To think it's pure selfish to come into work full of cold barking every 2 minutes

[lilly423]

AIBU to think if your full of cold and coughing non-stop then you absolutely shouldn’t come in to work and infect everyone else? It’s pure selfishness. Colleague sits on desk attached to mine so very close to me and we share a phone. She gets paid to be off so I’m really pissed off if I’m being honest that she’s come in coughing and spluttering germs all round. I’ve got plans for over the Christmas and if I catch this because of her selfishness then it will ruin it for me. I told her she shouldn’t he here today and she just says she’s not as bad as she has been … certainly doesn’t sound that way and I’m saying it for the benefit of other staff.

I'm seriously confused how I'm selfish for not wanting to be bed bound over the Christmas

you are selfish because your desire not to have a cold trumps her desire not to have a poor absence record at work. Do you not think she would rather be in bed than work? You have absolutely no interest in her only yourself.

A cold is not a reason not to go to work, but you are being very immature and cant see beyond you maybe catching a cold off this one lady, when potentially you could catch it anywhere at this time of year.

I think she should be wearing the face mask, not you!

I can see it from both sides, she doesn't want to take sick leave but it is frustrating when she's potentially sharing her germs with the office.
Not much you can do except good hygiene, good luck.

If companies don't want people in then shouldn't be such dicks and put people on disciplinary for being ill.

fair enough when they have a genuine illness, but a "cold" is not a valid reason to stay home!

It's no one's fault that colds leave you bed bound. It's your health, you need to be taking precautions not expecting the world to revolve around your health needs.

What precautions can you take though? I was in a similar situation where people would come in, cough everywhere or have tonsillitis
I'm immunocompromised so would get even more unwell than they were and then get a disciplinary for being off too much!
You can't win 🤷🏽‍♀️

Who REALLY wants to go to work when they are ill? nobody.
It's the pressure from the business that makes people turn up. So be nice. I was ill for 5 weeks, it's a really bad flu then when I got better, I caught a cold. There was no way I could be off sick for 5 weeks. I tried to go to the ladies for a big cough or to blow my nose though and i always wash my hands.

If I was off everytime I had a cold I’d of had a disaplinary by now.

You can't win either way, phone in sick people slag you off, come in people slag you off

Where I work, you are subject to a disciplinary if you have 3 sickness absences in a year. I had to promise to go 6 months without a further absence when it happened to me. So unfortunately, I went into work with a cold and cough. Otherwise my disciplinary would have escalated to the next level!

The policy is draconian but what choice did I have?

Surely if you're immunocompromised you are under some sort of medical team who give you advice on this?

Also we have air con in the office and one of the older women is constantly sweating and putting it on which to me is gross as it blowing the germs round even more

The nerve of a menopausal woman having hot flushes, eh?

they wouldn't need such strict policies if people thought they could take sickies because they have a cold, or eczema (true story!) or feel a bit "fragile" or overwhelmed with the world grin

When it’s contagious stuff like colds, it’s a false economy - even if attendance remains high, productivity will fall if all of your staff are battling a nasty virus.

Eczema can be absolutely horrific, too.

And I assume you’re talking about people with mental health issues at the end there, which says a lot about you.

YABU. She may be paid for time off sick however it is usually viewed negatively, even if there’s no ramifications. And should she then become ill later on in the year with something more serious then this can affect absence history even more. I tend to drag myself in with a cold, until I have a temperature. I’ve never worked anywhere Ir would be considered ok to be off with a cold.

It’s presenteeism, dragging yourself in and muddling on. Not being particularly productive. Unfortunately that’s considered better than calling in sick.

Full on jobsworth she sounds , not to mention selfish.

I agree.

Most of here won't.

I would be livid

I don't consider a cold to be a reason to be off school, work or in bed. I'd just carry on as would my children. If you're particularly vulnerable so that a cold can ruin Christmas then it suggests you having underlying issues. It's not reasonable to expect people to quarantine themselves if you're more vulnerable than average. If I had D&V my work would ask me to come in a couple of hours later than normal 🙄 (I wouldn't as that's another thing entirely) but I'd be sacked if I look sick leave for a cold.

Snuggly - not really. Try to avoid people who are obviously unwell. But that's pretty hard to do when you're going to be immunocompromised for life 🤷🏽‍♀️ and need to work FT

Honestly some of these replies are making me laugh, people are so sensitive and get themselves so worked up! It's still going on today barking and sneezing into hands and not washed them once or sanitised, then touching office equipment. THAT is selfish and utterly repulsive, to the snowflake who thinks I'm being ridiculous and dramatic with their passive aggressive comments.

It wouldn't bother me. Bugs are everywhere. But then i do not have a compromised immune system.

Op YANBU. I think it’s selfish to bring germs into work but it is a difficult one because of absence records - as others have said, I’m sure she’d rather be in bed!

So have you been following said ill person into the loo to ascertain if hands have been washed or not

@Vulpine honestly why are people so awkward? Get a grip! She hasn't left her desk all morning. Even if she had the toilet is directly outside office and I would be able to hear the tap running or not.

Hands should be washed straight after coughing all over them and sneezing into them and it's not. How do people lack such basic hygiene 🤮

did you actually read that post back to yourself? Do you not see it?

Anyway, as long as your hand washing and hygiene (not touching your mouth/face) is scrupulous other people’s shouldn’t have as much of an impact as you’d think.

Its not the most practical thing in the world to have to get up and wash your hands every time you sneeze or cough though. Pocket alcohol gel can be helpful though.