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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:

YummieMummyof3 · 15/12/2021 10:55

Hi I used to work for a supermarket where you had.to phone in and speak to a team manager, when you are sick. I remember phoning in sick and spoke to a team leader as there was no managers available. There were some unhelpful comments in my return to work meeting.
If it's the supermarket I used to work for, there is a helpline you can phone to speak about any issues.
Hope y you feel better soon

CheesyFootballsAreEvil · 15/12/2021 12:20

@dropitlikeitsloth that is disgusting

Cheerbear24 · 15/12/2021 12:25

I l’ost my voice last week with tonsillitis for 3 full days. Nothing came out at all not even a squeak. I’m still very hoarse, but most of soreness has gone. I think they’re nit picking if they pursue this with you.

Fairyliz · 15/12/2021 12:41

Go in and have a long conversation with him. Hopefully you are still a bit infectious and will give it to him.
He started it by being a dick.

OnGoldenPond · 15/12/2021 13:09

In all the sickness policies I have seen in contracts the reporting requirements give a mode of reporting and deadline to report "unless not reasonably practicable". Having lost your voice should count as a reasonable excuse for not being able to follow the usual procedure in this case as you can't be expected to communicate by phone! Would love to see your manager trying to argue this point in a tribunal, he would be laughed at.

There needs to be this exception clause for the sickness policy to be held reasonable. After all, would anyone expect someone who is unconscious in hospital after being run over by a bus to pick up the phone and ring in sick ??

Theresomethingaboutdairy · 16/12/2021 06:36

All that will happen is you will have your ‘welcome back,’ there are quite a few tick boxes on it. They may tick that you didn’t follow procedure but then will write down the reasons why. You will then be asked if they can do anything to support your return to work etc and then told either no further action or you will he invited to an AR (absence review.) An AR is only conducted if your sickness is over 3% of your contracted (not flexi/overtime) hours over a 26 week period and/or if you have had 3 or more occasions of sickness in the last 26 weeks. If either of these scenarios apply to you you may get a warning at the AR. Really nothing to worry about, there are processes that need following and you will not lose your job if this is a one-off.

Offmyfence · 16/12/2021 06:50

@Pamsresearch

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?

Not in my experience they don't!

PhilCornwall1 · 16/12/2021 07:08

They shouldn't if it's not something you do every time you are off sick. I've got someone in my team about to be issued with a final written warning for not phoning in, but they are a persistent offender and just refuse to do it.

The next time it happens, they won't be coming back.

Billandben444 · 16/12/2021 07:25

Your manager may well tell you your sickness record to date - have you no idea how often you've been off over 3 years? - but should only remind you of the phoning in process. For future reference, perhaps phone in yourself as soon as you're able to. I worked for the council and, as a manager, followed what were rather draconian sickness rules but they did deter the 'long-weekenders'.

icedcoffees · 16/12/2021 07:27

I think I worked for the same supermarket you work for, judging by the language.

By an "issue" all your manager means is that they have to document that you didn't follow procedure and why.

I used to work with fresh food and once rang in sick in the morning (I wasn't due to start until 4pm) to say I wouldn't be in that day as I'd been throwing up. I was told it was too early to tell if I was too unwell to work and to ring back later

I did ask if they really wanted someone who was vomiting to handle fresh produce and they just said "you need to ring back within two hours of your shift to confirm you're not coming in".

Cotswoldmama · 16/12/2021 07:37

They won't sack you for one incident, they might give you counselling about following procedure but you would very reasonably say you had lost your voice. I don't work in a supermarket but somewhere similar it's hard to sack someone even when they consistently don't follow procedures!

Benjaminsniddlegrass · 16/12/2021 07:53

How ridiculous, when I lose my voice I literally lose it like I can't make a sound and that lasts about a week until it gradually comes back and I sound like a teenage boy with my voice breaking. Luckily I can just whats app my manager because we're grown ups and sensible and all they need to know is I'm not going to be in, when I think I'll be returning and what needs covering in my absence.
I manage a team and don't mind how they communicate with me as long as they do.

eurochick · 16/12/2021 07:54

I've completely lost my voice a number of times. Couldn't even croak. I suppose I could have video called and used interpretative dance to communicate. Luckily I have never worked somewhere with such a rigid policy.

