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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To skive off work this week ?

194 replies

IKnowItsNotMine · 04/06/2023 23:35

Posting her for quick traffic - I’ve got 10 mins to decide !

Relevant :

  • Im literally never off work with sickness - I’ve had covid twice and loads of other illnesses but will power through 😷
  • It’s lovely weather this week (UK) and I want to enjoy it before we’re back in winter.
  • No one covers my job.
  • I need annual leave for childcare in summer hols.

YABU - Get to work you lazy loser
YANBU - Life’s short, you deserve a week in the sun with no pesky kids.

OP posts:
Gettingbysomehow · 05/06/2023 07:19

Me and a work friend did a gruelling day of nhs home visits and the last three patients turned out to be in hospital so we couldn't see them, we decided to bunk off and go to the beach instead of returning to base to find something to do until home time. It was great. I wouldn't dare take a week off though we're much too busy.

WinchSparkle80 · 05/06/2023 07:21

I would go in today/ tmrw and then be ill wed-fri as weather better then and 3 days ill is more believable than 5. No one takes 5 day sick anymore unless really really ill.

Enko · 05/06/2023 07:21

Go to work and stop "powering through' when you are sick and likely to give your sickness to your work colleagues

coffeecupsandwaxmelts · 05/06/2023 07:22

I don't have an issue with pulling the odd sickie but surely it will be blatantly obvious if you come back to work all relaxed and tanned after spending a week in the garden? 😂

I worked with someone who did this and was caught out by a manager who was on AL and spotted her at the beach 🙈

7eleven · 05/06/2023 07:23

Ironically, I think it’ll look more suspicious BECAUSE you’re never off sick.

Also, poorly people probably wouldn’t want to lay out in the sun, so going back with a tan will be a giveaway. Your colleagues will know, but maybe their opinion of you doesn’t really matter to you? At least one of your bosses will lose respect for you.

It’s wrong. You know it is otherwise you wouldn’t have made the post.

Changechangechanging · 05/06/2023 07:23

When I feel like you're feeling OP I always take the view that I don't know what is round the corner. You're well today, you might need 6 months off tomorrow. You might have a year where life is tough - your own illness , parental illness, child illness....and with the world being what it is redundancies en masse are coming, I think. I take the view I need to do what I can to futureproof myself. And that means keeping calm and carrying on. By all means take a cheeky day for self care but a week one way or another will likely come.back to bite you.

canyoudance · 05/06/2023 07:24

I've just done it re . Childcare.

willWillSmithsmith · 05/06/2023 07:25

A week is quite a long time to take off sick, will you need a GP note? Also for me I couldn’t really relax that week going out and about as you may bump in to someone (or they may see you but you don’t see them which is even worse). If you hardly ever take time off then surely you have some legitimate annual leave you can take. Chances are we’ve still got some good summer days ahead as it’s only the beginning of June, can’t you just book leave properly?

78Summer · 05/06/2023 07:26

Daft idea. There is a recession coming and if they suspect you will be first out the door.

TiredandLate · 05/06/2023 07:27

I'm as diligent as they come and the thought did cross my mind yesterday, lying in the sun with a beer! However, back in reality and I'm up and ready for work.

Lot's of people will duck this week, we call them vampires (disappears when the sun comes out).

Graceanddecorum · 05/06/2023 07:28

I don't think you should personally. Can you also trust your children to keep their mouths shut that Mum called in sick to work when she was actually okay? You never know who it could get back to and there is always a chance you could bump into someone/someone could see you.

aperolspritzbasicbitch · 05/06/2023 07:28

willWillSmithsmith · 05/06/2023 07:25

A week is quite a long time to take off sick, will you need a GP note? Also for me I couldn’t really relax that week going out and about as you may bump in to someone (or they may see you but you don’t see them which is even worse). If you hardly ever take time off then surely you have some legitimate annual leave you can take. Chances are we’ve still got some good summer days ahead as it’s only the beginning of June, can’t you just book leave properly?

That's what I was going to say - 5 days requires a note from the GP, doesn't it?

Dovetail40 · 05/06/2023 07:29

Two days is more than enough.
Plan it so you never have to leave the house.

Sit in the shade or wear sun block.

Glockle · 05/06/2023 07:29

I never call in sick and would not do this. I work in the nhs and would be letting too many people down, including patients.

I would also somehow worry that I would be struck down with some awful illness afterwards!

Yes it’s skiving. But the world of full of them so 🤷🏼‍♀️

I am intrigued what job you do that is so unimportant that it doesn’t need cover and doesn’t seem to matter if you are there or not!

SlightlygrumpyBettyswaitress · 05/06/2023 07:33

I would.

Sarahtm35 · 05/06/2023 07:33

Yeah why not could be dead next month 🤷🏻‍♀️

HoneybeesAndBluebells · 05/06/2023 07:34

Take a few days but not the full week.
It's 7 days self cert including the weekend anything after that requires a doctors note.
Sometimes I take the odd couple of days for mental health but definitely not often! If you're rarely ill I would do it personally.

YRGAM · 05/06/2023 07:36

Just do it. MN seems to be populated by Victorian mill owners judging by the poll results

Indiaplain · 05/06/2023 07:36

YANBU - it really won't matter in the grand scheme of life will it

HelpMeGetThrough · 05/06/2023 07:37

A week is quite a long time to take off sick, will you need a GP note?

Not for 5 days, a "fit note" is required after 7 days continuous, where sick leave has been taken.

I self certified for a week a couple of months ago, nothing required from a doctor.

willWillSmithsmith · 05/06/2023 07:38

Glockle · 05/06/2023 07:29

I never call in sick and would not do this. I work in the nhs and would be letting too many people down, including patients.

I would also somehow worry that I would be struck down with some awful illness afterwards!

Yes it’s skiving. But the world of full of them so 🤷🏼‍♀️

I am intrigued what job you do that is so unimportant that it doesn’t need cover and doesn’t seem to matter if you are there or not!

That sounds like my kind of job 😁

I can’t understand why you want a whole week off (well I can but I don’t understand why you’re going to actually take it). You’ll either be at home the entire time, which seems a bit restrictive or you’ll be out but hoping no one spots you. I’ve been legitimately off sick but out before and bumped in to people from work - it was fine though as I was recovering from a very serious illness but the fact is I still unexpectedly bumped in to a work colleague.

Greengreengrass231 · 05/06/2023 07:38

do it. Life is short. Nobody on their death beds wishes they’d worked more

AD1996 · 05/06/2023 07:38

You are just a number, do it!

Stokey · 05/06/2023 07:39

Depends a bit on employer and colleagues. Big employer who can foot the loss easily, not as bad. But what about your colleagues who'll have to pick up the slack? You said no-one covers for you, but what happens to your work when you're not there? Does it just pile up and you have more when you get back?

LostAtTheCrossRoad · 05/06/2023 07:40

I know you'll have already decided by now, but given the forecast, I'd work today and tomorrow. Make a comment at lunch on Tues about how your sandwich tastes a bit funny. Have a judicious bout of d&v in the night on Tues night and possibly again Weds afternoon, therefore not working Weds & Thurs, and go back in Friday. Yes you'll miss the sun on Friday, but it's a million times more believable than having the whole week off!