to feel annoyed that colleague gets better treatment

[user9208291]

I work in a job where we work 9-6 Monday to Friday and alternate Saturdays ( with another day off in the week). A colleague recently returned from sickness and did a phased return of 9-1 for the duration of the phased return (5 weeks).
She has been back nearly 3 months and decides on the day what time she will be working till some days 2pm some days 3pm. She never does a Saturday.
AIBU to think this is unfair for the rest of the team that she gets to pick and choose her rota?

What would you preferred solution be?

If your rota is staying the same and you don’t have to do more Saturdays then it’s none of your business

Isn't it between her and the manager

Presumably she has a long or serious illness, I'd prefer to be in good health and work my hours personally.

She's working part time atm, so hours would be by agreement. Not really anything to do with you OP. Maybe her health condition requires it, maybe on GP recommendation.

If you have an issue with your shift patterns then you should raise that. But your shift pattern is not connected to the shift patterns that your colleague is doing as part of her phased return/terms that management have agreed to for her personal circumstance.

You do you, and let your colleague deal with her own. But dont go to your boss complaining about your colleagues shifts, as you will not come off well.

It's between her, her GP and her boss. They might have changed her hours permanently.

Yep, not your business

You're no worse off because someone else is getting support - this kind of attitude is why so many workplaces are toxic and completely unable to support their staff (because someone always thinks it's "unfair" when someone else gets the help they need).

You could always ask to work part time if you wanted

Sounds like you have an employer willing to make adaptions to help a long term sick employee back to work. That could be you one day! Be thankful and certainly don’t raise this at work as unfair, unless you want to discourage your employer from treating people properly.

I have a rule of thumb that if your phased return/adjustments need to last more than 12 weeks then you’ve come back too soon. For the avoidance of doubt, this is very different to long term adjustments for a disability.

Assuming she’s building up to full time hours then it shouldn’t take more than 12 weeks

I wouldn't state as per your title they are getting better treatment. It would all depend on what the illness was/is. And would assume the company has a plan, keeping an eye on it. If it doesn't personally affect your workload or hours you work. My only grip would be they have done no Saturday hours.

What type of sickness? She stubbed her toe and couldn't work for a week, had a migraine and was off 3 days but is fully recovered etc would be odd. But such an arrangement suggests it's something more complex, poor MH, an illness like say Scarlet Fever where it can massively affect your energy levels, long covid etc. In which case of say would you be willing to take on their ongoing illness in order to get first pick of shifts?

@SleepingStandingUp

What type of sickness? She stubbed her toe and couldn't work for a week, had a migraine and was off 3 days but is fully recovered etc would be odd. But such an arrangement suggests it's something more complex, poor MH, an illness like say Scarlet Fever where it can massively affect your energy levels, long covid etc. In which case of say would you be willing to take on their ongoing illness in order to get first pick of shifts?

she hasn't told us the nature of her illness.

So if you don’t know what’s happened why are you starting a thread about her getting “better treatment”? She’s not getting “better treatment” is she, she’s having adaptations to help ease her back in to the workplace after being off sick. MYOB and concentrate on your own job.

Her illness is not really your business. If you are concerned that this return to work is being exploited then raise it with your manager. I get that there are some people who will exploit situations to avoid something about a job that is less liked.

So you don't know what is wrong with her (it could be something like cancer), but you are pissed off she finishes earlier than you even though it doesn't change your hours etc...... get over yourself. Imagine you had been ill and then you go back to work and people posted like you have here. How would you feel? Have some bloody empathy for gods sake, not a spoilt child that they do less hours than you.

It’s non of your business what Illness she has. A phased return is normal and best practice on occasions. She has entitlement

You don't know the nature of her illness, and nor should you. If you have issues with your own shifts take them up with your manager but keep your colleague out of it.

Thankfully her manager is supportive even if colleagues like you aren't.

I think if it is unfair depends on what affect this is actually having on you. Have you had to work extra Saturdays and does it mean extra work for you if your colleague leaves at 2 not 3? Even if it is having a detrimental effect on you that would be your managers fault for not managing the situation properly and not at all your colleagues fault.

I can sympathize though. I've had a situation where support rightly offered to a colleague made my own workload impossible and was having a detrimental affect on my own health.

I had an illness where I had a phased return. My symptoms fluctuated and if I was having a bad day and did too much, it set my recovery back. If I'd have had set hours without the flexibility to stop earlier if I'd needed to, my recovery and return would have been a lot longer.
Given you don't know what her illness is, how can you judge what is fair and unfair? What do you think would be a better solution?

If its directly impacting your own work or hours though you can address this with your manager

You don’t know what her sickness is.

Many people who’ve recently been on long term sick leave are unable to work full hours for months or years, especially if her condition is chronic.

She probably leaves when she feels too tired or ill to work. And the manager clearly prefers that to her going back on long term sick leave.

By law managers have to make long term adjustments for conditions covered by the disability and equality acts. This can include flexible working.
Otherwise they can get taken to an employment tribunal.

she hasn't told us the nature of her illness so you're doing over perceived preferential treatment which is clearly linked to her sickness period, which has necessitated a prolonged phased return to work and you don't even know what the issue is. Jesus Christ. A bit of clon sense would suggest that they're not doing this for shits and giggles buy because these are the adjustments she needs to be able to get into work. Have some bloody empathy and grow up