Do you ever call in sick when you are not?

[DriedFig]

Just a thought really. I'm sometimes tempted to call in sick, but would feel too guilty. Is an occasional sickie acceptable?

I would say yes, but in hindsight they were mental ill health days.

I was a teacher in a horrible school. I ended up being signed off with stress, and I’m still on meds six years later.

So, sorry, but I’m not sorry.

No, not unless I am actually sick - last time I was in hospital on a drip. So that level of sick, not a cold .

I’d phone in with a pretend illness when I was younger. But guess what? A pattern soon emerged that soon after I’d be genuinely ill and then couldn’t take time off. In the end I put a stop to my pretend days🤣

Outside of the U.K have worked for organisations with a wide range of leave policies, from permitted personal days , unpaid sick leave, to my current role where you must produce a stamped medical cert for any absence . It is easier to go to work than a doctor. Although there are house call medical companies who apparently specialise in doing certs.

Haven’t taken a sick day for 4 years (and that time was after surgery). I hate calling in sick, so only ever do when I’m genuinely very ill.

Now I work from home I truly work flexibly
It’s amazing !
Yesterday son needed some TLC so I took 2 hours off for him
They’ll get the time back , in fact they’ve had it back over the past 20 years

Never have.
Often feel I’d like too, but I’d feel too guilty to enjoy it. As part of a very small, specialist team, it’d play havoc with allocation, and I know how stressful it can be when we’re even more short staffed than usual.

No, had some horrific hangovers in the past and rang up and asked for an annual leave day on that same morning. Would not have taken a sickie as that is taking the piss.

@MaryIsA

Duvet days...I believe you are allowed 3 a year by law.

My issue is I live somewhere small so I have to stay in if I call in sick. Even when I am sick.

@MaryIsA what law is this ?

No.

@ThanksItHasPockets

No. I’m a teacher and it’s more work to be off.

This!!

As for Duvet days...I believe you are allowed 3 a year by law. - I’d love to see my HT’s reaction if I quoted this in a return to work meeting! 😂

No. Because someone else would have to be told at the last minute they needed to stand in for me. I feel bad enough about that when I am genuinely sick.

No, I remember I did in my first job, and then the week after was actually really poorly and I got a disciplinary for having too much sick leave.

Not possible for me. Can’t really have a day off even if I was genuinely ill- unless I am physically unable to get there or vomiting I’m in
People wait 3/6/12 months to see me

The complaints would be many from the staff that would need to rearrange my diary and from the patients being re scheduled
Definitely Not worth taking a sickie

Only when I’ve been incredibly tired, or struggling badly with mental health (so not fit for work) and only very occasionally (once every couple of years or so)
I have frequently dragged myself to work when ill/not fit for work, on the other hand

No, no one else will do my work if I'm off so I just end up with double the amount of work the next day.

When I was at college/uni I did a very occasional sick day (maybe once a year) from my weekend job in a shop if I had a deadline I would otherwise miss.

Why are people so proud of going in when they're sick? A colleague of mine used to do this and then infect half the team.

I think there's a big difference between what your actions might be doing a job you enjoy and where you are valued, and a crappy job where your actual health hasn't been valued or looked after, particularly during the pandemic.

I don’t think anyone is talking about being proud of going in when genuinely ill. Maybe proud of not taking the piss with unnecessary duvet days that could be done on the weekend.

Never call in sick. Even when I was suffering with Crohn's disease. Too many people take sickies when they fancy a day off.