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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Do you go into work poorly?

115 replies

C1239 · 23/05/2023 19:29

When your under the weather - bad headache, body chills, aches etc do you push on through and go into work dosing up or stay off if you can?

OP posts:
Badgeringabout · 23/05/2023 19:30

No and I bloody well cannot stand the martyrs who do. If you are ill stay at home and stop spreading your revolting germs around. The end.

Fladdermus · 23/05/2023 19:31

Stay off. But I'm in Sweden where even pre pandemic is wasn't acceptable to spread your germs to your colleagues.

Wombastic · 23/05/2023 19:31

Go in. I don’t get ill in that way though. Aches and pain yes. Headaches yes. Fever, no.

MinnieMountain · 23/05/2023 19:31

Stay off. That’s what sick leave is for.
DH would carry on working from home if he could as he’s a contractor.

Spiderboy · 23/05/2023 19:34

Headache, yes. Chills? Definitely not

SquashPenguin · 23/05/2023 19:34

Yes, but I don’t work in close contact with anyone. My office is in the back of my own van. If I don’t go in some other poor bugger has to cover my work as well, so I only go off sick if I’m really unwell. Last sick day I took was four years ago. I’d never call in sick for a cold for example!

dizzydizzydizzy · 23/05/2023 19:36

I would not go to work with chills. In fact, I did recently have chills (and various other symptoms) and it turned out to be a chest infection. I needed antibiotics.

I do go to work with a mild cold.

Skinnermarink · 23/05/2023 19:39

Generally yeah I have to, no sick days are written into my contract and if I can’t work neither can my boss. I’ve been at work 12 hours today with a rotten sore throat. Only time I’ve had a day off in past year was when I was throwing up with a sickness bug that they gave me. If I’m feeling really bad I do let them know and one of them will try and WFH so I can go early.

Whatkindofuckeryisthis · 23/05/2023 19:40

Headache yes as that’s most days! Chills, fever or migraine no. Mild cough and cold yes.

LubaLuca · 23/05/2023 19:41

I'd probably work from home and hope I perked up as the day went on.

I often fantasise about being too unwell to work and getting a couple of days in bed. It just doesn't happen, I only get niggling symptoms.

Popsicle42 · 23/05/2023 19:42

Yes. I can’t call in sick. It’s just not the kind of job you can not turn up to do. The only time I have is with a stomach bug, but I’ve been with other colleagues who have come to work despite even that.

If we don’t turn up, there is no-one who can fill in for us so any absence really needs to be exceptional. It’s not a healthy way to work - the impact on our emotional as well as physical health is pretty huge, but unless it changes from the top (which it won’t), we will carry on bringing our germs into
our places of work.

Noodledoodledoo · 23/05/2023 19:43

If I am off sick I still need to set all the work for my lessons, cover work is far harder than teaching feeling bit iffy. Unless I am really ill and contagious then I am in work.

STLLAP08 · 23/05/2023 19:44

Last month I went into work with a temp of 40 shivering worst ever felt but short staffed.
Next day rushed into hospital severely unwell in HDU with sepsis.
Lesson learnt

Fandabedodgy · 23/05/2023 19:44

I wfh.

But I've worked today whilst poorly. I had important meetings that needed doing.

WatermelonPink · 23/05/2023 19:45

I don’t get paid for the first three days off so I’d have to pretty unwell to not go in. So yeah, if I can struggle in I do

SliceOfCakeCupOfTea · 23/05/2023 19:45

I did today, but what I had wasn't catching

Daffodilwoman · 23/05/2023 19:46

I go in. If we have too much time off….which is not very much at all and the manager has zero Lea way……we get a disciplinary.
So no, I’m not going to risk putting myself through that.

Daffodilwoman · 23/05/2023 19:47

Also zero chance if working from home.

Daffodilwoman · 23/05/2023 19:47

of

BitOutOfPractice · 23/05/2023 19:47

No, I work from home. But the. I work for myself, no work no pay.

TeenLifeMum · 23/05/2023 19:48

I never used to (old boss was lovely but my sickness was never more than twice a year and usually less). New boss gets in a tail spin if we’re not fully staffed. Last November I was sick - vomiting - with a bug dc kindly shared. I called on day 3 to say I’d stopped being sick for 6 hours and felt I was over the worst so would take that day and be in the following so long as I wasn’t sick again. I can work from home so boss sent me a message with a list of all the work required and how me being off was “really difficult for the team”. I ended up feeling guilty and working from home while feeling crap.

whole team “battles through” like a bunch of martyrs. Awful culture.

Bookworm333 · 23/05/2023 19:48

I won't go into the office but I can work from home and will do unless I'm really unwell. The work doesn't get done by anyone else and just piles up if I'm not there - I'd rather just get on with it!

QueenofLouisiana · 23/05/2023 19:49

Usually, yes. Teachers normally do as it’s really difficult to sort out things for cover.

However, I have a very upset stomach so have had to take time off. Saying that, I’ve produced next term’s plans, replied to emails, written several week’s in-depth plans and resources them. I’ve not exactly taken time off, just time out of the classroom.

Dacadactyl · 23/05/2023 19:50

Yeah I go in unless I'm ill enough to need to stay in bed. Nothing martyrish about it..

TeenLifeMum · 23/05/2023 19:50

@LubaLuca haha I recently dreamed I had appendicitis so I could justify being off work! Gp wanted to sign me off with stress but my job was under review so I didn’t want to give them a reason to get rid of me. Instead she prescribed sleeping tablets to get me through as I can cope with sleep.