To not go to work?

[APositiveMind]

I suffer with my throat and have yet again got tonsilitis. I have antibiotics and have been told to be careful as it could be quinsy. I went to the doctors Tuesday, worked the rest of the day and worked yesterday. But I've been getting short of 3 hours sleep, I am having real difficulty swallowing and can't open my mouth very much. The nurse said I have to sign myself off for the first week, I feel that a week may be a bit much. But I've called in sick today and I'm worried they're going to be funny with me. I can see for. Their point it's 'Just a sore throat' but unless they're me they have no idea how incredibly painful it is and how fed up I am.

Tonsillitis is more than a sore throat. You’ll get better quicker by resting. I’d take today and tomorrow off and go back Monday!

Do you have reason to believe that your employer will be unreasonable, or are you just someone who feels guilty about time off? Either way, if you're in pain, then you're not going to be much good at work, are you? Stay home, guilt-free.

Firstly, I really feel for you as tonsillitis is horrible. I suffered for years with it until I had my tonsils out at a late age.

Before I went self employed, I used to dread being off work sick as I used to sit and stew about ringing in sick, what will the managers think of me? Will they believe that I am sick or will they think I am putting it on. So I really sympathise in that area too.

Firstly, you have tonsillitis and not just a sore throat. What do you mean their point is it's just a sore throat? Is that what they have actually said to you? Or what you are thinking they may be saying behind your back?

Tell yourself you are a grown woman (or man!) you have been diagnosed with tonsillitis and you are genuinely not well enough to go into work and you will decide yourself when you feel well enough to go in. Take one day at a time and do not go back into work until you feel well enough. And do not feel guilty about not being in work.

Tonsillitis is more than a sore throat, used to suffer and it would really knock me for six, would have to have a few days off just to recover, had to have them taken out in the end. If you continually get it and it is making life very difficult and you need to continually take time off work then you can ask if you are eligible to have them removed, it's an awful op but for me has been worth it

If you've got antibiotics you're properly sick.

Op stay off. I’ve had tonsillitis that developed into Quincy and it is agony. I was in hospital for four days. I ate nothing for days and couldn’t swallow or talk. All because I didn’t let the initial infection heal. So it can be serious.

Thanks for the advice. It's half because I always feel so guilty taking time off. And also because when I asked for the time to go to the doctors my manager said "you don't look like you have a sore throat" and another colleague told me yesterday they was discussing it while I was gone and didn't think i should go to the doctor for a sore throat anyway. Clearly it is more than that as I have been diagnosed with tonsilitis, and I'm not sure how I'm meant to 'look' with a sore throat.

I've asked numerous times over the years to have them out as I suffer a lot with them. But I always get the 'they don't take them out anymore unless it's really severe'

I have to go back after my course of antibiotics if I feel tired and have a blood test for glandular fever also, thankfully the nurse did mention my record this time and asked if I get it a lot, so I'm trying to push harder at having them removed. Not sure I can cope with a bout of this again I'd rather cut my own head off

*they were discussing it when I was gone
*
Who was? The manager? If you have had a private conversation with your manager about your illness and then your manager was discussing it with your colleagues, you have a right to put in a complaint.

And how lovely of your colleagues to judge whether or not you were right to go to the doctors!

I hope your reply was that it is none of your business!!

@crazyladee - my manager was discussing it with the assistant manager infront of another colleague who told me what they had said.

As long as you are 100% certain this has happened, When you have your return to work meeting, I would tell them you're not happy that details of your illness were being discussed publicly. I would also make a point of saying that it is your business whether or not you visit the doctor in the self certification period. Self certification is called self certification for a reason. YOU get to decide whether you are well enough to go to work and whether or not you go to the doctors.

Unfortunately I have worked in many places that are funny about people being off sick. Especially if the company pay full sick pay.

Obviously I can never be 100% certain because I was not there, but I'm 99%. It's exactly what I would have expected. I do love my job but the people and management aren't wonderful.. I'm actually not sure what I get in terms if sick pay, usually we get asked to either take it as holiday or owe a day.
Like they're closing the place for new years eve, which we usually work. But because the owner has decided to close it all day we have been told we have to take it as holiday. Meaning I have to carry it over onto next year's holidays because I don't have any left this year. Maybe time for a new job?:(

Sounds like a terrible place to work.

Is it in your contract that you have to take it out of your holidays if they decide to close on the odd day?

How long have you been there?

I'm not sure, I'm too scared to ask for a copy of my contract in case it brings up conflict. I hate confrontation. I just want to work hard to pay my mortgage and bills so I think I'm a bit of a pushover at work just to keep the peace.

I've been there 3 years, doesn't sound like a long time but I'm only 22 and have only been qualified for about 4 years.

Ask for a copy of your contract, OP! For all you know, they may be doing all sorts of things wrong (one of my friends found out she'd lost out on 5 days leave for 3 years when she finally got a copy of hers).

Asking you to take leave when you're ill is also wrong, especially so if you only get 20 days pa, as it means you're effectively getting less than the legal minimum holiday. If you end up being off sick for more than a few days, you could lose out on statutory sick pay as well, which is payable after 4 days of illness. Days when you've taken leave won't count as "days of illness".

I worked for a company who refused to pay sick pay. If we were ever sick we had to either make the time up or for it to go down as unpaid leave. It was never taken out of our annual leave due to the reasons the PP has mentioned.

You have been there 3 years so you have enough clout behind you to stand up for your rights and yourself!

Thanks everyone, you are all saying exactly what my mum and my gran have told me. Stand up for myself and put my foot down. I'm just a bit of a wimp!

I'd say look for another job, they sound awful, regularly breaking laws on confidentiality, sick pay, holiday pay and not giving you a copy of YOUR contract?! You've got a good stint behind you, find something else if you can. Hope you feel better soon, sounds awful. ('Don't look like you've got a sore throat', ffs, what is that supposed to look like?! I dread to think what they would say to someone with depression.)

I've had tonsillitis and was able to go into work. I've also had tonsillitis where I've dropped a stone, not left my bed for a week and was developing Quincy. Tonsillitis isn't straight forward and I would absolutely take the time off if you need it. And look for a new job. Hope you feel better soon OP.