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?

Yes

I have done in the past, a couple of times a year at most, and only if I hadn’t had a genuine sick day for more than, say, 6 months. I would allow myself a duvet day. Or, more accurately, a ‘watching cricket on the telly with a bottle of wine’ day. .

I still too much less time off sick than most people, so my conscience is clear.

No but if I need a duvet day I will tell my boss I'm knackered and need a day to sleep and recharge. Being upfront is better and I am more productive because of it.

No, never have.

No, I feel guilty enough calling in when I’m actually sick 🤕

Yep
No guilt
Some days i just need it or i dont want to come on after the lazy ass at work who does nothing on shift, leaving me to do 2 people's jobs
Yes ive complained as high as i can and its like he banging the boss, nothing changes so i take matters into my own hands

I've taken one sick day since 2012. Was surprised to learn than dd sho works for Mind has mental health days she's encouraged to take. So far she has used them to go to Morocco (pre Covid of course), decorate and apply for other jobs!

Never. I managed 8 years with not one episode of sickness. I work in the NHS.

Not for many years. I really took the piss when I was in my teens and early 20s and rang in sick all the time with hangovers or if I couldn't be bothered. Would never do it now.

I have in my late teens and very early twenties. Mostly when I'd been to see my boyfriend (long distance relationship) and I didn't want to leave on a Sunday night.
Then my manager observed that I was always sick on a Monday. Never pulled another sickie after that.

When I changed jobs I never did as I was a nanny so me calling in sick hugely impacted my employer. That was enough to get me out of the habit. In fact I was sent home more than once for dragging myself in sick because I didn't want to let them down.

The last time I had to go off sick in my old job (school) was because I had an infected stye in my eye and couldn't open it. Not ideal with an hour's drive ahead of me. I texted my Head a selfie showing her my poorly eye so she knew I was genuine. I ended up needing to go to the minor injuries unit to get it sorted. I still felt guilty all day about not going in though.

I don’t know how people cope with the guilt. I never had a day off sick at school either. I had to have two months off last year as my dd was really ill from developing an eating disorder and becoming suicidal due to lockdown. Even though I knew I had to be there for her I felt so guilty for being signed off of work to the point I got them to send me stuff to do while I was at home once she was released from hospital.

Never. Love the idea that someone thinks there is a law though 😂

Probably Same people who think there is a common law wife

Absolutely, ur just a number! Not that I do it often though.

(probably not so amusing if you are paying someone your money which effectively comes out of your profits and reduces your income in order that they can stay in bed for no reason!)

No. I work in a profession where you tend to drag yourself in even when you feel dreadful, because it is more hassle to be off ill and leaves you with work to catch up on.

No, never!

Not done this .

Neither would any of my colleagues.

I started working in an office full time when I was 17 and I'll admit I did it a couple of times when I was really young.

I haven't done it since I was about 19. I've been off sick three times since 2009: once when I was bedridden with the flu, once with a kidney infection and once with norovirus (I was incredibly ill and lost a stone in five days). I'd feel really guilty pulling a sicky and I'd be scared to leave my house to do anything anyway.

No! Not with work anyway - I feel guilty even when I am sick 😂
Occasionally with an activity/other commitment I have but then that’s not something I’m paid for and sometimes am genuinely too tired from work/parenting.

I would always worry that I’ll get a genuine illness the week after or something

Yes...but...sick leave is way too precious to be wasted on being sick

The only time(s) in the last 15 years I have thrown a sickie was

a) when I had an interview and didn't want my employer to know
b) when I was delayed coming back from a long weekend abroad and was going to miss an important meeting

Other than that, I barely have 1 or 2 days a year, if that.

Loads when I worked in call centres and I didn't get paid but someone else could get the overtime. They gave zero fucks about us so we gave none about them.

Working for places I felt valued and someone else would need to pick up my slack never unless I was actually sick and then i always tried to make it up by giving that person an easy day back.

I rarely call on sick when I am sick, let alone when I'm not!

No. I've been very seriously ill in the past and I was off work for 2 years in total. I was paid and work were great, very supportive. I wouldn't abuse that. I have had the usual ailments since like chest infections etc and taken time off then. I could never lie nor would I want to. I won't say I'm sick if it's my ds or versa as that just seems to be somehow inviting bad luck. I just tell the truth. I hate phoning in sick as it's nerve wracking plus I know my colleagues will struggle if I'm off. Due to the nature of our work, we all struggle if a colleague is off sick.