To think colleague should have stepped up when I was off sick?

[Hjknmh]

Colleague is probably the wrong word as we’re both university students on a course. We have been paired together for a placement.

Over the last week we drafted a document to send to the placement provider on behalf of both of us. Colleague asked me to email it on Monday, so I drafted an email and sent to them asking if they were happy with it. I then messaged to say I was unwell, and asked if they could please send the email instead.

I’ve been unwell with the flu, and haven’t been looking at emails or messages until today. My colleague has ignored my message asking if they could send it, I get the feeling that they don’t want to send it as they are always avoiding being the one to send the emails to the placements.

I feel bad that I’ve been unwell, but I know if the roles were reversed I would have happily stepped up. It’s a joint placement anyway so it impacts the both of us.

What did the email say? If you’ve drafted it and it’s more your thoughts than hers, then yes I’d be reluctant to send it too.

Surely you could have just sent the email in the time it took you to message your colleague?

This. You could have even done it when you were ill, literally takes 2 seconds.

It's a bit strange that this bothered you enough to start a thread about it on mumsnet. Some people are proactive with stuff like this, others a bit less so - welcome to life. There could be numerous reasons why she didn't send it - did you talk to her about it?

I had an awful headache and dizziness so didn’t want to sit at my computer finding all the attachments etc we needed to send, it wasn’t just a quick short email. We both drafted the email so I thought she’d be ok sending it. I’ve had the proper flu so not just a cold where you feel a bit rough

I guess I’m just feeling anxious as I already feel like I’m falling behind on everything because I’ve been unwell and this is just another thing to stress about. Sorry I’ll leave this thread now

It depends. What did the email say? Were there points that your colleague wanted clarification on/further discussion? What stopped you from sending it in the first place?

I would have sent the email for you especially as I might need the same favour in return if I was ill.

Didn't you send all the attachments with the email to your colleague? No wonder they didn't send it on, it wasn't complete. That's where you failed.

EDIT - this is just another thing to stress about. Sorry I’ll leave this thread now
Well... that was a quick flounce 😮

I’ve just been off for two months post surgery. Even with a full handover document, next to nothing of my role was covered. When people are overworked then taking on anything additional goes on the beck seat - even sending an email.

Sure I’ve read this before somewhere unless it’s a recurring situation for students?

They're peers. Why shouldn't OP's fellow student have sourced the links?

They could... but if you want a colleague to check whether your email covered everything and was fine to send to a third party it would make more sense to have the attachments already attached 🤔 Otherwise anything could have been attached (accidentally or deliberately) but the colleague would have been jointly at fault for approving it. The colleague probably thought sod that.

I’ve been covering for a colleague for 6 months. She returned to work for 10 days, was away for another week, back during Christmas/New year (when the office was closed more or less), and yesterday I got an email to say she’d be off for another 2-6 weeks, with a list of things “she hadn’t got around to” that I should pick up.

The list will be waiting for her when she comes back. I’m tired of covering two jobs. Maybe your colleague is tired too.

Is she sick? I understand your frustration but you sound like you blame her for it. I’m certain she would swap positions with you in a heartbeat if that’s the case.

Blame your management if so, dont take it out on your colleague.

Im not taking anything out on anyone but I am allowed to be tired.

She’s sick with a pattern, recognised by HR and management but it’s the civil service so it’s allowed to continue.

I would still raise it with your management. If they have problems with her performance it shouldn’t impact on yours. Good luck.

Wow, too unwell to send a quick email? I’ve heard it all now. Try working full time, two small children and on last year of a degree course. All my choices, and all my problem if I get lll. I have no choice but to carry on. you need to understand how absolutely unreasonable you are being here.

I would speak to her.

Personally, I would have sent it if I were here. You clearly asked. But perhaps there’s a reason she didnt

But this email was a joint piece of work that they were doing? It's not one student asking another to check their work? If OP drafted the email, the least the other student could have done was to add attachments and send.

so I drafted an email and sent to them asking if they were happy with it. I then messaged to say I was unwell, and asked if they could please send the email instead.

From the OP. She asked colleague if they were happy with it which assumes all the relevant information is in it. If attachments were needed afterwards then it wasn't complete. We do not know if colleague had access or knowledge to the relevant attachments. OP has held back some of the facts so far which makes it difficult to work out if they are right or wrong, maybe deliberately. OP did half a job, passed it on under the guise of it being completed, then bitched about it when it went wrong. Happens too often unfortunately.

Could you not have sent the email in the time it took to post on MN?

One thing I've learn from work is people don't read emails properly. They often only read the title, and maybe first sentence. They might miss anything that comes later. It's much like mumsnet really!

All sounds like nonsense. If you had a contracted job you would have sent the blimming thing yourself, so what if you felt ill. It was important, it was one email and you needed it done. Don't blame the other person. If they are rubbish then they won't pass the placement. Just do the job professionally yourself.

YANBU.

If you and this other person are jointly responsible for doing this task, it's not at all unreasonable to request they do it if you aren't feeling well or are otherwise unable to do it.

Unfortunately some people are just lazy fuckers.

You are not being unreasonable, she should have added the attachments and sent it. I would be annoyed if it was me too especially as it seems she's done this kind of thing before. I think people reading your post are confused because you said the word colleague (they are placement partners i.e. students that are gaining on-the-job work experience that have been paired together to work in the same team/department). You're jointly responsible and as you were sick she should have continued task. It's not a two second job if attachments need to be found and added to the email, it's something that should be done by the person that is not sick.