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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

New sickness policy

27 replies

confusedmum16 · 08/12/2023 18:18

I'm a home carer and this is my works new sickness policy.

Am I being unreasonable to think it's ridiculous that they will now make us go to work sick until they find cover?

Should I challenge this ?
Or is this standard procedure in care industry

New sickness policy
OP posts:
DoIOrNot · 08/12/2023 18:28

So they are saying that if you are projectile vomiting and suffering from diarrhoea you are still to come to work until you can phone at 7am and cover can arrive?!
Impossible, not to mention irresponsible. Imagine if all the residents came down with it. I imagine relatives would not be happy if that happened.

YANBU to think they’re being ridiculous.

peppapig123456 · 08/12/2023 18:32

Absolute madness! If you're sick you can't be supporting elderly/vunerable people. Send to cqc, get their thoughts on it

ANightingale · 08/12/2023 18:33

Policy is totally unreasonable - how can you foresee at 3pm the previous day that you might be ill the following morning?

I thought there was a shortage of carers - this is going to do nothing to encourage folk to stay in the profession.

Original poster
confusedmum16 · 08/12/2023 18:40

I've sent an email there explaining my concerns, I don't disagree with the whole policy but surely the people on call should cover sickness is that not what they are on call for?

OP posts:
DragonFly98 · 08/12/2023 18:49

That's insane, also the under any circumstances, what if you were seriously ill in hospital or unconscious!

Riverstep · 08/12/2023 18:51

That sickness policy needs challenged and I’d be speaking to your union ( hopefully you have one). Some of it is reasonable eg telephone call only, no using texts, what’s app etc. It is also reasonable to expect the person off sick to call in themselves, not have someone do it for them. But worse case scenario , a staff member may not be physically able to call in themselves and the care agency should obviously recognise that. It is not safe (or reasonable) for someone who is sick to attend work until cover can be arranged. That is a serious concern- for the clients and the staff members health and wellbeing. The manager who wrote that policy needs sacked.

Takacupokindnessyet · 08/12/2023 18:52

There must surely be other regulations surrounding vomitting/ diarrhea that these rules would contravene. Definitely ridiculous.

LammasEve · 08/12/2023 18:54

So, hypothetically, if you're admitted to hospital at 4am for emergency treatment, they expect you to still call them yourself and, presumably, leave to do your get ups... that may sound unlikely but we've had 3 people in our team admitted as emergencies this year and none of them would gave been able to call in!

I've worked as a carer before and twice had to ring at no notice at all to say I couldn't work - it got covered by seniors, no questions asked. The policy you've shared is not only unreasonable, it's insane.

Ploctopus · 08/12/2023 18:56

Yeah, that’s insane - you can’t go and look after elderly people if you have a potentially hugely contagious illness.

CornishPorsche · 08/12/2023 18:58

Wow, that's a great way to ensure vulnerable people end up sick as dogs when their carers are uncontrollably vomiting....

Absolutely abysmal. If you're sick, you're sick. D&V, migraine, broken limbs etc don't happen with notice before 3pm the day before a shift if it kicks you in the wee hours and you certainly can't rock up to work with those conditions "until cover is found" - which it no doubt won't be for hours.

I appreciate care companies have difficulty in managing things like this, but to plan to put someone through disciplinary for being incapacitated though sickness is just ridiculous unless they have evidence it's a lie / pattern of lies.

I'd suggest reporting this to the council if they have council contracts. But absolutely challenge.

Atethehalloweenchocs · 08/12/2023 19:00

Not unusual in care agencies, but totally unreasonable.

ANightingale · 08/12/2023 19:01

LammasEve · 08/12/2023 18:54

So, hypothetically, if you're admitted to hospital at 4am for emergency treatment, they expect you to still call them yourself and, presumably, leave to do your get ups... that may sound unlikely but we've had 3 people in our team admitted as emergencies this year and none of them would gave been able to call in!

I've worked as a carer before and twice had to ring at no notice at all to say I couldn't work - it got covered by seniors, no questions asked. The policy you've shared is not only unreasonable, it's insane.

I'm not a carer but I was admitted to hospital overnight a few years ago and at the time I should have started work I was under GA! My husband had to call for me - thankfully our sickness policy, while in general requiring in person calls, allows for times when that's unfeasible.

