Colleague at work issue WWYD?

[littlemisspigg]

I have a colleague (female) at work who manages to skive off work at least one day a week by making up some story about sick husband/ one child/ the other child/ some crisis or the other. At times she simply doesn't turn up to work although she's on the rota by sweet- talking the man-in-charge. I'm flabbergasted, and obviously am left to pick up her jobs. She seems to be getting clean away with it, and because I don't work all the time (unlike her) in the same office, I'm a bit puzzled by how all this is allowed to happen. I have questioned it and have on occasion, scooted off a quick email to the manager to ask is she's meant to be in that day...but as far as I know, nothing is being done about this.
Not sure how to deal with this- it appears to be favouritism...what should I do?
Options- ignore it and carry on doing my job
Or
Make a fuss

Make a fuss.

Talk to your manager and focus on the fact that you have to pick up her work.

If you’re having to do her work then yes say something.
Not sarcastically ( like I would ) just ask where is Mary today?

Option c, raise calmly with your boss that you're regularly picking up additional work and how this impacts quality or amount you're getting done. Focus on the work, not the colleague.

I would arrange to speak to my manager with a log of all the additional work i had picked up on her absence and say that it’s unsustainable for you, either someone else needs to be hired, you need to be properly remunerated for the additional duties or her work will just go undone until she’s available as you simply don’t have the capacity to pick it up indefinitely.

The one thing I wouldn’t do (because the manager should be doing it by, well, managing) is to ask if she is on a PIP or has been reprimanded at all. It makes you look unprofessional and petty-minded even though you know you’re not.

Keep it professional and how her absences are affecting your ability to do your own job.

We have a situation similar to this at my work. A colleague who has been there for years takes very regular single or double days off sick and in the last 3 years she's had a 2 week absence, a 10 week and a 10 month.
You're on a hiding to nothing with questioning the absences. We did have luck with raising the work itself as mentioned above.

It sounds really annoying for you and I get why you’re upset about it. It’s frustrating having to do other people’s work.

My first thought is she sounds maybe not OK? Are her poor reasons actually excuses because she has other reasons she won’t tell you (but which management may or may not be aware of), eg mental health problems?

What I’d do is tell management of the impact it has on you, and say something like “I don’t know what’s going on for her, whether it’s been explored whether she needs extra support or something, but if this is going to be an ongoing issue we need to talk about how to manage the extra work. What do you suggest? I can’t manage it all by myself”.

Or she could just be lazy, in which case you’ve still highlighted the problem as well as your worry that it’s ongoing.

Please raise it with your Manager. It's their job to sort this out. Focus on the extra work, but do log the absences as well.

If he won't take action, talk to your HR if you have one. Ask them what the company's policy on sick leave is. Don't focus on the extra work with them, but say you're concerned that she might need extra help as she appears to be quite unwell.

I had a colleague who was regularly off on a wednesday. I suspect she didn’t have paid childcare for that day, and just organised play dates for them when she could. So blatant.

Raise calmly with some facts. Could there genuinely be something going on with her at home? The Line Manager needs to be supportive but enforce any absence policy.

Are you sure this isn't an exaggeration?

I am sure whatever company you are working for missing 1 in 5 work days continuay would get her put on some sort of performance program very quickly.

I'd raise the issues it's causing you in exactly the same way you would if it was someone off for a genuine reason. i.e in a professional manner to find a solution to the extra pressure on you.

I'd probably be more open with others if anyone asked where she was or why you were behind. 'oh Lucy? yes she's not in today, she's getting her toaster repaired. Such bad luck she has, last week her dp had a cold and the week before her dc grazed it's knee'