Staff member 'running a temperature'

[DerelictWreck]

I have a team member who has had a LOT of time off sick in the last few months, partly with C-19, partly with other issues.

Each time he feels the need to keep me unnecessarily informed of his ailments . Fine, you want to prove to me your ill and I'm not about to rush anyone back to work (even virtually) at the moment.

But my gripe (lighthearted) is that he keeps telling me has a fever and then listing it. But they're never fevers!! Today's is 37.5, so naturally he needs today off.... I understand that that might be a bit warm for some people (it would be for me) but AIBU to think it's not a fever?!

YABU = 37.5C is clearly a raging fever
YANBU = 37.5C is barely warm

Just been to get my flu jab and my temperature was 36.5 .I was told this was a normal temperature and even 37.2 degrees C is a healthy adult temperature.

The healthy range of temperatures for your average adult is 36.0c to 37.5c and, unless displaying other symptoms of being unwell, we would not consider 37.5-38.0c as excessive but ‘just a little warm’. Even the Covid-19 advice from the government says it’s a temperature of 37.8c or higher so your colleague with his 37.5c ‘temperature’ is pulling a fast one to get time off

They are taking the piss and your manager should be dealing with them.

Why does he need to be off?

Is he actually unwell or just a bit hot?

It actually depends on how it was measured. Orally taken temperature can be up to a whole degree higher than under arm or forehead. In-ear temperature is 0.5 degrees higher. So if his oral or ear temp is 37.5 - there's no fever, but if he had those numbers by measuring under arm or forehead - he may well be ill and running that low but 'bone-cracking' fever.

His temperature is normal.

Next time he says he is ill to you, make sympathetic "Mmmm" sounds and tell him that he really needs to contact his GP as he is still clearly having problems after having Covid.

Then the next time he says he's ill, ask him if he has seen his GP. Then tell him to do so. Repeat until he does.

I work with lots of men and over the years so have learnt how to deal with their illness, both serious and not. One guy clearly had a common cold and told everyone he was dying. I told him he just had a bad cold and go to the pharmacy. The next day I overheard him saying to another colleague he had been to the doctor, the doctor said he had a cold and needs to go to the pharmacist. On the other hand, I have told some guys that they needed to ring their GP immediately and actually stood over one while he did so. When they were seen they were told off for not contacting them earlier.

@Aneley The thermometers tell you how much to add to get your temperature if you measure underarm or in your ear. (Or you can easily find out.)

It's not so much I think he's pulling a fast one - he really struggled to recover from C19 and had already had pneumonia before that - I think he genuinely thinks he's ill.

It's more that he doesn't say 'I'm ill and need a day off' he says 'I have a fever of random normal temp and need to be off. But WHY - what is the impact of this?! It's just such a random way of saying you're sick!

My forehead thermometer flags up as a temp at 37.5° and I am not allowed to work with that under my companies c-19 policies.. I am an outreach support worker so not sure if they’re being extra cautious or not. There’s a few sites that suggest it’s a low grade fever though so perhaps not!

She probably keeping you up to date on ailments as you sound really judgemental of her sickness. Has she actually had covid? You say you don't want to rush her back but don't sound very sympathetic.

My sons normal temperature is 37.5. It may be a little high for some but not a major cause for concern tbh. Many place say 37.5+ is a fever but I believe nhs says 38. Imo you can tell you have a fever without it a thermometer anyway.

Also depends on thermometer. Some read higher or lower.

I’d be feeling pretty unwell with that. My normal temp is 36.4-36.6 measured orally.
Also, we were told from nursery that the cut off with Covid for being sent home is lower than usual, at 37.5C.
Could he be struggling with long COVID?

Our work self certificate has 2 boxes to fill in. 1. Symptoms (with a prompt that 'ill' or 'unwell' need further explanation). 2. How does this affect your ability to work?

I would reply with: 37.5 is not considered a fever, how does it affect your ability to work?

37.8 is our cut off for being allowed in to work

@DerelictWreck it's pretty poor management to discuss this on a public forum as a manager, you should be raising it with him.

There are multiple non-temperature based signs to a fever - and he may have already taken paracetamol etc.

Why are you posting about an employee of yours on a public forum, and not discussing this with him in private, or raising it with HR?

I kind of feel for him actually. After having COVID the first time (yes, dont ask) I couldn't believe how terrible I felt and for how long. I did feel judged for not just throwing it off like other people did and the fact that you could feel ok for a few days then awful again didnt help either. Anyway, I did feel a need to justify myself to work, who luckily were really understanding, and even then I didnt tell them the half of it (saying you've got a temperature is somewhat less humiliating than saying you've got the shits again, are aching all over or seem to have lost your short term memory).

I've taken many temperatures over the years and the problem with a 'normal' range is that individuals vary and sometimes outside those lines.

A friend of mine hovers around the 36.0-36.2 range. For her 37.5 is well over a degree warmer than her baseline and she'd be feeling crap.

I hover around the 37.0-37.1 mark, for me 37.5 is under half a degree from my baseline. I wouldn't even notice I was warm. I used to use this to demonstrate to other HCP how one size does not fit all.

If anyone told me that 37.5 was running a temperature I'd think they were being a hypochondriac get to 38 and we'll start discussing it , but this are challenging times. Perhaps they are very anxious about their slight temperature rises and anxiety can also be an illness that warrants time off

37.4 and under - not a temperature
37.7 and above - temperature.

However, pre-Covid days, a slightly higher temperature wouldn’t bother me, especially if paracetamol brings it down.

Taking temperature under the armpit is about 1 degree out.

So if your temp under arm is 37.5, then you have a fever.

I know what you mean OP, I used to have a guy in my team who would give graphic details of his ailments. In the end I told him "Look, if you're ill then I believe you, I do not want to hear about every last detail, please spare me from it!" He took the advice - thankfully!

37.5 is high for me. I was usually between 36 and 36.6 all year but yesterday it shot up to 37.5 and a number of other kidney infection symptoms ( exhaustion , pain, nausea, diahorea) came on. I'm off sick due to host of other symptoms rather then the low grade almost fever.
I can only self certify for 5 working days. After that I need a doctors note is that not the same in your place of employment?

he really struggled to recover from C19 and had already had pneumonia before that - I think he genuinely thinks he's ill.

Was he a known hypochondriac before or do you think he's genuinely scared after two pretty big-deal illnesses? I had a horrific illness once that took me months to fully recover from and for a while after I was better every twinge and sniffle made me stop and go 'uh oh, not again'. It can be quite traumatic.

Maybe he's got awful dioreahea and doesn't want to say?