To have just ‘taken a day’ today?

[BasinHaircut]

I called in sick today. Not because I actually feel ill, but for reasons I can’t explain just felt like I needed a day off from life.

I have done some work so as not to have to play catch up tomorrow with emails and the like, but otherwise I’ve essentially pulled a sickie (and I feel guilty about it).

I have a husband and a 5yo son and so taking a ‘day off’ at the weekend isn’t an option IYSWIM. And I feel like there is so much to do day to day that sometimes it’s overwhelming.

Now I think about it I could have taken a day’s annual leave but this morning when I just didn’t want to engage in life I didn’t think of that, I thought a sick day was my only option.

Do I sound like I’m going bananas?

😂😂😂 only on mumsnet could taking 1 day off be turned into gross misconduct & fraud. Ffs You’re a human being that works 40+ hours a week for 40+ years! Think you’re gonna be laying on your death bed feeling guilty about that day you laid in bed & bloody loved every second? Nope! Life’s to short OP, hope your day was enjoyable!!

OnNaturesCourse and Nyon

Totally agree.

And JoyceTS Many workers don’t get 28 days leave a year. I only ever got a max of 25 after many years with the same company. And yes, I had to work Bank Holidays on a rota.

mimi has recommended she does it once a month! That’s ridiculous

Just take leave if you need time off. Don't lie about being ill

Just to clarify - I didn’t say I fancied a mooch about and couldn’t be arsed, I couldn’t face life today. I can’t explain exactly what I mean by that but I didn’t just fancy a lazy day.

And I didn’t give an exact reason when I called in sick, I just said I was unwell but would see how I felt later and do some work if I felt up to it (which I did). I don’t HAVE to tell anyone except HR the nature of the illness but on the back of this thread I’m actually considering saying I needed a mental health day.

You say yourself you pulled a sickie. You weren’t honest with your work and said you were unwell.

It really does undermine mental health issues when people are not going to work saying “mental health day”!

I’m in no way saying I have a mental illness. But I don’t think that only people who do are allowed to care about thier mental health.

I say I pulled a sickie because I’m not physically unwell.

people lie about mental health days because there is still stigma attached to mental illness. i would never disclose my depression, anxiety or OCD diagnoses to any employer. maybe if i’d worked there for years, but i definitely wouldn’t be phoning in sick with a mental health day because it is quite obvious (thanks to this thread) that you will be judged and called names such as snowflake.

20 days plus 8 days bank hols FTE is statutory minimum

If you’re getting less than this you should be contacting ACAS or CAB

Basin So why not phone in saying exactly what you have said here? Then you can feel no guilt and know you haven’t thrown a sickie.

Red people might feel guilty if they are off sick because (depending on what their role is) they know that their colleagues may have to be covering the work normally done on that day. Not all Managers can just reallocate the work to someone else and not all tasks can just be left. Can you really not understand that?

I wouldn't pretend to have taken a mental health day if you don't actually have mental health problems. This undermines people who genuinely do have problems and also your work place will then have you on the system as someone who has mental health problems when you don't. It's not the sort of thing that only affects you on one day so you will need to keep up the facade!

I haven’t said anything to work yet. I’ve just said I felt unwell.

I felt guilty earlier because I didn’t feel like I should be taking a day off when I wasn’t physically ill.

I posted here because I wanted to know if it was just me or if others could relate/had done similar.

Yep, you’re BU. Sick days are not for this purpose. You want a day to ‘chill’ or ‘re set’ then you take a days leave or unpaid.

You can easily take this at short notice, how do you think people who’s car breaks down or whose child is ill, or who needs to take a day off to wait in for an emergency plumber etc cope? They ring in and say, sorry for the short notice but I need to take today off!

Being dishonest leads to issues, especially if your employer finds out. You could find yourself with plenty of time on your hands to chill...

"
Today 20:34 AutumnGrace

A mental health sick day is as valid as a cold/flu physical sick day.".

If you're suffering with a mental health problem yes. If you feel like you might in the future, isn't it like taking a day off on case you get a cold?
I work for a huge organisation that can absorb staff sickness. The taxpayer pays my wages. Im not off sick unless I'm sick.

Well you clearly feel justified now OP

Be careful what you wish for

Physical illness or mental illness, day off, fine.
No physical or mental illness, work or take leave.
No one should be paid for a duvet day.

What am I wishing for Joyce?

Where is DH in all this????
How does he support you to get a break at the weekend so you don't have to phone in sick for a 'me' day causing your colleagues additional work and possibly stress for THEM?

If you were sneaking a day off to get a haircut I would have had more sympathy

Stress and other mental health problems are the biggest cause of absence within the current UK workforce (CIPD 2018 before someone asks me to quote my source)

Taking a day off because you can’t face life that day, the need to recharge as early intervention to prevent longer term stress/issues and therefore potentially longer term absence etc, counts as sickness absence in my opinion.

Those that are banding about the phrases gross misconduct and fraud need to educate themselves regarding mental health in the workplace.

As a pp says though what about the additional stress you put on your colleagues and manager?

If I get a snuffle can I retire to my bed in anticipation of a cold?
Or if I get a spot, can I assume it's bubonic plague

I tried to 'take a day' today. DS messed his bed around 3am so I had to strip it, and him, put a load of washing on etc. He then refused to go back to sleep (autistic) so from 4am we were both sat downstairs watching crap.

I put him on his school minibus as normal, and called my boss to explain that I hadn't slept since 3am. Boss knows that both DS and I are getting over colds, so understood that I wasn't in a fit state to work. I "took a day" and went back to bed after son left for school.

Less than two hours later, school phoned and I had to pick son up as he was crying and refusing to settle. So I didn't get the day of rest that I needed!

Superstar, the OP clearly said she didn’t feel unwell, threw a sickie and could have taken leave.

That’s why people are saying she’s BU.