To be shocked at how much time off sick some people have?

[Enfys1982]

I work in a school and since I started in the sector it’s been a bit of eye opener to me how much sick time some people seem to take, and it always seems to be the same people. Days here and there, sometimes weeks on end then they come back for a bit go off again. As I said always the same people.

The last time I was off was last year when I had Covid, and I was only off because then you still legally had to isolate if positive. I actually felt well enough to go in. Before that I genuinely can’t remember when I was off sick. If I feel bad I just dose myself up and get on with it.

AIBU to think it displays a lack of resilience?

Well, I'm currently trying to get PIP for my adult child who is now severely sight impaired, as well as already having a host of other medical conditions. I'm fully prepared to take the matter to a tribunal because I know that refusals are really just about saving money. The government don't give a toss about people with disabilities, or the people who care for them. As a nation I think we have also swallowed the line about shirkers so people suffer.

So sorry to hear about the pain you went through before you had your lovely family, OP.

Yes, I responded similarly to this post having line-managed women who have gone through similar struggles for many years - and still are. It often results in odd days off here and there and not just for physical reasons. I’ve heard other colleagues say things like “Off again?! She’s only part time as it is!”

Sometimes you find yourselves in a compulsory ‘back to work’ box-ticking meeting with a colleague and when they explain why they’re off frequently, you can’t help but think “Fuck work.” (Of course, I never say this but I try to express the sentiment as professionally as possibly.)

My sister is currently in the constant bug cycle with her little uns. She has a supportive manager though who understands that the motherhood penalty often comes up in terms of children’s illness too, having gone through it herself years ago. My husband’s (male) manager also gets it, which makes my DH a better manager in turn. It’s a parent rite of passage!

It’s heartening to see lots of compassionate people in the replies here though!

I really hope he gets it, @loislovesstewie . There's a good PIP thread in the Money Matters section on here, where you'll get loads of good advice.

Especially helpful if the form hasn't gone in yet!

I was public sector for years. It's 6 months full pay, six months half pay and then nothing iirc.

I realise that it's generous compared to the private sector, but it shouldn't be a race to the bottom.

Especially at a time when the NHS is so fucked that anything that you need to see a consultant for, or that requires surgery, has such a long wait that people will be more unwell and in a lot more pain for longer than they used to be.

That may still be true for NHS but for many public sector departments it's one of the T&Cs that has been chipped away at, so several top out at 5 months not 6, and that's after having been in post for a few months. For many new starters it's one month full / one month half and increases incrementally with years in post. Which I appreciate is still generous compared to many policies, but as the PP says it shouldn't be a race to the bottom.

Having been in post for a few years*

YABU - you don't know the circumstances, and don't know how many times that person drags themselves when they are poorly.

I have a long term health condition, the times I've dragged myself to work when I should have been in hospital far outweigh the times I've called in sick.

I have a friend at work who has suffered with an autoimmune disease and has been fighting cancer for the last 3 years.

She has come to work Ill and as soon as she needs to take time off people bitch and gossip. It's quite frankly disgusting.

You sound like a lovely line manager!

now I’ve moved jobs I have a really sweet manager too and it makes such a difference

most people feel guilty enough taking time off, without other people they work with rolling their eyes and questioning if they are actually sick

Also.. unless you are the business owner, I can’t imagine caring that much about some one not being in??

Yes you may have to pick up a little extra work but what happens when people take annual leave for example?

if it has much of an impact on your work then the fault is at the company for not having a system robust enough to cope with someone not being in

You sound like you have a grudge against the private sector?

Not at all, I work in the private sector. I don't have a grudge against the public sector but I do think it could be run far more efficiently and cost-effectively for the benefit of the private sector worker instead of the public sector workers who work within it. And that includes cracking down on absenteeism. If workers aren't well enough to do their job effectively, get rid and give the job to someone else.

Oops just realised I mistyped, meant to say against the public sector. Your post still answers the question though.

If workers aren't well enough to do their job effectively, get rid and give the job to someone else.

What about workers who are usually well enough but need more time off than most? Should they be got rid of too?

