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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Work sickness

75 replies

Stuckinthemiddle1990 · 15/02/2023 06:51

Last week I, and 10 of my colleagues were place on support plans due to unacceptable levels of sickness. Mine is 7 days in a rolling 12 months. Unfortunately 3 of those were in the past 3 months.

Others in the department vary. From 4 days but 4 separate periods to people with long term health issues.

Yesterday morning my DH nearly called an ambulance for me as I couldn't breathe. Had a cough all the night and started to choke on my own phlegm. All ended up well but I was shivering and aching but I got in contact with my boss to say I would WFH, as I didn't want to spread what I had to others in the office considering their plans.

Woken up this morning, logged on and I ache even more than I did yesterday. Moving the mouse even hurts (DH is typing this)

My support plan says no sick for 3 months otherwise I go on formal. I feel so rubbish I'm sitting here in tears. I started the job just before Christmas and don't want them to think I'm useless. I'm normally quire healthy but the last few months I've literally been hit by everything.

WWYD? AIBU to call in sick?

OP posts:
MiniTheMinx · 15/02/2023 06:54

More important than what I think, what does your husband think?

Figmentof · 15/02/2023 06:56

Can you work or not? If you can’t you will need to call sick and then deal with the consequences later.

chocolateisavegetable · 15/02/2023 06:57

I think I’m your position I’d try to do the minimum WFH today and look for a new job. Obviously you are not being unreasonable to phone in sick, but it’s not an easy decision given their ridiculous sickness policy

AceofPentacles · 15/02/2023 06:57

Take emergency annual leave?

Motnight · 15/02/2023 06:58

Can you clarify the timescales Op? You started the job before Xmas?

You sound very poorly. Get well soon.

GoodChat · 15/02/2023 06:58

If you're sick, you're sick. Forcing yourself to work isn't going to result in a good output from you anyway

Namechange567775 · 15/02/2023 06:59

Honestly, I think you sound a little overdramatic calling an ambulance for a cough??
if you only started before Christmas and youve already had three separate sick leaves, then of course something has to be put in place.
Saying that, if you’re genuinely too ill to work then you need to call in sick but worth getting to the bottom of what’s wrong if you’re this sick so often.
(also hasn’t your husband got better things to do than type out a mumsnet post you’re dictating…?)

namechangeagaintoday · 15/02/2023 06:59

I'd try to do minimum wfh too.

What do you do?

Have you had more than 3 separate sets of illness in 12 months? That is usually the HR trigger but usually a good company would have a HR discussion at that point, not move straight to action.

BannMan · 15/02/2023 07:01

What have you taken for the aches and shivers?
In your situation I'd dose myself up on lemsip and try to do bare minimum of work. Just see how it goes, if you crash and burn by lunchtime you'll just need to deal with the consequences then.

TheOnlyLivingBoyInNewCross · 15/02/2023 07:04

If you only started the job before Christmas, how have you managed to accrue the sick days you say you have had in that job?

Horribly early start as well if you’re expected to have logged on and be working already.

If you’re too sick to work, you’ll need to take a sick day and deal with the consequences - but have you had a check up at the doctor to find out why your immune system is a bit under par?

JustRingJoeDuffy · 15/02/2023 07:09

So, you started the job just before Christmas and in that time have had 3 days off sick? When were the other four days - in another dept in the same company?

3 days off sick in the middle of winter, while not ideal of course, isn't that unusual. The illness policy sounds quite harsh to me, and I'd be concerned about people dragging themselves into work when they are too sick to be there (which is just miserable for all concerned, not to mention unhealthy for everyone). So I'd be looking for a new job.
But for today, can you request it comes from a days annual leave (if you can that - maybe not if you started just before Christmas and I guess took some time then).

FredaFox · 15/02/2023 07:09

Unless you have some underlying issues you haven't shared you have had a lot of time off
If your bouts are connected and you are goi g for tests I'm sure there would be leniency
You don't say what job but if lots of you are on plans is it a high pressure job or are you are flaky and have a day off for a cold?

