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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to go to work tomorrow with bad cold?

37 replies

suitcaseofdreams · 28/10/2018 19:10

I have a bad cold, I’m not at death’s door by any means although I do feel pretty fuzzy headed. I’m sneezing a lot and my nose is running (ugh) despite dosing myself up with paracetamol etc.

Tomorrow I’m supposed to be giving a presentation to about 30 people at work. My team, not clients. Not business critical although will be tricky to re-schedule quickly as so many people invited.

Would I be more unreasonable to cancel at short notice, or more unreasonable to go and potentially pass on my cold to everyone else?

OP posts:
ApolloandDaphne · 28/10/2018 19:14

I would just go and get it done then if you still feel crap leave early to go home? If you are standing at the front you are unlikely to infect the others.

Rarfy · 28/10/2018 19:14

I would say dont go. I hate it when people come to work with colds because im succeptible and pick them all up. Just stay home for a day and get yourself better.

Idontbelieveinthemoon · 28/10/2018 19:16

I think I'd send a quick pre-emptive email (if possible) to your boss and check what they prefer.

I teach so go to work come rain or shine and dose myself up on lemsip to power through. For anyone with a compromised immune system you may present a risk, though, so it depends on how well you know your co-workers.

leghairdontcare · 28/10/2018 19:19

I'm going into work tomorrow with a bad cold. Sorry co-workers!

Icantstopeatinglol · 28/10/2018 19:29

I’m wondering the same thing. I’m loaded with cold, swollen glands, blocked nose and despite paracetamol and ibuprofen, antiseptic throat spray and strepsils I still feel awful!

AmIRightOrAMeringue · 28/10/2018 19:35

I think colds are so common it isn't possible to stay off when you've got one or everyone's sick record would go through the roof. People with young kids in nursery wouldn't be able to work.

Also although they are contagious it is possible to lessen the risk by sneezing into a tissue and using hand gel or hand washing after every sneeze or now blow and avoiding shaking hands or getting involved in drinks rounds etc.

Some colds can make people feel foul. Most of the time I'm OK with a cold but the odd bad one can give a temperature and aches and pains and give me a bad headache and I'm not fit for anything other than bed. If that's the case and you feel awful and like a day in the office would make you worse then take a day off sick but otherwise I'd go in...

leghairdontcare · 29/10/2018 15:07

How's everyone doing? I haven't done any work. Yay presenteeism culture!

Icantstopeatinglol · 30/10/2018 10:20

I’m off work. Haven’t been able to sleep for coughing! It really depresses me being off work though cos I feel like I’m letting people down and I hate being stuck indoors!

tiggerkid · 30/10/2018 10:32

Can't stand people, who bring their germs to work and spread them to others. Please keep yours to yourself and come back when you are feeling better again. Nobody will die without that presentation.

Elementtree · 30/10/2018 10:36

I'd just go. You probably aren't passing on anything that they weren't exposed to nipping into the shops on the way to work or getting on any public transport or from other people in the office.

Slimtimeagain · 30/10/2018 10:42

Colds are so common during winter, it is totally fine to go to work with one. Unless you don't feel up to it of course.

Slimtimeagain · 30/10/2018 10:44

tigger most work placed don't pay if you're off sick, since colds are so common and most people don't feel too bad with them, it'd be pretty hard not to work. I can't afford to not work really so I try to work no matter what. Of course D + V I stay off. But a cold? Nah!

Twork · 30/10/2018 10:45

You should go in. It doesn't sound like you can't do it and presumably if it's your team you can laugh off the constant nose wiping. I might get flamed but "I've got a cold so can't do it" always seems like a bit of a cop out - sorry.

Pethaps email everyone in advance to warn them eg "looking firward to presentation tomorrow. Can you please make sure you x, y, z before hand. Just to apologise in advance I have a really bad cold so I may not be able to stay after the presentation but if you have anything you'd like to chat about we can arrange something for another day". Then, you are giving people the choice whether they come.

Feel better soon.

aLilNonnyMouse · 30/10/2018 10:51

Very unreasonable to go. You could be passing it on to people who are vunerable, or who have vunerable family members at home.

RoomOfRequirement · 30/10/2018 10:57

Of course you go!! It's a cold.

I can't imagine having to work with those of you say always stay off with a cold...my ward would cripple and I'd be constantly working twice as hard. Your sick records must be horrific if you're off every day you have a cold.

MaisyPops · 30/10/2018 10:57

My general rule for illness is if I have to ask 'should I go in or not?' then the answer is usually I should go in (excluding people who have to weigh it up because they don't get sick pay etc).
I'm no fan of presenteeism but m I'm not entirely convinced your be passing something on that people wouldn't get from busses, car park machines, door handles, shops, money and general life.

Armi · 30/10/2018 10:59

I always drag myself in - schools are a seething morass of germs and I spend my days been sneezed at by teenagers. The best time ever was when I had a cold that wasn’t too bad, but completely lost my voice for four days. I can’t teach without a voice so had a lovely time on the sofa eating Hobnobs and watching Netflix.

Omgineedanamechange · 30/10/2018 11:00

Where the hell do people work that they can take time off with a cold. It amazes me, it really does. I can only assume the ones saying that rarely get them. I have them almost constantly over winter and would be sacked if I took that amount of time off.

makingmiracles · 30/10/2018 11:04

Id go in tbh. A day off is not going to make a lot of difference, colds can last weeks. GO armed with couple packs tissues, lemsip and some hand gel and you’ll be fine. IF everyone stayed home because of the common cold the country would grind to a halt!

Amaried · 30/10/2018 11:04

I go to work when I have a common cold and I expect my team to.. otherwise my team would be decimated all winter
I think it's amazing that some people stay off work with a head cold. Everyone's sickness days would be through the roof

worridmum · 30/10/2018 11:08

By that token you should go into work with D and V since they have already likely been exposed already to it.

Oh and chicken pox or any other highly infectious illness no point staying off if you dont get sick screw everyone else and only look after yourself.

Its totally a shame that i have infected everyone else at work with stuff but not my problem. My child has chicken pox i and they are so bored lets go to the shops and or softplay not my problem pregent people and or immuno compermised people could day shame for them but not my problem etc.......

God i wish it was a legal issue you go out and infect someone with a illness that you knew you had and they die or have compilations you should be treated in the exact same way if you had gone out and punched someone because YOU ARE making a conscious desicion to endanger others.

worridmum · 30/10/2018 11:10

I kid you not when my dad was in a cancer ward someone thought bringing the obivously chicken pox riddled child to see there dad on the ward.

And then cried to the local press that she and her child were removed from the ward as soon as it came to light.

SparkleBanana · 30/10/2018 11:12

I would go in. We get ‘invited’ to a disciplinary after any sickness and 3 in a year and you have to go to a meeting with managers which could possibly lead to being dismissed. I guess it depends on your workplace policy.

LizzieBennettDarcy · 30/10/2018 11:14

We will either pay our staff to stay home if they have a heavy cold/D & V or let them make their hours up when well again so that we don't lose productivity and they don't lose pay.

Thankfully they're a decent lot and it's not taken advantage of. And keeps us running over the winter.

I also think that if you're stuffy headed you're not concentrating properly and you're spreading germs. Stay at home!

theworldistoosmall · 30/10/2018 11:19

When I was employed if I took time off for every cold I had, I would have been on sickness management.

Now I am self-employed, I give my clients the option if they want to see me in person.

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