Could someone else take the job and do the job just as well or better and have less time off work sick? If the answer is yes, there really isn't a question.

If you employed a cleaner or a gardener who regularly rang you saying they couldn't clean your house or tend your garden that week because they were sick, but expected you to pay them regardless, and you knew someone else you knew could do the job just as well and were a lot more reliable, what would you do?

yanbu I have every sympathy with people who have real illnesses and conditions and it’s often clear who is genuine and who isn’t. Rarely can you prove it but people in the end tend to inadvertently expose their own bullshit. I had one recently off work for weeks and weeks with a sprained ankle. Could have easily worked in a desk based role and a colleague had offered a lift everyday but instead got herself signed off by dr repeatedly. Was seen out and about, even posted on social media. After the 4th two week sick note (ie already had 6 weeks off and planned a further two) she booked 2 weeks holiday (abroad - despite claiming to currently be unable to leave her house) to start immediately at the end of final sick note. management refused holiday and next day she literally strolled in walking completely normally and gave in her notice. The absolute CF I couldn’t believe her total lack of shame.

I ageee op

i work for the NHS it’s shocking how some take the piss. And no surprise sown are still regularly resting themselves for Covid

and the work ethic of some people is so poor and yes they do tend to be British and young it’s no surprise why so many industries want workers from abroad

This annoys me so much though, the amount of people with this attitude who work in the Nhs.

surely seeing as healthcare workers you would want people to look after themselves, not drag themselves in at the detriment of their own health

I want team players in my team

not team members who are lazy and inconsiderate

If I were starting a company, I'd only hire contract staff since they're generally much more reliable than employees. Different work ethic.

And that includes cracking down on absenteeism. If workers aren't well enough to do their job effectively, get rid and give the job to someone else.
So don't get unwell, don't have unwell children, and if you are unwell then make sure you bring it into work and infect all your colleagues so they too can be unwell.
If your colleagues happen to have long term illness or underlying health conditions then that's their own fault and they better not take time off. Sack all the workers who have a disability for the crime of not being in ideal health.

Nice way to ensure disability discrimination and indirect sex discrimination against mothers.

Alternatively we could have better sick pay and working conditions for all so that people can take time off to be better, people feel valued at work and are less likely to take sick days because they can't face going into work, employees would be happier and more motivated, there'd be less illness spreading because people would return on site when they are better instead of infecting everyone they see, and happy healthy workers are probably productive workers who will give more value to the company or organisation.

Primary teacher here. This year has been absolutely dreadful for really horrible illnesses floating around, not quite sure why. All members of staff have struggled on several occasions, either having to give in and phone up sick in the morning, and stay off for a few days, or else drag ourselves in, teach whilst operating at 50% at best, and spread it to children and our colleagues.

Being off sick as a teacher is not something we do lightly. We have limited time to get through carefully planned lessons and activities, and can't afford to lose that. If off sick, we may be able to get a supply teacher in (seems increasingly unlikely at the moment) in which case they won't know where we are up to, the exact next steps or outcome we are after etc. So we leave them work which may well not be done as intended/to the standard we expect and know the children are capable of, and we have to pick up the pieces; or they decide to do something different instead and we come back to find we aren't where we were supposed to be and have to massively redo planning; or we plan one off type lessons (whilst off sick, sometimes even in hospital.)

Or else there is no supply. So the class has to be covered by a TA, who has to make sense of what we want them to do and may not have the subject knowledge required. Or else the children are spread out amongst other classes doing goodness knows what.

We come back not knowing what we will find, knowing behaviour is likely to have slipped, no idea whether we can carry on as planned, and if not have to adapt and plan within 20 mins of children coming in. We also have to deal with settling down the class again, especially tricky with those children where consistency and personal relationships are vital in order to manage otherwise unwanted behaviour.

Being off sick is absolutely the last resort for most teachers!

I was very surprised by the high amount of sick leave when I started working in a school. We have some people who’ve had weeks and weeks off throughout the year with a series of minor complaints, eg a bad cold equals 7 working days absent. Lots off with stress. There’s 6 months full pay.