I work for a company who says they won't accept sick calls

[ElektraLOL]

I have an ongoing problem with a slipped disc in my back. It flairs up every now and then and I have a very physical job. So yesterday my back was hurting all day at work and today I'm in so much pain I'm going to the out of hours GP. I can't even drive. So I call in sick to work to be told they will not accept sick calls today because they are too busy. This is the first time I've ever called in sick in any job I've had. I physically will not be able to do the movements involved. I told them I'm self certifying and i will not be in.

IABU to think this is not usual workplace behaviour? I have heard from others that they will always try to bully ill people into work.

[LagunaBubbles]

Would probably been better if you’d tried to swap shifts with a colleague etc before calling in

Er no! If you are sick you are sick, it's not then your job to find someone to do your shift thats what managers etc get paid for!

[SnapesGreasyHair]

Suppose you have had a car accident and while undergoing surgery, your dp phones in for you

That pretty much happened at my work. Colleague in car accident. Was being cut out by firecrew. Her DP phoned work and manager asked if she would be in later that day

[Inliverpool1]

You’ve accepted the counter offer and stayed .... every recruiter in the country will tell you, you’ll leave within 6 months and end up taking a worse job than the one you turned down and probably your current one too. You showed your hand when you tried to resign and there really is no way back. Start looking first thing on Tuesday and never accept a counter offer again

[Prequelle]

I’ve just noticed that you work in a spa. If you’re a therapist you could well be leaving them with a nightmare today as they’ll have clients booked in which, no doubt they’ll need to cancel, unless they can call in someone at short notice

Boo hoo. Noones massage is as important as OPs health. The company should have resources to ensure they can fulfil requirements if someone goes off on the sick

I work for the NHS. If I go off sick it means 8-10 people don't have a nurse so other staff have to take my workload because there's no other staff to come in. Its life threatening, yet im still not treated with the same poor attitude as this

[Brilliantidiot]

Sorry - I’ve just noticed that you work in a spa. If you’re a therapist you could well be leaving them with a nightmare today as they’ll have clients booked in which, no doubt they’ll need to cancel, unless they can call in someone at short notice.

Well tough quite frankly, the OP is sick and it's her supervisor/managers role to arrange rota's. Maybe the manager should do it. If there's no cover then treatments get cancelled - no one will die. If it's so vital that these appointments are met then management need to come up with a better strategy than 'no one shall be ill' they're dealing with people, not fucking robots!

Would probably been better if you’d tried to swap shifts with a colleague etc before calling in

Again, no, it's not the OPs responsibility.

[ZazieTheBruce]

My old massage therapist said spas are notorious for working people like donkeys. Long shifts with every appointment a massage. And they don’t pay well either.

You’d be better handing in your notice, and setting up as an independent massage therapist.

[Sillybilly1234]

It was used against me during my redundancy process.

[Kingoftheroad]

dotty1970 no I’m am not I am a business owner trying to survive in a tough economic climate. Sickness levels in this country are appalling and as a result many genuinely ill people suffer for the actions of others.

How would you feel today if you were a small business employer losing a lot of money and possibly future clients today as the therapist had called in at the last minute sick ?

How would you also feel if you’d saved up, booked in advance and we’re looking forward to your treatment and we’re turned away at the last minute.

Also the op worked over her massage hours (no one can physically force you to do this) she could also have let her employee know the day before that she could potentially be off as her back had flared up then

[Kingoftheroad]

brilliantidiot. We don’t know the size of this business, it could be a small independent. Not all businesses have managers - it would then be left to the owner to take time away from her clients to try to cover the shift. It really does help to see that someone’s at least trying to get cover.

You say no one will die and that’s correct. However the business could die out as clients, when met with this will usually take their business elsewhere then no one would have a job to call I. Sick to.

[Passthecherrycoke]

Sickness levels in this country aren’t appalling? Where did you get that from?


I’ve had a treatment cancelled due to therapist sickness. It’s no big deal

[pointythings]

Kingoftheroad has it ever occurred to you that sickness levels in the UK are appalling because business owners don't employ enough staff, don't pay them decent wages and overwork them, then treat them badly if they go off sick? There's a reason why productivity in the UK is worse than in comparable EU countries, and it's to do with the culture of presenteeism. Treat your staff well and they will be well and do well.

I work in the NHS - our team manager has a progressive attitude towards staff sickness. Guess what? Our sickness absence rates are minuscule.

If you want to see the root cause of the problems with sickness absence in the UK, look in the mirror.

[PregnantSea]

What a bunch of arseholes. This is laughable.

You're sick today and that's fine. The worst that they can do is fire you for it, which would be illegal and then you can take them to an employment tribunal.

Take no notice of their ridiculous attitude. Perhaps it's time to look for a new job.

[DGRossetti]

Can you paint it on the side of a bus ?

[MadeleineMaxwell]

Absence levels in the UK are really high

Sickness absence falls to the lowest rate on record

Although all that apparently shows is that presenteeism and not paying for sickness leave is on the rise.

[Brilliantidiot]

it would then be left to the owner to take time away from her clients to try to cover the shift. It really does help to see that someone’s at least trying to get cover.

Yes, it is down to the owner, and why shouldn't it be? It's their business! Businesses need to stop trying to palm off the risks of being in business to their staff!

However the business could die out as clients, when met with this will usually take their business elsewhere then no one would have a job to call I. Sick to.

Then it's up to the owner/manager to devise a strategy that minimises this or that covers loss of income, guards against loss of clients. It's not up to the staff to do that.

[Passthecherrycoke]

I don’t really understand why owners of businesses who pay minimum wage and charge luxury prices expect us to feel sorry for them for dealing with perfectly normal HR and personnel issues. Who cares? If they can’t run the business then they’re incompetent.

[Prequelle]

you must manage on a shit wage that means you have to claim benefits to survive, you must have very high standards and work when I want you to, oh you also can't have sick time because how dare you eat into my profits by becoming unwell! Think of my business!

[ilovebrie8]

It is not up to the OP to arrange sickness cover that is the job of management and/or the owner of the business.

Kingoftheroad your attitude is shocking in this day and age...

[ArabellaDoreenFig]

BrilliantIdiot

Couldn’t agree more with your last post. Its great that people do run their own businesses- but as a small/medium business owner you need to appreciate that it is your business, you make the profits, you run the risks etc, any staff you hire shouldn’t be expected to shoulder any responsibilities beyond their job, if they are then you are not managing well !

[Butterymuffin]

OP did you post before about problems with a colleague and you getting all the harder appointments? Definitely time to move jobs if so.

[thecatinthetwat]

You should find work elsewhere op, if you possibly can. Don't support such a company, it's outright bullying. I've experienced this type of thing before, it's awful.

I hope you feel better soon

[Jessikka]

I am recovering from a slipped disc and I can absolutely sympathise with you. It's horrendous.

If i jar it or twist too suddenly I can barely walk for days - it's always with a limp as my right leg won't straighten!

I work in an office so I can raise my desk up and down if needs be but a physical job in that pain? no way! I'd be useless.

Hope you get better soon 🌷

[Hearhere]

It sounds like they're just using the staff as scapegoats for their own incompetence

[kalinkafoxtrot45]

This country has an appalling attitude to sickness absence. People end up working when they shouldn’t and make their conditions worse, or spread germs to others and make the whole office sick. And kingoftheroad you’re clearly part of the problem. Have a

[jewel1968]

@pointythings

Can you expand on - I work in the NHS - our team manager has a progressive attitude towards staff sickness. Guess what? Our sickness absence rates are minuscule.

I am genuinely interested in what a progressive attitude is and if it is part of NHS policy in managing absence.