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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be slightly annoyed that work expect me to carry on as normal?

93 replies

Paperbackmermaid · 01/10/2021 06:46

I’ve got covid and so far it’s true, I don’t feel at death’s door. Work have said I’m ok to work from home as usual, because I do anyway.
However although I largely feel ok periodically I’m hit with absolute exhaustion, not tiredness, like MUST REST NOW. I’m taking paracetamol for the headache and sore throat and apart from the exhaustion it’s ok really.
If I had a job I couldn’t do from home I wouldn’t still be expected to attend meetings and deal with clients.
AIBU? Obviously I will do what I can and it’s varying a bit, I feel ok and then it just suddenly crashes over me that I am so unbelievably tired.

OP posts:
OverTheRubicon · 01/10/2021 07:23

@Paperbackmermaid

They didn’t ask me, they just made the decision that I was working from home as usual. I’m ECV so I do wonder how much of what I’m experiencing is worry, because I am worried - which I know is ridiculous. I’m fine. I’m just very very very tired.
What did you do if you had a vomiting bug pre-covid - go in and wait for someone to notice all your toilet trips and send you home? Hmm

They're not your parents, they aren't in charge of deciding whether you work today. You have to actually take action and say that you're ill and unable to work.

LubaLuca · 01/10/2021 07:28

Your manager will quite rightly assume you're well enough to carry on if you don't tell them otherwise. Call in sick and get some rest.

maddening · 01/10/2021 07:29

Work won't tell you you can't work, you have to make that call.yourself, they have said you have the option to work from home if you feel able to and wish to avoid sick leave. If you feel that you are unable to work then say it is much, you need to.rest so will go on sick so that you can recuperate.

Wfh is great when you have a mild illness so you don't have to drag yourself out and don't infect the office but are generally able to work, but you can still be too ill to work even from home.

WeAllHaveWings · 01/10/2021 07:35

Your manager will quite rightly assume you're well enough to carry on if you don't tell them otherwise.

^ this

If you are too ill to work call in sick. If you are ill and YOU decide to keep attending work it is not their fault.

ManifestingJoy · 01/10/2021 07:37

Id get a doctor's note for post covid fatigue. Then rest.

icedcoffees · 01/10/2021 07:38

Your manager is going to decide that you need to be off sick just because you have COVID. Many people are fine with it and are quite capable of working from home as usual.

If you're unwell then you need to say that and sign yourself off like you would with any other illness.

MadeOfStarStuff · 01/10/2021 07:40

You’re an adult, you need to tell them you’re too ill to work. They will assume you’re well enough to work until you say otherwise. Do whatever you would do if you were too ill to work for any other reason and follow your sickness procedure!

KrisAkabusi · 01/10/2021 07:43

They said you can work from home, not that you have to. Tell them you're too sick to work and take sick leave the way you would for any other illness.

ChaToilLeam · 01/10/2021 07:47

Call in sick. You tell them, they don’t tell you! You are clearly not fit to work and soldiering on will just mean you stay sick longer. Don’t underestimate the amount of rest you need with Covid.

Hellocatshome · 01/10/2021 07:48

They didn’t ask me do they usually ask you if you are too poorly to work? Most work places work on a system where the employee tells them they are too poorly to work not the other way round.

KILM · 01/10/2021 07:48

OP its okay to take time off -you risk yourself getting worse if you carry on. All you have to say is 'actually, im taking the time off sick as im not feeling well' and you dont have to go into more detail!
Dont sporadically ring in sick or leave early on odd days though - depending on your work that will count as multiple 'incidents' - just take a chunk off.

reluctantbrit · 01/10/2021 07:55

If you fell ill, you call in and say so.

When I got infected last year I checked with HR as I wasn't sure what to do if I am off longer than 7 days and the first thing they said, was to take as much time off as needed and see that I recover. Similar to any other illness you would get.

Even when I went back working I had to stop early on several days and just went back to bed, the tiredness was really bad.

GoodForTheSoul · 01/10/2021 07:57

I used to see this in the office all the time. People would come in sniffling and coughing, moaning and complaining how badly they feel... Waiting for their manager to tell them to go home Hmm

Not sure if they ever realised that whether they call in sick first thing or their manager sends them home, it still counts as a sick day all the same!

You're an adult OP, you decide if you're too sick to work, not your employer.

audweb · 01/10/2021 07:59

@Paperbackmermaid

They didn’t ask me, they just made the decision that I was working from home as usual. I’m ECV so I do wonder how much of what I’m experiencing is worry, because I am worried - which I know is ridiculous. I’m fine. I’m just very very very tired.
They don’t get to decide? Phone them and tell them you are off sick. Get a note from the GP if you have to or need to.
andyoldlabour · 01/10/2021 08:00

OP, you are ill and need to stay home, rest and hopefully recover.

Sciurus83 · 01/10/2021 08:01

Just tell them you are too sick to work! They aren't mind readers and are assuming you are fine because you haven't said otherwise

BreatheAndFocus · 01/10/2021 08:03

When they said that you’re WFH perhaps they just meant that it was good you weren’t in work infecting others? If you’re ill and can’t work, you tell them. It’s up to you not them. If you don’t tell them, they’ll assume you got a positive Covid test but have no symptoms. You have to say not only that you’ve got Covid but that you’re feeling too ill to work. Be clear.

HoppingPavlova · 01/10/2021 08:07

They didn’t ask me, they just made the decision that I was working from home as usual.

That doesn’t make sense. It sounds as though the base case if diagnosed is you don’t HAVE to take sick leave, you have the option, as some people who are positive are asymptomatic and it means it’s not the default.

Have you actually said you are sick and will be taking sick leave? That’s not clear and I doubt it as the alternative is that you have and they said no, you must keep working which sounds ….. odd. Maybe best to tell them you will not be working and are taking sick leave due to symptoms?

GoWalkabout · 01/10/2021 08:08

Bit of both. You don't need to be off sick wfh with covid, but if you feel too unwell to work you should follow your normal sickness procedure and call in sick. How would this be received? I realise not all employers are reasonable. Get well soon Flowers

Original poster
Paperbackmermaid · 01/10/2021 08:17

I’ll speak to my manager. It’s difficult because yesterday morning I felt ok ish but by lunchtime I felt dreadful and then I felt ok again by late afternoon.
It comes and goes.

OP posts:
CuriousaboutSamphire · 01/10/2021 08:22

Stop telling them you feel OK some of the time. That's just martyring yourself and gving them a false idea about how much it is effecting you. You are off sick. No work until you feel able to retrun to work full time.

ThisIsStartingToBoreMe · 01/10/2021 08:23

YABU not to tell them you're too sick to work. Just tell them!

Burnamer · 01/10/2021 08:30

@CuriousaboutSamphire

Stop telling them you feel OK some of the time. That's just martyring yourself and gving them a false idea about how much it is effecting you. You are off sick. No work until you feel able to retrun to work full time.
Why? What’s wrong with saying “it comes and goes so sometimes I will need to log off. It otherwise I will work as normal”
OvertiredandConfused · 01/10/2021 08:31

I am still predominantly WFH. I had three weeks completely off with Covid (the last of which I was scheduled to be on annual leave which was instead recredited). I’ve had a further two weeks “phased return” working shorter days. GP was very willing to give me whatever Fit Note I felt I needed

TrevorWithTheWeather · 01/10/2021 08:37

You need time off OP. I had it on Jan and felt like you, it's not easy and you should self cert for Atleast a few days. My employers give you a minimum of a weeks paid leave if you test positive.

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