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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

that it's unfair to lose my job because of covid?

122 replies

radickle · 01/04/2023 15:26

namechanged

I got a new job 10 months ago and I admit that my health has sadly really not been fair to me. Just want to say, I've never had an issue with sickness in the past and I feel it's really a case of being very unlucky.

Was off with covid at the very start of getting my job (the first month) 2 months later I got the sickness bug (that was bringing a lot of us down with it at work) and had to obviously go off. About a month after that I had to have an emergency dental appointment. There was also 2 more sicknesses after that involving an eye injury (first one) and then the second one was because it got infected. I had a meeting about attendance concern during that time.

I've just got covid again and called my manager and said to him that ill obviously come in but I know it's policy not to and he said I can't be in for a week and didn't say much else but then got a later phone call to tell me to expect to not be back in the role and a meeting will be made when I'm better... im confident I'm losing my job.

I'm rather heartbroken because I genuinely like my role and work hard and it was a job in the field I wanted and had looked for for ages. It's obviously a very competitive role though and obviously they will have a line up of people wanting it.

I haven't been particularly unwell with covid so far and I'd have gone to work but it's the company saying I can't, which is why it feels particularly harsh. I know my sickness record wasn't great but there would never have been this sickness if their policy allowed me to come in...

OP posts:
Original poster
radickle · 01/04/2023 19:50

I don't know how on earth id be able to leave that often and then not see for 30 mins in the line of work I do, the job simply doesn't accommodate for that

OP posts:
MrsTerryPratchett · 01/04/2023 19:51

You don't have to answer but were you vaccinated?

Because we had a fair few, 'I don't like vaccines' people who took great swathes of time off and still are. It is odd that the general slackers are also the ones who got covid more than once. Weird correlation.

Original poster
radickle · 01/04/2023 19:53

Had all 3 vaccines and also their flu vaccine they offered employees.

Completely understand offering to do something else but we really don't deal with the analysis side of things and our data isn't processed by us. Admin is covered by people with those roles as well but you are right, offering is still good. I will be sure to absolutely do that on Monday.

OP posts:
MrsTerryPratchett · 01/04/2023 19:54

In which case it seems reasonable.

I'd go in really solution-focused and keen. Try to work with them. Also, join a union.

Bearpawk · 01/04/2023 19:56

Sorry op that's a huge amount of absences in the first few months regardless of Covid.
They employed you to do the job full time presumably because they need somebody to be doing it every day. It's completely fair assuming your absences are linked to a protected characteristic which they aren't.

Rainbowshit · 01/04/2023 19:56

We would get flagged after 3 periods off sick. Sorry but so many absences in 10 months I would think most employers would be letting you go.

rwalker · 01/04/2023 19:57

Of course she should have the a sickness review
it’s never about the cause at this stage it’s about the business ability to function
everyone has to be treat them same so no one can cry discrimination or victimisation

this level of sickness would trigger a review at my work
in the meeting every incident will be looked at individually

the other thing with covid insist you were well enough and willing to work but the company stopped them coming in

Original poster
radickle · 01/04/2023 19:59

Curious about unions actually as our place doesn't have one, are private ones any good? Can you even join private unions if they aren't linked to your work at all?

OP posts:
Bearpawk · 01/04/2023 20:00

radickle · 01/04/2023 19:39

My company uses the Bradford factor too.

If they are going to sack me, would I have had a written/verbal, etc. warning? I've had none apart from the meeting I had which is when they basically just told me that we are aware there's been multiple sicknesses and he had to just fill out a form about it but that was it

They can dismiss you for any reason without following a process with under 2 years service, providing it's not discriminatory (linked to a disability etc.)

wincywincyspider · 01/04/2023 20:08

radickle · 01/04/2023 19:39

My company uses the Bradford factor too.

If they are going to sack me, would I have had a written/verbal, etc. warning? I've had none apart from the meeting I had which is when they basically just told me that we are aware there's been multiple sicknesses and he had to just fill out a form about it but that was it

No, they don't need to do this considering your length of service.

titchy · 01/04/2023 20:10

radickle · 01/04/2023 19:50

I don't know how on earth id be able to leave that often and then not see for 30 mins in the line of work I do, the job simply doesn't accommodate for that

Well you could have had breaks, working for 1.5 hrs, then half hour break x 5 gives you a full 7.5 hrs at work. Working 8am till 6pm.

titchy · 01/04/2023 20:11

radickle · 01/04/2023 19:53

Had all 3 vaccines and also their flu vaccine they offered employees.

