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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To worry I'll be sacked for being sick

64 replies

Rosebel · 14/12/2021 22:55

Where I work if you are unable to come to work due to illness you (as in employee) must phone in and speak to a manager.
In itself this is a reasonable request except sometimes it isn't.
I have a rotten cold at the moment and had Monday and today off as I had totally lost my voice and speaking to customers is a big part of the job.
As my voice was totally gone my DH had to phone them for me which he did. Email this afternoon off my manager asking how I was and would I be in tomorrow. I replied I would even though I'm still rough and quite horse.
He responded and then said in my welcome back there will be an issue as I didn't follow the sickness policy (because I didn't ring up). I explained again that I'd lost my voice and just got a reply saying we'll discuss it tomorrow.
I'm really worried about it now and scared it'll be classed as gross misconduct meaning they can sack me.
I understand why the policy is there but surely common sense should be applied. If someone has lost their voice how can they phone in sick? Are they being unreasonable to give me a hard time? Would they sack me for this reason?

OP posts:

NMC2022 · 14/12/2021 22:57

They shouldn't. We (similar job, same policy) are ok if we have lost our voice - I have rung up and croaked down the phone and got "I think it's NMC2022 but I can't hear so FGS send a text. You sound like shit"

jelly79 · 14/12/2021 22:58

How long have you been there?

I manage reporting absence quite tightly but I think his message to you whilst off sick is inappropriate. Just keep in contact with him via message / your husband and call as soon as you can

I wouldn't dismiss anyone for that. It's ridiculous.

But depends on whether you are in probation or have high casual absence

Pamsresearch · 14/12/2021 22:59

No they won't sack you, but it's right that they have a discussion about the policy not being followed. Do people really ever lose their voice to the extent they couldn't make a short croaky phonecall?

dropitlikeitsloth · 14/12/2021 23:02

@Rosebel

Where I work if you are unable to come to work due to illness you (as in employee) must phone in and speak to a manager. In itself this is a reasonable request except sometimes it isn't. I have a rotten cold at the moment and had Monday and today off as I had totally lost my voice and speaking to customers is a big part of the job. As my voice was totally gone my DH had to phone them for me which he did. Email this afternoon off my manager asking how I was and would I be in tomorrow. I replied I would even though I'm still rough and quite horse. He responded and then said in my welcome back there will be an issue as I didn't follow the sickness policy (because I didn't ring up). I explained again that I'd lost my voice and just got a reply saying we'll discuss it tomorrow. I'm really worried about it now and scared it'll be classed as gross misconduct meaning they can sack me. I understand why the policy is there but surely common sense should be applied. If someone has lost their voice how can they phone in sick? Are they being unreasonable to give me a hard time? Would they sack me for this reason?

I wouldn’t worry OP they are probably just trying to worry you. I had a dick if a manager like this once, pulled me up once on not having a GP cert for being off for 3 days when you can self cert for first 7 days. He was just a jumped up little man who was just trying to exert his power (of lack of) they cannot sack you for this. You did everything you could within reason.

DancinOnTheCeiling · 14/12/2021 23:03

@Pamsresearch when I was a child, maybe 10 or so, I completely lost my voice for two weeks. I literally couldn’t speak, no sound came out

Tivermeshimbers1 · 14/12/2021 23:04

Oh just stare at him dumbly and ask what he would have done. Silly little jobsworth

Tivermeshimbers1 · 14/12/2021 23:05

And don’t sign anything if you don’t agree with it.‘do you have a union?

NMC2022 · 14/12/2021 23:07

@Pamsresearch

I could croak. And by croak I mean make a noise but couldn't say a word. Tonsillitis and 3 courses of antibiotics. I've never completely lost it but that was pretty close!

Original poster

Rosebel · 14/12/2021 23:07

I've been there for 3 years and no idea what my attendance or absence rate is. Don't think my absence rate is high though.
I possibly could have phoned but incredibly noisy environment and there is no way they'd be able to hear me with my voice as bad as it was.

OP posts:

Theresomethingaboutdairy · 14/12/2021 23:11

Do you work for a well known supermarket OP? I only ask as you use the term ‘welcome back’ and, if this is the case, I can advise.

nocoolnamesleft · 14/12/2021 23:14

@Pamsresearch

Yes. I once lost my voice so badly that although I tried to ring in sick they kept putting the phone down on me, as they thought I was a heavy breather. ENT ended up telling me to go off sick for a month, or I'd never get it back.