My friend works on 999 calls and you'd be on a plan there, where I work you'd definitely get hr involvement

In 10 years I've only had 5 days off sick and that was one bout of sickness

Original poster
Stuckinthemiddle1990 · 15/02/2023 07:12

Manager of administration office. Good HR and they are on policy so I don't blame them. I have 2 DCs. One at nursery one at school. It's been a revolving door of illness. Not only for us, but the whole family (who provide CC a couple of days a week). As I said not normally an ill person.

OP posts:
Womencanlift · 15/02/2023 07:15

I don’t get the timescales either. You say you have had 7 days in last 12 months but 3 of them have been in last 3 months but you only started the job before Christmas which was 2 months ago?

Original poster
Stuckinthemiddle1990 · 15/02/2023 07:19

It's within the same office. It was a promotion.

OP posts:
Questionsbarisurg · 15/02/2023 07:23

@Stuckinthemiddle1990 is it 7 separate single day absences?

FudgeJudy · 15/02/2023 07:25

I feel for you OP. The last 12 months have been absolutely awful for us in terms of illness. I had a long absence due to a mental health crisis, then when I returned just had one illness after another. I managed to get through it by working from home so I could stay wrapped up on the sofa. Over Christmas we all had flu and, had it not been for annual leave, I’d have needed another two weeks off as I genuinely couldn’t have worked. I managed to work through until early this month when I had to have two days off with yet another bug. It’s been terrible, we’ve never been so ill so frequently before.

In your position, I’d try and do as much as I could from home and get as much rest as possible.

rookiemere · 15/02/2023 07:26

If you are unable to work, you call in sick.

If you are on formal absence monitoring, it means they will scrutinise each absence fairly closely, so I'd suggest for next six months DH is the one who takes time off if DCs are ill where possible or you take emergency leave instead.

Fuctifin0 · 15/02/2023 07:30

How many days have you actually had off since you started the job before Christmas?

My work place are beginning to implement their sickness policy more strictly because the same people take the piss time and time again.
Not suggesting you are mind.

kegofcoffee · 15/02/2023 07:37

Feeling for you. In my experience the level of illness this winter has been crazy.

My DH didn't take a sick day for 12 years, then has have 8 since December. I usually have 1-2days every couple of years and I've have 4 days. Theres barely been a week since October where one of us hasn't been ill.

How long have you been at the company? What's your sickness been like in previous years?

If you've been there a few years or more and in the other years haven't taken much sick. I'd just call in sick today, apologise and offer to make up time when you're well (if that's possible). If it get's escalate further you should be able to rely on your track record from other years.

ememem84 · 15/02/2023 07:41

Agree with others. The levels of sickness this winter have been crazy. A hang up from lockdowns maybe?

yanbu to call in sick of you are too sick to work. Work anbu to follow process.

with the remainder of your sickness was it for the same thing? Seperate days off? or say 7 lots of 4 days? Dr certified or not?

mmy understanding is that all the above factors make a difference.

if say you’re off every Monday for 7 weeks that’s a pattern (ex colleague looking at you who likes to party hard on a Sunday….) If it’s migraines around the same time every month (me. This was me) then there’s a pattern and maybe it needs looking into (on your side).

I hope you feel better soon

pissssedofff · 15/02/2023 07:42

Forcing people into work who are ill by using these sorts of sickness policies is so wrong, you can bet your life the directors behind these ideas will "working from home" or "in meetings" when they are poorly.

silverclock222 · 15/02/2023 07:46

Standard policy and given you've had one day off sick each month then something needs to be looked at. Not sure why you would take sick leave for CC issues though that should be annual leave.

GoodChat · 15/02/2023 07:48

The levels of sickness this winter have been crazy. A hang up from lockdowns maybe?

Definitely for people who have young children in nurseries because they were isolated for the first 18 months or so and didn't get chance to build their immune systems

Bellalalala · 15/02/2023 07:50

I don't think you or your husband are thinking clearly. You are so ill, that you can't type. And instead of seeking immediate medical help, you are dictating posts for your dh to write on MN.

Go get medical help if you are that sick. But also you shouldn't be calling in sick for child care issues. That's entirely different,