QueenBean22 · 08/12/2023 19:03

Awful, needs challenging for sure. I awoke at 5am this week with an awful migraine. Could barely look at my phone to make the call never mind make it into work

CrushingOnRubies · 08/12/2023 19:03

That's a rediculous policy.

The other day I was fine at 3pm but by 10pm I had a splitting headache and was projectile vomiting. I'm sure the people in my care would really appreciate me turning up at 7am the next morning potentially passing in whatever I had

Also I think having to physically call someone is harsh. I have to call and if necessary leave a message. But in extreme circumstances where that's not possible someone else can on my behalf

MyLadyTheKingsMother · 08/12/2023 19:07

Surely the more practical thing would be to have an 'on call' rota to ensure instant cover?

LammasEve · 08/12/2023 19:09

ANightingale · 08/12/2023 19:01

I'm not a carer but I was admitted to hospital overnight a few years ago and at the time I should have started work I was under GA! My husband had to call for me - thankfully our sickness policy, while in general requiring in person calls, allows for times when that's unfeasible.

Show quote history

I had to WhatsApp in when I was in hospital too, I couldn't speak and my partner wasn't able to call. Luckily I know her well and she knew I wasn't skiving, plus work have the flexibility to allow for these circumstances.

Ponderingwindow · 08/12/2023 19:11

That policy has so many holes that it is laughably unenforceable.

I understand they need people to show up for shifts and that the clients are relying on the carers . however, employees still have rights and that policy isn’t going to hold up to even the most rudimentary discrimination challenge.

they are relying on most of the staff being relatively vulnerable themselves and not in a position to make a challenge.

110APiccadilly · 08/12/2023 19:14

I've had to call DH's work in the middle of the night because he was too busy being sick and having diarrhea. He was supposed to start work at 7 and had felt fine the night before. (He's not a carer, though in some respects it's probably a similar type of job.)

I get that you should give as much notice as possible, but presumably they don't want service users vomited on?

TigerRag · 08/12/2023 19:18

Takacupokindnessyet · 08/12/2023 18:52

There must surely be other regulations surrounding vomitting/ diarrhea that these rules would contravene. Definitely ridiculous.

Edited

You can't attend for 48 hours if you've had d and v.

I had a 24 hour bug of some sort when I was volunteering. I was fine the day before I was due to volunteer but as 48 hours hadn't passed, they said as they have a lot of older and vulnerable people volunteering, I can't come in.

Younghearts · 08/12/2023 19:27

Absolutely ridiculous

SkyFullofStars1975 · 08/12/2023 19:36

I worked in a nursing home with mainly bed bound/immobile residents and we were always short staffed. I had tonsillitis and tried to phone in sick but the nurse on duty wasn't having a bar of it and told me to go to her for some painkillers that'd get my through my late shift Hmm I don't honestly know how I got through it and was violently sick driving home as I felt so poorly. I was back on the following evening, and when I rang the next morning to say they'd have to cover me she again tried to insist I went in - but I said that I'd been to the GP, was on antibiotics and wouldn't be in for the rest of the week. I handed in my notice straight after - I wasn't in any place to be using hoists/bathing vulnerable patients and the fact that they'd expected of me said it was somewhere I didn't want to work.

Original poster
confusedmum16 · 08/12/2023 20:01

What will happen if I refuse to sign it?

OP posts:
Jimmyneutronsforehead · 08/12/2023 20:12

confusedmum16 · 08/12/2023 20:01

What will happen if I refuse to sign it?

Nothing presumably. It'll be an acceptance by proxy.

NowItsSpring · 08/12/2023 20:21

If you are in a Trade Union then involve them. Otherwise contact ACAS for advice.

shakeitoffshakeacocktail · 08/12/2023 21:27

Oh! I would have such fun telling them I'd thrown up on a client!!

I'm sure their family would be thrilled as sickness and diahrreah is spread through contact and proximity

Tell some clients and their families about it too!

I work in the food industry and we'd potentially be in court if we had this policy and people got sick! I imagine it would be the same for you if you made someone sick by being forced to work

Law suit waiting to happen!