would know the truth

BIWI · 10/09/2018 13:37

I wouldn't call in sick. But I would be honest, and say that she's taking the day anyway. What are they going to do? Fire her?! She's already got a new job so doesn't need a reference from this bloke.

Sleepyslops · 10/09/2018 13:38

Does her company have an HR dept? She needs to either speak to them or take it higher.

Uncreative · 10/09/2018 13:40

I’d work overtime the day before and the morning of and then say it was an emergency and I had to leave at lunch time,

imperialqueen · 10/09/2018 13:43

If I wasn;t planning on every using that job as a reference then I would phone is sick. If I thought there was a chance I would need him as a reference in the future then I would just suck it up,go to work and miss the funeral.

mrs2468 · 10/09/2018 13:43

If it's a temp job what's the notice period as I wouldn't have thought they would need to use annual leave can they not just leave a week early? I'd also just say I really can't come in I'm happy to do y ie make time up but I'll not be in either way.

Feefeetrixabelle · 10/09/2018 13:44

I would book it as annual leave. Then when it came to my last working day call in sick.

Itsnotabingthingisit · 10/09/2018 13:44

Unpaid leave.

Basically she should send an email to her boss and the HR department stating that, in the circumstances, she will be finishing on xxxx date and that she obviously doesn't expect to be paid for that day.

She can mention that it is for personal reasons and that she apologies for any inconvenience caused.

Original poster

Rezie · 10/09/2018 13:44

Thanks everyone for your input. I'm not sure if just leaving is any better than callling in sick? But I can suggest that. But I agree that the boss is being an ass. She has been quite difficult to work with based on stories. Obviously, it is not my decision to make but I really think she should call in sick and hope she doesn't need a reference. But I understand my friend. I would be similar. At the same time I understand the need to leave without making a fuss and conflict, wanting to rebel agains injustice and yet have the inbuilt respect for authority and need to follow instructions.

She asked her grandboss. She said that that it is the boss' call. There is an HR department but she would not like to go there since the last time she had to contact them their instructions were to ask the boss. Also, it is perfectly allowed to say no to such request so HR can't really do anything.

@ToesInWater I think there is a bereavement and compssionate leave, but you can't know of the situation beforehand so it has to be emergency. Also not sure if boyfriends relative falls into this category.

OP posts:

MissConductUS · 10/09/2018 13:45

She can resign a day early, she just won't get paid for that day.

Uncreative · 10/09/2018 13:55

Boyfriend’s grandfather does not fall in the scope of emergency or dependent leave. Compassionate leave is not (I think) a statutory requirement and even then boyfrined’s grandfather wouldn’t make the cut.

She could argue emergency leave because her Partner (sounds better/more serious than boyfriend) needed her support the morning of the funeral.

I think she should see if she could resign from the contract a day early. Depending on whether she is a temp or on a fixed term contract, she may be able to do this quite easily.

Alternatively, state the facts - i am unable to come in that day. I understand that I don’t have any annual leave left so I will take it as unpaid leave.

sophisticatedsarcasm · 10/09/2018 13:56

Only probs he know she needs the day off so when she does call in sick he’s gonna know she’s faking it.. not sure what he can do.... but may not help with her reference...

BIWI · 10/09/2018 13:56

I'm working out my notice right now. Different circumstances, and it's a permanent role, but I asked for 3 days' holiday recently that was refused. I offered to cut it down to 2 but was still refused. One of those days was pretty important to me (nothing like a bereavement, but still important), so in the end I just told our HR head that I was taking the day anyway.

It was very petty to have been refused, and in your friend's circumstances, very insensitive as well.

I like the idea of taking it as annual leave and then calling sick on her last day of leave though!

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