To next time just throw a sickie?

[TotalCarCrash]

A few weeks ago I had to take emergency parental leave from work. My DC was really sick, and I had to take them the hospital and stay home with them the few days after. I was honest with work, and my last pay slip shows I was docked quite a bit for unpaid leave, leaving me short this month.

At my workplace, I know for a fact that I have the least sickness. Some of my colleagues are off for months, with sick notes, and paid. The last time I was off was in, and with Covid.

AIBU that next time I have an emergency, I’m just going to tell them I’m sick. I have an issue with my car at the moment and it’ll mean me taking a days holiday to fix, and I’ve used up most of my holiday. I’m really tempted to call in sick.

I’m normally on the side of always trying to do the right thing, but in this circumstance, I would call in sick. You probably feel sick and can’t work if your dc is ill in hospital anyway.

It hasn’t been “docked” though, you’ve taken unpaid leave presumably in accordance with your company’s policy. This is what my work policy is - you can take unpaid leave for dependents up to a certain no of days.

Sick leave is for when you are sick.

Others aren’t “getting” extra days - if they are saying they’re sick when they’re not, that’s fraudulent on their part. If they are actually sick more than you are, that’s one of those things. You might be really ill another year, for example, and need to be off sick.

If you are sick, even if with stress, that’s another thing - if you’re sick you’re sick!

I think it’s great you’re allowed extended family leave for things like this, many places don’t allow it, it’s fair you’re not paid though. I’m not sure of your logic,that you should get paid to be off with your child as sick pay is a thing.

If you've got something wrong with you in the future take the time off sick. That's what sick leave is there for. If people aren't sick and have personal commitments they're supposed to be in work or take time off unpaid.

Life’s not that black and white though.

Yes I would pull a sicky (and commit fraud 😱) but I’m just a hardened criminal like that. The life of crime isn’t for everyone, but as long as you’re not being stupid and posting about it on social media or out and about near work you should evade detection 😉.

I get where you’re coming from. There’s people in my workplace who do this when their children are sick because they can’t afford not to be paid. It’s wrong, but so is the policy that puts them in that position. Management know it happens and as long as people don’t take the piss, they let it slide.

It is not illegal to call in sick if you're not 🤣

Jesus this thread is very judgey.

So none of you have ever pulled a sickie?

I actually... don't believe you 😆

OP, doing it once in a blue moon won't hurt anyone. Just don't take the p--s, and make absolutely sure you don't get caught.

I would think about finding a more flexible, child-friendly employer in the long run though.

"Fraud"

Yes please throw a sickie and cite migraine. I have chronic migraine and LOVE that whenever my condition flares up and I call in sick, people think I’m pulling a sickie. Please do this and make life harder for everyone who genuinely suffers with migraines.

Just be honest.

More fool you.

Pull a sickie unless you’re happy for your wages to be docked. Some of us can’t afford that option.

I get this. It's an incredibly female thing to do to drag ourselves to work when actually sick. I've had to force myself to actually take sick leave when I am sick.

How will they know you was not sick.... just make it 2 days instead of 1....too obvious. In a heartbeat, I would.

Of course, call in sick

I wouldn't do it because I'd be afraid of being caught. However I would certainly take sick leave when I'm sick. I actually hate when people are martyrs and come to work sick, it's annoying and bad for everyone in multiple ways.

Ok, you’ll think I’m making this up, but it’s actually true.

I wrote this whilst I was waiting for the car recovery to turn up. They said 6pm, and I thought they wouldn’t be able to deal with my car tonight, and I’d have to deal with it tomorrow. They just came and dealt with my car. I no longer need to sort it. I drove it into a ditch. It was nearly on its side. I’m actually really stressed out. I had to climb out the car passenger window in the middle of nowhere down a country lane. It’s not damaged as it was on massive overgrowth of nettles, hedge etc. and it was a slow crash.

I’m really f*cking stressed out now.

So, I don’t need to throw a sickie tomorrow. However, from now on, I’m staying off if I am feeling crap. The other week I felt super crap, went in, only to be told we are really short today, you’ll have to cover, 3 people phoned in sick!

The road was blocked and I was trying to do a 3 point turn in a country lane and the ditch was covered up by overgrowth.

I have called in sick when DC have also infected me with whatever plague they have caught at nursery even if I would have managed to work through it if I didn’t have to look after them but not if I’m not ill at all.

Some countries like NZ do offer paid leave for dependents sickness. My parents who live there were surprised we are expected to use annual leave or unpaid leave here.

Take annual leave or if you need additional time off just speak to your boss about unpaid leave.

Faking sickness is a sackable offence. Of course, if you job is shit and you don't really care about it and won't miss it... but even so, what about your self respect?

Then there is the awkwardness to having to lie to everybody on your return. How do you feel about doing that? Do you think you'll be convincing?

In some places you are required to have back to work interviews where your boss ascertains how sick you were to not have come to work...

No, they really don't. In 48 years at work I've never taken a day off sick when I wasn't really too ill to go into work.

If my employer did this for occasional sick child then yes i would take a sickie more easily next time. I don't know i would do it to get car fixed but i wouldnt drag myself in when unwell. The goodwill works both ways so that would be it gone or definitely reduced for me.

If my child was frequently ill i would understand.

I would call in sick in these circumstances.

Remember that your employer does not care about you. If you died, they would advertise your job the following day. If they didn’t need you, they would zip you through a redundancy process so quickly.

You’re a cog in a wheel. A bum on a seat.

So do what you need to do.