AIBU that colleague is taking the p*** re sick leave?

[bluebellsandcustard]

Colleague broke his leg. No complications, but operated and played.

But nine weeks he's still off sick, with no word of coming back anytime soon.

We work in an office, worked remotely all through covid, there's no need for him to drive.

I just can't believe he's genuinely unable to work at a computer for at least part of the day.

It's putting the rest of the team under immense strain.

Actually, op, I have sympathy. I had a job which involved driving and one of my co workers fractured his leg or foot, I cant remember, so he went off sick. I had to pick up a lot of his work but he couldn't drive within injured leg so it was what it was and I just got on with it.
I then discovered that while he was still off work, he was going water skiing. If anything would put strain on an injured leg/foot it would be that. He thought it was funny that he was signed off and he could do what he wanted. So, honestly, I feel your pain.

There's a massive variation in the seriousness of a broken leg.

I broke my leg 7 weeks ago but as it wasn't a complicated break and I'm fully WFH my doctor signed me off as fit to work after one week. I'll keep the cast on for at least another 5 weeks though.

And the person is doing an office job so why can’t they go back to work

And he got an investigation right!

And he got an investigation right!

Er, no! No one said anything. He should have been sacked in my opinion. But, there again, I didn't like him so I'd have been happy if they'd sacked him for breathing!

I agree x also it’s a relief to read a reply that is respectful and not just commanding op to keep their nose out 😞 people are so rude on here
I also agree with lots of the comments that say you should direct your feelings at your management as the injured person could still be genuinely recovering and you will most probably just end up resenting your colleague and making yourself feel worse x
Good luck x

This is a very good point.
For all the OP knows her injured colleague might want to work but not be allowed.
I've been in that situation. There were elements of my work that I could have done from home and some things that weren't my regular job but I could have usefully picked up at least temporarily and indeed I suggested that, but to no avail. My employer's policy around sickness was very much "all or nothing". I had to be able to do my whole job or be off sick, nothing in between. Sick employees weren't even allowed on the premises apart from for HR or Occ Health reviews and remote email access etc was disabled. It was all in the sickness policy but realistically most people don't read it unless they are unfortunate enough to be off long term so I'm sure some of my colleagues were gossiping about me and saying "Surely she could be doing X by now." But they didn't know the full extent of my health issues (and had no right to do so) and nor were they, quite correctly, party to my discussions with HR, Occ Health and management.
It's frustrating, I understand that, but the sick employee is entitled to confidentiality. Their situation is between them and management and any problems the rest of the workforce are experiencing are between them and management.

Depends.

Some of the people I know who have had broken legs can't sit on a chair and type. They have had to lie down for most of the day, take painkillers and deal with irritated skin.

They have been bored out of their brains but due to the pain and itching can't even concentrate on a TV program let alone work.

I was off 8 weeks with a broken ankle, I was non weight-bearing & had to use a zimmer frame as I have dyspraxia & can't do crutches. It took me at least 3 times as long to do anything, getting dressed took me ages, I was supposed to keep my leg up as much as possible as my ankle was still swelling up at 4 weeks. I also got infected sores where the pot rubbed my bunions. The painkillers were heavier than when I was recovering from major surgery. I broke my ankle February half term & it was June before I was totally free of any walking aids.

'I agree x also it’s a relief to read a reply that is respectful and not just commanding op to keep their nose out 😞 people are so rude on here'

Agreed. Tough to imagine being an adult and actually writing 'nosey nosey cheeky cheeky' 🙄

@MrsMoastyToasty i broke my tibula and fibula at the end of January! Completely smashed my fibula it was mush 😫. Completely changed my life, I still can’t walk any distance, have constant pain and I need another operation. I also have nerve damage in my leg. It isn’t a simple as a broken leg is it?
I went back in July but on restricted duties, I hope you are on the mend and can get back to some form of normal life soon. It’s shocking how the be simple accident can have such massive impact.

*Tibia

I am tired!! Painkillers have worn off and the pain has woken me up.

To the people who asked why I'm not back at work.
I'm in considerable pain and I still experience swelling which means I have to elevate my leg above heart height do I'm virtually lying down. I'm doing regular physio which takes up a lot of time. I'm also nearer 60 than 20 so these things take a little longer. I was on a walking frame for weeks then on crutches and I'm still experiencing problems with stability and balance.

He might be taking advantage of he might be like a colleague I had. An injuries knee was born cancer they didn't want to share with whole office

I broke my arm - they pulled it back into place, and I didn't need surgery. Told dh I'd be out of action for a week then everything would calm down and I'd be partly operational (had broken arms before, knew the drill)
I can't tell you how much pain I was in - consultant said it happens that patients feel excessive pain and that my break was severe and complicated (still no surgery) - physio told me I'd be in pain for 6 months, 12 month before I could properly use my hand - I didn't believe her - it's 7 months now - I'm still in pain.
We run our own company - small but we have staff - no HR Dept. 4 days after my break payroll was due and I had to do it - no choice and that was bloody tough - - but it's my job and people needed to be paid and we don't have a big bank of staff to take over but it wasn't easy and I wouldn't expect a member of staff to put themselves through that.
I simply could not believe how long I was out of action for - I couldn't sit at a desk or a table for 4 months, it was too painful (had it been my leg I can see the same thing). But work needed to be done and I worked on my laptop from the sofa for a couple of hours a day - I developed frozen shoulder and then tennis elbow. I know how this would look to an employer or my colleagues - I did manage to work a few hours a day - but I really shouldn't have.

And he sounds to be the type who will still be milking it for another 6 months if management let him get away with it.

@MrsMoastyToasty and @Biscuitandacuppa total solidarity, another tibia/fibula break here, earlier in the year, pinned & plated as well. I was off completely for 3 months and after that returned gradually, the only reason it being possible was that it was exclusively WFH. But if I’d needed to be in an office I’d definitely have needed longer signed off, as the rehab was/is so demanding and took up a lot of time. During the time I was signed off I couldn’t have worked as I needed to keep the leg elevated. I do still get pain but it’s manageable most of the time. I have adjustments at work to help me. People at work see the adjustments, but what they don’t see is me icing my knee every night when I get home to cope, trying to fit in rehab at home and at the gym, ongoing physio & hospital appointments, even months on. No one ever has the full story of someone else’s health.

I broke my leg too.

actually, I had comminuted fractures (where the bones breaks into multiple small pieces) of tib and fib and complete dislocation of ankle.

2 operations, nine pins and a plate. I literally had to learn how to walk again, so loads of physio.

leg was incredibly swollen for years afterwards. It was five years before I could feel the heads of the pins - that was a shock! Now you can clearly see them protruding through the skin.

nearly thirty years on and my ankle still swells up and bleeds into the joint if I do too much.

He may have other medical issues that you are not provvy to and is frankly non of your business. If his doctor is signing him off then he had a medical need.

Your increased workload is aayywr for your line manager so arrange a meeting

I broke my shoulder last year. A broken bone is fucking painful. He's likely on shit loads of painkillers, with their own side effects, and is having a lot of physiotherapy.

Give the man a break (see what I did there!!). He's got a broken leg ffs. Let orthopedics and his GP decide when he's fit to work.

Oh and I had surgery on my shoulder (pins and plate). A year on, although to all intents and purposes I've recovered, I still get some pain and stiffness in the arm.

And get to work how?

Leg breaks vary in their impact and complexity. Could be that your colleague is being unreasonable. It is however for manager(s) to manage the absence, and perhaps temporary cover of some sort would be appropriate.