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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think ringing in sick every day with covid is ridiculous

53 replies

Hopelesslystuck · 22/12/2021 10:17

Tested positive at the weekend and now isolating alone with two small children.

Notified work straight away and informed them of the isolation period.

AIBU to think having to ring in sick every day is a bloody joke?

I get that it’s standard policy but when we all KNOW the period of time we have to stay home is it really so unreasonable so think some common sense should apply?

I’m wasting my time and my managers calling daily to say “still have covid” 🤦🏻‍♀️

OP posts:
WorraLiberty · 22/12/2021 10:19

That's weird!

What did they say when you pointed out it's completely unnecessary due to Covid rules?

Frazzled2207 · 22/12/2021 10:21

Bonkers.

Danikm151 · 22/12/2021 10:29

That's crackers. If you had a sick note you wouldn't need to call in everyday

TooWicked · 22/12/2021 10:32

That’s utterly bizzare.

I wouldn’t do it.

Bavarois · 22/12/2021 10:34

Are you phoning in sick or are you phoning to notify them you won't be in as you need to isolate? Our system has different codes so they'd probably need to know for payment reasons if you're off sick or at home isolating. It does seem ridiculous, you'd hope there would be some management discretion, but there might be an admin reason.

0palescent · 22/12/2021 10:40

Waste of your time and your manager's. Why wouldn't they allow you to say, "I should be back on X date, and will contact you if this changes"?!

Starcup · 22/12/2021 10:41

What weirdos would say YABU? Gif there’s some strange folk out there. If they’re doing it did a laugh and a wind up that’s just as weird as genuinely thinking OP is being unreasonable

OP it’s bonkers you have to call work everyday!!!

Starcup · 22/12/2021 10:42

god and for 😂

daimbarsatemydogsbone · 22/12/2021 10:44

YANBU - utterly stupid. The government can (and has) change the SSP rules quickly to respond to this - so HR wonks should do the same.

Bavarois · 22/12/2021 10:44

I suppose it could also be a duty of care/safeguarding thing too, if someone lives alone the workplace might want to check daily that they're doing okay.

daimbarsatemydogsbone · 22/12/2021 10:46

What weirdos would say YABU?

I bet they are compliance and or HR wonks. The ones who insist you take a test every year that says shit like

Q. Is it OK to take bribes at work?

A) Yes
B) No

daimbarsatemydogsbone · 22/12/2021 10:47

@Bavarois

I suppose it could also be a duty of care/safeguarding thing too, if someone lives alone the workplace might want to check daily that they're doing okay.
WTAF Work isn't social services.
MorningStarling · 22/12/2021 10:47

Some places like to have "one size fits all" policies like this and don't allow managers to exercise any common sense. Usually it's a sign it's a pretty shit place to work.

The "phone in sick everyday" policy shows that the employer doesn't trust its employees, they feel that someone who is sick is more likely to be faking than genuine and making them phone in every day inconveniences the malingerer.

HailAdrian · 22/12/2021 10:48

Yeah and this is exactly what I meant on another thread when I said some employers won't just accept that their staff are ill.

PenCreed · 22/12/2021 10:50

Actually ringing them? That seems a bit daft and too much effort. I emailed mine, which was considered acceptable. I also felt so much better after 5 days that I was back to working from home so maybe they just want to know which days you're actually sick - although I see that wouldn't work if you have a job where you can't WFH.

LynetteScavo · 22/12/2021 10:50

We have someone at work who tells us what day we can come back- no need to phone in every day. Usually we have to phone in by 2pm to say if we're going to be back the following day, which I don't like, but it does help them plan.

AnotherOneWithNoGoodName · 22/12/2021 10:52

Ridiculous. “headache. I’ll see how I am one morning” is very different to “as per NHS advice, I’ll be off at least 10 days and will call on day 10 to update”

AnotherOneWithNoGoodName · 22/12/2021 10:53

@Bavarois

I suppose it could also be a duty of care/safeguarding thing too, if someone lives alone the workplace might want to check daily that they're doing okay.
I’m not sure DOC applies outside work premises.
GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 22/12/2021 10:53

Yes! When I had covid I was on annual leave anyway, so didn’t have to do this. But the big thing was needing to sleep in, because the cough kept me up all night. Once I was asleep I was ok but the getting to sleep was a problem.

FawnFrenchieMum · 22/12/2021 10:54

It depends, are you able to wfh? So in our case, we can wfh so we need to ring if we are sick and unable to work. Once well enough to work we are able to say, we’re isolating until ‘x’ date but will back in the office then.

SheWoreYellow · 22/12/2021 10:55

Is there still the self certifying thing? If you do that online will it help?

Starcup · 22/12/2021 10:59

@daimbarsatemydogsbone

What weirdos would say YABU?

I bet they are compliance and or HR wonks. The ones who insist you take a test every year that says shit like

Q. Is it OK to take bribes at work?

A) Yes
B) No

True 🤣
CrumblyCrimble · 22/12/2021 11:02

YABU
If off with covid then you'll have to isolate, but you could be well enough to WFH hence you still need to call in sick. If your role isn't WFH maybe this would still be company policy for the other roles that can wfh.
It's not like a covid + result automatically entities everyone to 10 days off work!

Most workplaces track levels of covid absence for many reasons from health & safety to ability to claim government assistance to managing resource levels.

I was unwell with covid recently. My manager happened to also be off but I still 'called' in sick over emails. Except 1 day I was really I'll and I told her I'd be off that day and the next day. If she was around I'd have phoned her. But depends on your manager and whether they will accept email to report absence. I'm a manager and would prefer a call unless it's logistically impossible eg I'm away, or the person is vomiting constantly or in an emergency situation.

I'm not an HR wonk, just an average salary monkey. Feel like I'm about to get toasted on this thread anyway!

Sweatilicious · 22/12/2021 11:02

@daimbarsatemydogsbone pahahaha I'm in compliance and I just set those tests again for all our staff, so that gave me a laugh. It has taken one person 3 attempts to get a pass in a 10 question AML test though. 🙄

I'm not HR, and calling in daily with (or isolating with) covid is madness. I had covid last year when I was with a previous employer which was a large, listed company - I notified them on day 1, worked from home for 4 days until it finally knocked me off my feet when I notified them that I was no longer working but off sick. After that my manager sent me a WhatsApp message on day 7 to see how I was, and I went back on day 10.

georgarina · 22/12/2021 11:03

That's so weird, surely you can send an email with the dates and put an OOO message in your email signature if necessary?

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