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AIBU?

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Original poster

Social media use whilst off work sick

217 replies

DesertOrchid558 · 01/08/2019 16:37

At work we've seen colleagues who are on long term sickness or 'working from home' posting images of themselves raising a glass or happily socialising ..either posted themselves or tagged in by other people. Not to discredit their situation but it is hard to swallow for those of us stuck for hours in a hot office day in day out. Maybe it's part of their recovery process?

OP posts:
Cosentyx · 01/08/2019 17:29

I think it's a bit rich and unprofessional (and stupid) to post stuff like this on SM when you're off work on the sick or WFH, honestly.

LifeBeginsNow · 01/08/2019 17:35

I'm off sick at the moment and it's not crossed my mind. I've automatically posted some updates about what's going on and when I'm up to it, I can imagine I'd take pictures of the places we visit as a family to document the fun times.

I think when you're ill, perhaps others like me are just living in the moment. You're not thinking that it might look bad if I'm shown having fun, you're thinking I'm grateful to have a painfree moment in the day and want to enjoy it.

ReanimatedSGB · 01/08/2019 17:37

Meh. There are so many perfectly good explanations for having a picture of yourself socialising on social media (old photo or even fairly recent but just not this week, that someone else posted; being well enough to socialise but not come to work, WFH but getting your work done early in the morning so you can go to lunch, etc) that anyone who feels like whining to management that 'Ooh, Ooh, I saw a picture of Gloria with a glass in her hand, ooh, ooh, I thought she was dying' needs a kick up the twinkle and a reminder that no one likes a telltale.

Bunnyfuller · 01/08/2019 17:39

Recovering from a heart attack and further procedures to fix other issues found at the time of the heart attack.

I’ve been off nearly 4 months and getting up, keeping active and doing ‘stuff’ is part of my recovery. Have met with several friends from work for lunch, some of them work in HR!

TwattingDog · 01/08/2019 17:40

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JemimaPuddlePeacock · 01/08/2019 17:43

YABVVU.

You’re certified as unfit to work. That’s it. Not certified as unfit for anything else.

Sure, use a bit of common sense, if your job involves heavy lifting and you’re off with a bad back posting photos of you in a javelin competition is stupid. But even then, unless you’re their manager it’s absolutely none of your business.

I was off for four weeks with depression a couple of years ago and mentioned to my manager I felt a bit weird about the fact I had some stuff already in the diary for ages like a friend’s party and some gigs and didn’t want it to look like I was taking the piss. He made the very good point that as an adult, when I or anyone else in my team is off sick it’s down to us to judge what’s going to be good for our recovery or not, and that he’d far rather I spent the month seeing friends, doing enjoyable activities, that he knows for me it’d be a good sign and achievement to get back to my usual makeup-on, dressed nicely self going out and about. Rather than sitting at home in bed with the covers pulled up which would only make me feel worse and make it harder to imagine getting back into the swing of being at work.

Keep your eyes on your own work OP, stop sniffing around your coworkers’ business. YABU.

HeffaLump1 · 01/08/2019 17:46

At least they are being honest I suppose...though I agree it's galling for those still at work.
Lady last year was off work with concussion for a month. Came back with a very nice tan 🙄. But if the doctor signed her/your colleaguesoff then nothing anyone can do is there?

saraclara · 01/08/2019 17:49

A colleague who was off sick for some time with a serious back injury (our job was impossible to do with such an injury) posted a photo of herself on the train to visit a friend several hours away. There was SO much gossip and ridiculous moaning about it at work. Totally unreasonable. Being able to sit on a train (we knew wasn't able to drive with this injury) to go and see a friend did NOT mean she was fibbing about her condition or flaunting her freedom to do so while we were at work. It made me really angry.

I made a decision there and then, not to have anyone from work on my social media. Not even the ones I counted as friends. People get a glimpse into your real life and that's the end of any sort of privacy.

JemimaPuddlePeacock · 01/08/2019 17:49

How is it galling for anyone else at work? Presumably the sickness policy applies to them too, and they can also use it when they’re sick? Why would I feel aggrieved in any way if a coworker was off sick and I saw them doing something nice on Facebook?

It smacks of a small child jealously kicking up a fuss because they perceive a little friend has something they don’t, not an appropriate way for adults to react to a coworker being sick tbh.

Gingerkittykat · 01/08/2019 17:51

I have a hidden illness, I'm not off sick but the happy Facebook pics don't tell the full story. A pic of me on a rare day out or party doesn't show that I am left exhausted and in pain afterwards and can take ages to recover.

A meal out is a normal non taxing activity.

This is why I don't have colleagues on social media.

cuppycakey · 01/08/2019 17:54

At least they are being honest I suppose...though I agree it's galling for those still at work.Lady last year was off work with concussion for a month. Came back with a very nice tan 🙄. But if the doctor signed her/your colleaguesoff then nothing anyone can do is there?

Eh?

I don't know what work this "lady" does/did for work, but unless it was lying around in the sun, what the fuck are you talking about?