RichardMarxisinnocent · 14/12/2021 23:16

[quote DancinOnTheCeiling]@Pamsresearch when I was a child, maybe 10 or so, I completely lost my voice for two weeks. I literally couldn’t speak, no sound came out[/quote]
I also lost my voice completely as a child, not for 2 weeks, probably just a few days, but was the same as you no sound at all came out, croaking definitely wouldn't have been possible.

AnotherMansCause · 14/12/2021 23:21

I have on at least 3 occasions lost my voice completely due to bad colds. I couldn't even whisper, no sound at all would come out. One time it didn't come back for a fortnight.
I also have a chronic condition that means I periodically lose the ability to speak (it's a neurological issue). I can't form the words, although I can usually understand speech. I struggled to maintain my employment for many years before finally losing it a while ago. My employer/managers varied in how willing they were to accommodate this, most wouldn't even speak to DH. And they wouldn't accept a text. I worked in a call centre BTW.

IME many employers expect their staff to stick absolutely to the rules when it comes to stuff like this, but then expect enormous flexibility from their employees when it comes to extra hours, covering other team members jobs who they aren't trained for, etc.

melissasummerfield · 14/12/2021 23:21

You cant be sacked for failing to follow the absence reporting procedure, they should just remind you in your return to work meeting and then if you did it again follow your disciplinary policy for misconduct.

I changed a reporting policy when i joined an organisation that had terrible absence, removing the option to text or email in sick, and absence rates dropped dramatically as people that are not actually ill are less likely to skive if they actually have to speak to someone!

DeepaBeesKit · 14/12/2021 23:21

I've lost mine a couple of times to the extent I could only whisper.

If you can breathe you should be able to whisper but tbf I dont know how well this would be heard down the phone.

It's an OTT policy but the reason they expect the individual to ring themselves is to prevent situations where someone has gone off on holiday etc and left a friend calling in sick for them. I think the key is always to attempt to call in, and follow up with a text or email if you really can't make yourself heard.

They probably are just being dicks and trying to scare you though. I don't think you can get the sack for one day sick.

Starcaller · 14/12/2021 23:22

I lost my voice recently for the first time ever! I could make a weird frog sound but couldn't say a sentence. I had a phone appointment with GP and DH had to ring them to cancel. It was v weird! Only lasted a day thankfully.

SequinsandStiIettos · 14/12/2021 23:23

I would have croaked or done a Tom Hardy in Batman and had DH interpret. As it is, what's done is done and if you are obviously croaky tomorrow then it should be clear you were genuine.

lanthanum · 14/12/2021 23:37

Perhaps the next thing will be that if you've lost your voice, you have a zoom call so that they can see you trying to speak...

MissCruellaDeVil · 14/12/2021 23:47

Do you have a copy of your organisations absense policy?

Original poster

Rosebel · 15/12/2021 10:12

@Theresomethingaboutdairy

Do you work for a well known supermarket OP? I only ask as you use the term ‘welcome back’ and, if this is the case, I can advise.

I do work for a well-known charity supermarket although I don't want to say which one but one of the big 4.

OP posts:

flowerycurtain · 15/12/2021 10:18

I'm an employer and have this policy and would do exactly the same as your manager (although I wouldn't have emailed you). If your absence history is fine i would just reiterated the policy but say of course I understand you couldn't speak etc and it's fine.

If however you have a history of doing this and using your husband to get out of talking to me then I would be quizzing you a bit on it and possibly going to a disciplinary.

Managers (mostly) aren't stupid. I can normally tell when my staff are taking the piss. The policy is there to enable those taking the piss to be weeded out. Hopefully you are genuine and not
One of them.

LittleGwyneth · 15/12/2021 10:19

I cannot imagine what kind of workplace would fire someone who was good at their job because they reported their illness the wrong way. But then I can't imagine what sort of jobsworth manager would be such an arsehole as to set rules around how you report your own illness. Hire adults, treat them like adults.

dropitlikeitsloth · 15/12/2021 10:26

@LittleGwyneth

I agree where I work now you just text your Team Leader, we are treated like adults and so behave as adults. My previous job used to keep you chatting for like 15 minutes while you’re ill, who has the energy? They don’t actually get any extra information by calling, it’s just done to check up on you.

CheesyFootballsAreEvil · 15/12/2021 10:36

What's their policy if you're interested coma or emergacy surgery?

dropitlikeitsloth · 15/12/2021 10:46

@CheesyFootballsAreEvil

What's their policy if you're interested coma or emergacy surgery?

If it’s anything like my old workplace, a colleague was disciplined for not calling in by 10am when she had been taken up to hospital in an ambulance and that the absolute truth.

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