To call in sick during my probationary period?

27 replies

alwayswonderedd · 10/06/2024 11:08

I am 2 months into a 6 month probationary period. I already didn't have the best start/first impression to the job as I was unwell when I was due to start and had to push my start date back by a few days.

I'm working from home today and feel really unwell. I've dosed up on Lemsip but my chest feels heavy and breathless and I just feel unwell. I keep having to take breaks to lie my head down on my desk. I'm trying to push through and keep working but I'm really not being productive and just feel like I want to crawl into bed.

WIBU to message my line manager asking to log off early as I'm unwell when I'm in my probationary period, or will that look really bad?

OP posts:

Ohnobackagain · 10/06/2024 14:21

You are allowed to be ill during probation. I (as a manager of a remote team) would prefer to know you are not feeling well. I would think more of you for telling me you are feeling off colour rather than thinking you are working when potentially you are not and finding out you have disappeared. Most managers appreciate honesty and you can usually tell who’s taking the mick and who’s genuine.

toomuchfaff · 10/06/2024 14:24

MonsteraMama · 10/06/2024 11:37

Oh my god so much this. I have so much more time for people who are willing to act like grown ups and take responsibility for their own health instead of doing that baleful dragging themselves into work and staring at me like Eeyore, doing everything in slow motion and waiting for me to say "you don't look well, you should go home". Drives me batshit.

A lot of people have fallen victim to the idea that if you work and show willing when you're ill your manager will send you home if you're really too ill to work - my own mum used to say it to me. When it's actually far better to just be proactive and confident and say "I'm not well enough to work today".

It does depend on the kind of boss you have though OP. I personally wouldn't fail a probation for this if your work is otherwise good. I'd always rather ill employees take proper time to recover instead of "powering through" and doing half arsed work hoping I'll be grateful for it and send them home. That's an old fashioned idea that needs to die, but if your boss is an old fashioned sort that may be what you have to do.

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This.

Be an adult. Your manager isn't your parent, you're not at nursery.

Make the decision - you're either ill and cant work - or you're ok to work.

and - If you make the decision that you are ill - you are TELLING your manager you are ill and are logging off for today and you will be in touch regarding if you will be back tomorrow - you are not asking them if you can log off.

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