Can you honestly not see that having concussion might make you unable to read/write/talk coherently and make reasonable decisions? But that it would be perfectly possible to lie on a sun bed by the pool on holiday accompanied by a trusted relative or friend?

AllFourOfThem · 01/08/2019 18:04

I think it's a bit rich and unprofessional (and stupid) to post stuff like this on SM when you're off work on the sick or WFH, honestly.

So judgemental and presumptive! A friend of mine was off long term sick and he posted a picture of him in a pub raising a pint. He died of terminal cancer the following week.

CookPassBabtridge · 01/08/2019 18:06

Just more small mindedness that can't think outside the box.
WFH person might have worked their arse off so they could have a relaxed lunch with a friend

cdtaylornats · 01/08/2019 18:09

If I was working from home I might well have a beer - what I never post on social media is me sitting at the computer until the early hours of the morning or during the weekend to meet a deadline.

Ted27 · 01/08/2019 18:12

8 weeks ago I had my gallbladder removed, I had four weeks off work. 5 days after the operation I walked 10 minutes to the local cafe and had breakfast with my friends. Short walks being advised by the hospital. I was probably smiling a lot because it was the first proper meal I'd had for 6 days and despite being in recovery from surgery I was free of the sickness and pain that had been affecting me for the last year.
I stayed an hour, my friend gave me a lift home and I spent the rest of the day in bed exhausted.
Photos on SM are a snapshot.

Kaddm · 01/08/2019 18:15

Whilst I can accept that socialising and relaxing will help get someone better if they are off with stress/anxiety/depression/operation recovery or whatever, it does seem a bit of a stupid thing to post on social media. I mean if a case was started against them, the employer could have a load of photos evidencing them appearing totally fine. Social media is a cancer in our society anyway.

mummywingingit · 01/08/2019 18:15

This depends completely on the reason for sick leave I think. If someone rang in with say D&V, flu, severe cold/virus but was posting picks of loving life out and about...yes, total piss take!

If someone is off with a broken bone so not fir to work, but in social media, then I don't see that as an issue myself, as they physically can't work.

I was off after an op on my chest as was not allowed to heavy lift, and as a carer, this was totally unavoidable, so I was signed off...however, I was able to leave my house and see friends etc

Robs20 · 01/08/2019 18:16

Depends on the circumstances. Wfh - no not ok to be on social media and out with friends. Off sick - might be ok. I was signed off for 3 months after a bereavement earlier this year and went on a 2 week holiday to florida during this time. It helped a little with the recovery but I was worried about what people at work would think if they found out.

plasterboots · 01/08/2019 18:18

@DesertOrchid558 you need to clarify if the WFH and social media is during the working day? Or is it before, after or lunchtime.

YABU about sickness.

Do come back to clarify though.

JacquesHammer · 01/08/2019 18:18

Wfh - no not ok to be on social media and out with friends

Why not as long as the work gets done when it should?

EerieSilence · 01/08/2019 18:19

Long-term sickness could be anything. You may not be able to sit for 8.5 hours in the office but go down to the cafe or a pub and have a pint or sit in the garden.
Working from home - yeah, I've posted a photo or two of my cats sitting on my legs while working the odd time. Does it mean I was neglecting work or what? Usually when working from home you may not have the same rigid schedule but you can find yourself working at 7 or 8PM because you are working on something and don't have to rush home.

AwdBovril · 01/08/2019 18:30

I developed glandular fever about a year after I started my first office job. I took a couple of weeks off (thankfully I felt better quite quickly). At the time, I lived in a small flat in the town centre, however family members nearby were happy to let me use their gardens, I'd sit in the shade (it was a very hot summer). There was bugger all else to do, I was too sore to physically do much, & wasn't interested in eating. I returned to work with an unaccustomed tan & got a lot of dirty looks. However, the weight I continued to lose as my appetite failed to return, persuaded some of them.

Attitudes like this are why I don't post much on social media.

patientzero · 01/08/2019 18:33

WFH depends on the agreement with the employer though. I WFH frequently and as long as I cover my agreed hours it doesn’t matter when I do that work. Had a lovely 3 hour lunch last week to meet my friend and her newborn but I started early and finished late to make up the time.

Have also gone on a pre-booked holiday whilst off sick, with the full agreement of my GP and line manager. Similar issue to the lady mentioned up thread with concussion in that I wasn’t safe to be left alone or capable of doing my job but I could spend a week pottering about in the sun. Funnily enough the break did wonders for my recovery and I was able to go back to work much sooner than originally anticipated.

Yabbers · 01/08/2019 18:34

WFH - YANBU. If you're working from home, you shouldn't be out and about socialising.

Because?

You can judge me if you are sitting at your desk in the office at 11pm. WFH doesn't need to be 9-5. I do it because I need daytime flexibility for various reasons. It's entirely possible for me not to be working at 2pm but I will be working later at night to make up for it.

username302020 · 01/08/2019 18:39

I believe it's a black and white situation.

For example (I was only on sick leave twice-both for serious reasons), in the last 1-2 days I've been grocery shopping (We have to eat, don't we?), but I avoided social media posting at all costs, just in case. People can be really mean