Completely understand offering to do something else but we really don't deal with the analysis side of things and our data isn't processed by us. Admin is covered by people with those roles as well but you are right, offering is still good. I will be sure to absolutely do that on Monday.

It's a bit late offering on Monday!

VariationsonaTheme · 01/04/2023 20:13

radickle · 01/04/2023 19:59

Curious about unions actually as our place doesn't have one, are private ones any good? Can you even join private unions if they aren't linked to your work at all?

Unions aren’t linked to the workplace, they’re independent, that’s the whole point of them.

https://www.tuc.org.uk/join-a-union

TUC Union Finder: Find Your Union >>

Tell us about your work and we'll find the right union for you.

https://www.tuc.org.uk/join-a-union

Winter41 · 01/04/2023 20:16

We are not living in normal times however much people want to pretend we are. It is not the OPs fault that covid is rampant and they are absolutely correct to test and isolate. It is still killing a hell of a lot of people every week. Equally it is correct to stay home with d&v.

We need to get over this idea that we should carry on regardless and be out and about infecting others. Sickness and leave would decrease if we could all be more sensible about it.

FishChipsMushyPeas · 01/04/2023 20:17

Even if your reasons were justified, you have still had a lot of sick. In my workplace during your probation you can only have 3 days or 2 spells of sickness before you hit a trigger point. We will make a decision as to whether to increase the length of probation. If you're off again then we will make a decision as to whether to terminate the contract unfortunately.

Clymene · 01/04/2023 20:17

But it was one eye wasn't it? Not both?

Viviennemary · 01/04/2023 20:19

How many days sickness have you had in the time you have been there.

Imknackeredzzz · 01/04/2023 20:22

couldnt you have worn an eye patch and just worked with one eye?!! Three days off for an eye infection is ludicrous

wincywincyspider · 01/04/2023 20:23

Winter41 · 01/04/2023 20:16

We are not living in normal times however much people want to pretend we are. It is not the OPs fault that covid is rampant and they are absolutely correct to test and isolate. It is still killing a hell of a lot of people every week. Equally it is correct to stay home with d&v.

We need to get over this idea that we should carry on regardless and be out and about infecting others. Sickness and leave would decrease if we could all be more sensible about it.

The OP has had 3 other periods of sickness in addition to D&V and two bouts of Covid. Ignoring the pandemic completely, three instances of sickness in 10 months may have been an issue anyway.

Periornot · 01/04/2023 20:26

Sounds like you've been unlucky OP. I'm not sure how you could have really gone in with those. Good luck.

Leakingtoilet · 01/04/2023 20:27

Yeah I would have expected you in with the eye infection. I'm quite relaxed with sickness, it happens and covid, d&v etc you can't do anything about but I expect people to make the effort and show willing if they are able. And if people take the piss then I'm down on them

In your case I would not have tested for covid unless I felt too unwell to work.

MayThe4th · 01/04/2023 20:27

radickle · 01/04/2023 19:44

Sick every couple of weeks? Grin guess maths isn't your strong point

Well, being a reliable employee clearly isn’t one of yours is it?

Six periods of absence over the space of ten months adds up to being off every few weeks at best. Depending on how long you’ve had off sick each time it adds up to several weeks of illness which is a significant percentage of time you’ve been there.

But I suspect given how snippy you are you’ve been _taking the piss_unlucky in all your previous jobs as well.

Periornot · 01/04/2023 20:33

@Winter41 I think there will generally be a lot more sickness too, especially with such high rates and not much appetite to dampen them. As for covid, firms can either do what the OP's have and limit further spread through staff accepting that particular absence, or encourage sick staff in to spread and make other staff ill, potentially long term and accept that absence.

IJustHadToLookHavingReadTheBook · 01/04/2023 20:39

CharlotteRose90 · 01/04/2023 17:46

Sounds like my place. You’ve been off 6 times . 2 were covid the 4 weren’t. It’s sad but maybe this job isn’t for you. You obviously have a low immune system to pick all these bugs up so losing it may be beneficial. Start looking and applying to other places.

This made me actually laugh out loud. I really do have a low immune system- I have a disease that causes that- and I get PIP for it... but not enough that I don't need a job too. My employer supports me with this, doesn't fuck me up with a punitive system that punishes me for being unwell.

gettingolderandgrumpier · 01/04/2023 20:54

I’m sorry but 6 periods of sickness in 10 months is a lot unlucky maybes and yes you may have never been ill for years prior to that but your employer doesn’t know that nor do your colleagues, you are letting people down and now saying it’s not fair . Are you being honest have you really had 3 sickness bugs covid twice abc an eye infection in less than a year ? . What would you think if one of your colleagues had this much sickness?.