Asi1 · 16/12/2021 07:56

@Pamsresearch

Yes they do. I lost myself and couldn't say anything.

Its harmful to try and force it out and can do long term damage.

SilverHairedCat · 16/12/2021 08:09

I've had laryngitis a few times, much to the delight of both DH and colleagues at times. I'm usually feeling OK, just voiceless. Sometimes I've had tonsillitis with it,which is when I'm off sick. Believe me, making a croaky phone call is impossible with laryngitis. You can wheeze and that's about it.

IntermittentParps · 16/12/2021 08:21

I love how people are questioning what the OP saying 'lost her voice' really means

KevinTheKoala · 16/12/2021 08:36

Have the people questioning if someone can lose their voice that much not heard of laryngitis? I've had it twice in the past year and all that comes out is a squeak basically (and it's very painful to try and force that out because it's putting far too much strain on what are already very swollen vocal chords). You genuinley can't talk at all and its a very strange feeling, not to mention extremley frustrating. I don't think they should discipline you OP, they might just reiterate the policy but they do need to accept that occasionally it won't be possible to follow the policy.

ArnoldBee · 16/12/2021 08:47

I always insisted on speaking to a member of my staff as where I worked a lady's boyfriend kept ringing in sick for her saying she couldn't come to the phone. It turned out he had murdered her and buried her in the woods. The alert was delayed by 10 days due to the manager accepting the boyfriend ringing in.

Original poster

Rosebel · 16/12/2021 08:47

Well I went to work yesterday and my manager was off sick (don't know if he phoned in himself though) so I saw team leader. They actually asked if I should be back as I sounded dreadful, although I felt much better than I had. They marked down why I didn't phone in myself and just told me not to worry and take it steady.
So all that stress for nothing, but I wouldn't have been stressed if it wasn't for the emails.

OP posts:

IntermittentParps · 16/12/2021 08:54

@ArnoldBee

That is awful. But highly unusual, I should think (hope), and not really a reason to make people with laryngitis etc worry about being disciplined. Maybe the answer is if you can't speak, video call in so your manager can see it's you... but then who wants to be on video call when they're feeling/looking ill? I don't know what the answer is, really.

Warblerinwinter · 16/12/2021 08:55

Ask your manager how he would have expected you to call in personally if you’d been “run over by a bus” and were unconscious? It is clearly not a “rule” that can be applied to all situations. There have to be allowances based on circumstances for not following these GUIDELINES . Sure, normally it is good practice for businesses to get people to phone and talk to someone and is does reduce sickness levels - but having a good reason not to is not a disciplinary offence unless the company is crap and controlling - in which case start looking for a new job now as they’ll screw you over for other things too

Warblerinwinter · 16/12/2021 08:57

@ArnoldBee

Not sure how that worked….she would have needed a GP sickness note before then, so once that didn’t turn up why didn’t they follow Up.

ThePants999 · 16/12/2021 08:58

No tribunal would ever agree this is gross misconduct 🙂

Mammyofasuperbaby · 16/12/2021 09:08

@CheesyFootballsAreEvil
My work told me to call back the next day when I was taken into hospital with pre eclampsia.
I was on drips and risking having seizures and losing my baby.
I told them that I won't be in for my shift the next day and work said I needed to call back tomorrow and it must be me not anyone else. Bit difficult as I didn't even know if I'd be conscious at that point.
The consultant over heard and took my phone off me to tell my manager that "she and her baby are dying, she will not be leaving this hospital until after the baby is born you stupid trout"
Suddenly didn't have to call back anymore

Livpool · 16/12/2021 09:42

What does he expect you to do?! Video call and mime?!

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