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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think it’s grim to come into work when you have a cold?

170 replies

sunfloweryy · 26/02/2020 08:59

If you can easily work from home/take the day off sick?

I’ve been off work with a particularly nasty cold for the last couple of days. I feel better today, but still not great so I’ve logged on from home to work as I’m still coughing and sneezing.

Colleague has just sent me an IM to see how I was and told me he’s got a cold too but he’s been in office. He was trying to make me feel guilty for taking time off for sure, and it’s bothered me!

He has form for coming in to work when he’s ill, coughing and sneezing all over the place and we hot desk so it isn’t even possible to contain him to one area. I get that the world can’t stop for colds, but surely common sense dictates that if you are able to work from home or take some days off you do so? Especially with this coronavirus going around!

AIBU?

OP posts:
OldEvilOwl · 26/02/2020 09:02

Ignore them, your still working and it's got nothing to do with them anyway

Finfintytint · 26/02/2020 09:02

Not everyone has the option to work from home.
Bit extreme to take a day off work for just a cold.
Take some paracetamol, use tissues and was you hands frequently.

Nowayorhighway · 26/02/2020 09:03

Wow, if everyone took time off for a cold the country would collapse every winter.

RocketFire · 26/02/2020 09:05

Not grim at all it’s just a part of life

I despair of mumsnet sometimes..ITS A COLD fgs!!

Strongmummy · 26/02/2020 09:05

I think taking the day off for a cold is a bit much!!! Unless of course it’s really bad. Plus many can’t work from home. If someone who worked for me asked of that could work from home coz they were coughing and sneezing I’d be a bit Hmm

motherheroic · 26/02/2020 09:06

You're unreasonable for using the word grim for something so minor.

Witchofzog · 26/02/2020 09:07

It's a cold!! Get over yourself. Not everyone can work from home or works well from home. And why would you want that on your sickness record when it could result in disciplinary if you really are sick later or could mess your chances up of securing another job?

bluetongue · 26/02/2020 09:08

I’ve had a cold for nearly two weeks and I’m still coughing. I had one day off when the cough was really bad but I can hardly take two weeks or more off every time I get a cold.

Having said that I do sometimes get really nasty colds with a fever for a couple of days and while I once would have struggled into work with a high temperature I usually stay home if I have a fever these days.

Cailleach · 26/02/2020 09:08

Oh for god's sakes it's a ruddy cold, not the Black Death! That would look tremendous on your sick record wouldn't it...way to put yourself straight onto any potential redundancies list...

RachelEllenRE · 26/02/2020 09:09

I think working from home is preferable if it's an option but not taking unnecessary time off work.

amiapropermum · 26/02/2020 09:13

If someone can work from home when they have a cold then I'd much prefer they did that than come in sneezing and coughing.

Elouera · 26/02/2020 09:14

Its not unreasonable to stay at home at all, depending on where you work? One company I worked at had a policy that you couldnt work with a respiratory or gastric illness and would be sent home if you arrived with a cold. We worked with vulnerable older people, and cold to them can be deadly if it leads to pneumonia!
Yes its a cold, but if you are dealing with customers or clients, its rude to be sniffing, blowing your nose etc in front of them!

peoplepleaser1 · 26/02/2020 09:14

When I worked in HR if someone took days off sick due to a cold they workout not pass their probationary period and would likely be made redundant before their two years initial service was compete.

It's tough coming into work when you feel below par, but it's part of life unfortunately.

Original poster
sunfloweryy · 26/02/2020 09:15

My whole AIBU was IF you can work from home.. Obviously I know lots can’t but our job can easily be done at home.

OP posts:
floordrobey · 26/02/2020 09:16

For a cold , you don't need to take the day off , take some lemsip , tissues & nose in haler and wash your hands frequently. Colds are common if everyone took time off no would ever be working

anicebag · 26/02/2020 09:17

I think it's more about how enforced your sickness policy is. Do you get paid if off sick? Most people get 1/2 colds a year? Most policies start attendance management after 3 absences in a year. You probably want to keep some slack for other types of illness. It would be great if everyone could take time off, but...

Cookit · 26/02/2020 09:20

But what would my work think of me taking 30 days sick a year because I happen to have caught a random (usually mild) cold?

It’s the same as the argument about not taking children to school when they have colds. It’s all well and good but schools have attendance targets, children get colds constantly and if you were to take them out every time they were sniffling you’d get a meeting scheduled for poor attendance.

Bluesheep8 · 26/02/2020 09:21

A cold doesn't warrant time off sick. I don't have the option of working from home. What DOES annoy me is people at work with a cold who cough and sneeze repeatedly without covering their mouths.Hmm

WorraLiberty · 26/02/2020 09:22

If you can easily work from home/take the day off sick?

My whole AIBU was IF you can work from home.. Obviously I know lots can’t but our job can easily be done at home.

I'm honestly confused about your first line there?

If you're literally just talking about working from home then YANBU.

If you're also talking about taking the day off sick (for non home workers) then YABVVU.

Cookit · 26/02/2020 09:22

If a workplace wanted to enforce such a rule that would be great but they’d have to expect a lot more sick days from people and have communicated clearly that that is ok and they won’t be expecting doctor’s notes etc.

HoneyBee03 · 26/02/2020 09:23

I'd probably face disciplinary if I told my boss I wasn't coming in because of a cold. And I do have the option to work from home but a cold isn't a good enough excuse. Everyone gets colds, you just deal with them.

Fuckitwhynot · 26/02/2020 09:24

Most people take something to dry it up and get on with it. Staying home with a cold is a crap reason to call I’m sick.

IdblowJonSnow · 26/02/2020 09:25

I have a cold about a third of the time so although its grim to be sneezing on people/things, it's not realistic for most people to take time off for a cold. I would definitely work from home though if that was an option.

Noconceptofnormal · 26/02/2020 09:26

Agree a cold is not grounds for going off sick BUT I do think that people are BU when they don't medicate for the worse effects of a cold, ie a Sudafed means your nose isn't running constantly and some cough medicine, and honey and lemon so you're not coughing every 2 seconds.

It's not pleasant sitting next to someone who's making heavy work of having a cold because they've not taken anything.

BeanTownNancy · 26/02/2020 09:26

OP clearly says

If you can easily work from home/take the day off sick?

So everyone piping up with "not everyone can work from home" I have to assume are being willfully obtuse.

And yes OP, I used to monitor and analyse the sickness reports as well as the productivity reports for my department (300+ people), and the teams which allowed people to work from home had drastically lower sickness figures than the ones who encouraged their staff to come in and spread the sickness around.

Taking a day off sick is probably a bit extreme though, unless you or a colleague are at risk of complications.