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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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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:

Welshgal85 · 23/05/2023 21:51

If I just had a mild headache or something like that I’d probably still go in but anything worse then no.

Tbh it really annoys me when people come into work when they are clearly ill, full
if cold coughing and sneezing everywhere or with a stomach bug etc that they could easily pass on to others!

purplerainyday · 23/05/2023 21:52

@JockTamsonsBairns great post

Grumpy67i8 · 23/05/2023 22:03

Unfortunately, yes. Even though we can work from home 2 days a week, the bosses HATE wfh and if I am ill on one of the days that I am supposed to go in, I will go in.

I tried to stay home back in December as I had a really bad cough and half the team was travelling to a conference the week after (including the person I share an office with) and I didn't want to be that person who spreads it. My boss said "you shouldn't stay home for that, if people are scared of getting sick, they should stay at home not you".

Aprilsh0wers · 23/05/2023 22:06

A colleague of mine came in last week despite saying how he’d had a fever all night and felt sick, had the shakes etc. He came in despite the fact that we would’ve coped absolutely fine without him for a few days. He then proceeded to dash to the toilet in our office and violently throw up. He eventually left after much persuasion by which time he had clearly spread the bug since everyone in our office came down with it in stages after that.

I am heavily pregnant and have just recovered from a nasty chest infection so this really did piss me off. I can’t stand it and I actually think it’s selfish. People come in when they’re ill to save themselves the guilt of having time off when most of the time the majority of people would rather them stay at home.

DojaPhat · 23/05/2023 22:08

TeaYarn · 23/05/2023 21:12

No! And I’m furious with people who do. I know someone that got extremely sick just before an expensive holiday all because the office Poorly Pauline came in and coughed and sniffed her way through the day. It wouldn’t be so bad if Poorly Pauline did any work but she was about as much use as a chocolate dildo.

I understand this view completely but I feel that there's a world of difference between those who'd still go in if their kidney was hanging outside of their body because they have two after all. And those for whom calling in sick is more hassle than its worth because of pay, working conditions and so forth. As a society we don't really value health and wellbeing or even any sort of quality of life... on the WFH threads there were people who thought flexible working cum remote working was the highway to complete anarchy even if it would benefit them!

ILoveMontyDon · 23/05/2023 22:13

They come in because their boss makes them feel guilty.

bluebeck · 23/05/2023 22:17

Totally agree with this.

Popsicle42 · 23/05/2023 22:18

sotiredandburntout · 23/05/2023 20:09

Anyone else wondering what on earth @Popsicle42 does for a job that means they can't be off sick ever? 🤯

Didn’t mean to be cryptic, but also didn’t want to be too outing, but I work as a legal professional. If a case is listed in court, I either turn up or the case will have to be adjourned, causing massive delay for the people involved. Judges hate adjourning cases because of the impact on the clients, so there is a huge amount of pressure on us to soldier on. I’ve had a colleague who was forced by a judge to do a case 3 weeks after her son was born. Another one broke his leg and was expected in court the day after he was discharged from hospital. I once shut my finger in my car door on the way to court. Was a nasty injury so needed checking out at hospital. The Judge waited until I’d been seen, finger was bandaged up, I was given max strength painkillers and then had to get a taxi to court to start the hearing. I was being phoned every half an hour while I was waiting to be seen for updates.

bluebeck · 23/05/2023 22:19

oops. Sorry, meant to quote @Badgeringabout

Teder · 23/05/2023 22:23

JockTamsonsBairns · 23/05/2023 21:44

These threads always serve to highlight the difference between job types, and the options available for the people who do them.
The pandemic showed us that many jobs could be done from home, and that culture has carried on - rightly so IMO.
Others, however, can never be done from home - often the lowest paid ones.

I would love nothing more than to have the ability to WFH when I'm feeling poorly - or, even better, to go off sick.
In reality though, I'm an agency care worker. I earn minimum wage on a zero hours contract. Can't work from home, don't get paid if I'm off sick and, if I take time off, I won't get my full quota of hours the following week either.

It's nice to hear that so many people think I'm selfish, or a martyr. I just like to be able to pay my bills and put a roof over my kids' head. I'm doing the best that I can, in a job that I absolutely adore, but one where so few people understand the pay and conditions.

If you're berating me, then I really hope you weren't clapping for me on Thursday nights mid pandemic.

Of course it’s not people like you.
Many people are fortunate in that their places of employment are flexible and they hybrid work. There’s no point in Germy Geraldine coming in and snotting all over the desk when she can effectively work from home and keep her germs to herself.

vodkaredbullgirl · 23/05/2023 22:26

I've got a head cold and I'm working tonight. Lucky I have 4 other staff members to help with resident's. I've got paperwork I could be doing. Only working 2 night then not back until the weekend.

TeenLifeMum · 23/05/2023 22:38

@CurlyhairedAssassin my job has been under review as part of an organisation restructure for 11 months so it’s been hard to stand up for myself. My job is now secure and my tolerance for bs is very low 😆

Badhairday101 · 23/05/2023 22:39

I'd stay home if I had a vomiting bug but I go in if it's anything else. I'm a teacher and in contact with multiple pupils everyday so there's always a few with coughs and colds, it's impossible to avoid in a school. It also puts extra strain on other staff who have to cover you which isn't fair. So unless I'm too I'll to get out of bed I just go in.

TeenLifeMum · 23/05/2023 22:40

@JockTamsonsBairns no one thinks people who work when ill as otherwise they don’t get paid are martyrs. It’s office workers with non essential jobs who behave like the world will end if they’re off ill then come to work and make sure we all know how ill they are and how grateful we should be that they’re there that are the martyrs.

RaininSummer · 23/05/2023 22:41

No. I can't cope with my job if properly ill. Can manage with a headache or the sniffles but not full on virus feelings and it's not fair to colleagues, customers or people on the bus.

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