Wfh today but not actually working

[AlexaShutUp]

I'm supposed to be working from home today, but I was up most of the night with a nasty gallbladder attack (currently awaiting surgery). I am much better than I was last night but still feeling pretty rough.

I tried to do some work this morning but couldn't really focus so I'm now lying on my bed hoping that I'll feel better soon. There is nothing that needs to be done today and I will make up the hours over the weekend. I'll also try again this afternoon if I feel up to it.

DH thinks I should have phoned in sick, but I don't feel that I need to because I will definitely do the hours tomorrow or Sunday. I will keep an eye out for any urgent emails and answer the phone if anyone rings.

So AIBU to rest today without calling in sick as long as the work actually gets done by Monday?

Nope not unreasonable at all. I wouldn’t wish a gallbladder attack on anyone. I genuinely thought I was going to die during one of them. Rest and look after yourself. It’s fine as long as the work gets done and nothing urgent is missed

So long as you respond to anything urgent and make it up later I don’t see an issue. 🤷‍♀️

Poor you OP

I was in the same position as you until recently (just had the operation, thank God).

Fwiw, I used to do the same as you. Take it easy when I felt rough and make it up when I was feeling better.

Tbh: If I hadn't been wfh, I'd have struggled to hold down job at all.

I hope you get your op soon.

This is going to depend on your job.

In my job this would be fine and no problem at all. As long as we hit deadlines, no one is really bothered about when we work or when we don't.

If you job requires you to be online at certain times, for whatever reason, you should call in sick.

No, I don't need to be online at any particular time. The work that I was planning to do won't directly impact on anyone else in the short term.

Thanks for the kind comments btw. Gallbladder pain socks!

Sucks, not socks!

Although I don’t think your approach is unreasonable overall, I do think it would be better to let your manager/team know that you’re doing this. But I suppose that depends on how flexible your workplace is for things like that? If it were a member of my team I’d want to know so I could check in with you next week and see how you are. And I’d also tell you that you can see how you go over the weekend, if you’re able to make up the hours then fine but if not don’t force yourself and retrospectively take today as sick. I wouldn’t want you to feel pressured into working at the weekend if you weren’t completely able to.

Are you allowed to work on the weekends like this though? In my company, signing in and accessing work documents etc outside of working hours is a disciplinary offence. It also raises questions as to why you can’t complete your workload in your allocated time.

You definitely should have told your manager what’s going on to take the pressure off you

I used to work at home extensively when I was an academic. So long as the work was done to meet the target when it was actually done was not important. If you are not missing client deadlines then I would not bother to call in sick.

While I don't view what you are doing as unreasonable from your employers viewpoint, the whole point of sickleave to enable you to take time off when you are sick.

Would your pay or "standing with your employer" be compromised if you called in sick?
In not then I think you should do so.

As long as it doesn’t actually affect things and you’ll make up the work I don’t think it’s a problem. I hope you feel better soon, gallbladder attacks are awful! One thing I found helpful when I had them was apple cider vinegar, don’t know how it works but it was the only thing that helped me at all (I just drank it mixed with apple juice or just water)

Yanbu, my husband does this when he's ill if hes able to concentrate, take all calls etc.

YABU to not even discuss it with your manager and just make these decisions.

If it's not a big why not just ask them? They'll appreciate you checking in and see you as a more trustworthy employee trust me I'm a manager and it's just the respectful thing to do IMO

There is no issue with logging on over the weekend, I do that sometimes anyway. I also don't have a line manager that I would normally report sickness to.

There is no danger that I'll get into trouble over this, it's more about the principle. DH thinks that the honest thing to do would be to call in sick. I could call in and explain to my team what I'm doing, but it doesn't affect them so I don't see the point.

@AlexaShutUp

Thanks for the kind comments btw. Gallbladder pain socks!

I had my first attack this week, I've had gallstones for a couple of years.

It was absolutely awful and no way I could function for 8 hours of work after the poor slee, my body was so tense after. But I could, and would, get some work done and wouldn't need a full days R&R

I think this is my worst attack yet. After previous ones, I have felt drained, but I feel really wiped out this time.

Then maybe you should let work know what’s going on, there’s presumably a sickness procedure even if you don’t have a line manager

You’re not going to recover quickly if you have to simultaneously work, it’s for the best for you to let them know imo

@doesparentingsuck

YABU to not even discuss it with your manager and just make these decisions.

If it's not a big why not just ask them? They'll appreciate you checking in and see you as a more trustworthy employee trust me I'm a manager and it's just the respectful thing to do IMO

I get what you're saying, but I don't actually have a boss above me to consult about stuff like this. It's more about the principle of what is the right thing to do. I can't see that it makes any difference as to when I do the work, but dh thinks otherwise.

it depends on the culture of the organisation.

My boss would be bemused if I called in like this. So long as deadlines are met, no shits would be given.

I think this is fine provided you keep an eye on emails etc for anything urgent. And then do whatever you would have done / started today later.

I definitely wouldn't let it cause me stress!

@thinkingaboutitall

Then maybe you should let work know what’s going on, there’s presumably a sickness procedure even if you don’t have a line manager

Yes, I am supposed to call in if I'm sick and it gets recorded on the HR system. I just don't see the need to record it if I'm going to put in the time anyway... which I definitely will.

That’s probably because most people don’t catch up on work outside their working hours, so eg if it’s not done today it would wait until Monday. Therefore you’re being paid to do nothing today. Which is fine as you’re sick, but again most of us would let our employer know instead of unilaterally deciding

@thinkingaboutitall

That’s probably because most people don’t catch up on work outside their working hours, so eg if it’s not done today it would wait until Monday. Therefore you’re being paid to do nothing today. Which is fine as you’re sick, but again most of us would let our employer know instead of unilaterally deciding

WRT unilaterally deciding, I'm the boss so there isn't actually anyone else who would make this decision anyway. It's more about whether or not I should communicate it. DH thinks I should, I don't see that it's anyone else's problem.

There is no question as to whether or not the work will get done over the weekend. I want to get it done and I need to get it done. Plus I do plenty of extra unpaid hours anyway.