How many sick days are you allowed to take?

[Abigail47]

In my last job, they didn't really care that much about sick leave. They would let people take up to about two weeks uncertified sick leave, and if you were certified for sick leave, you could take months of sick leave. They also didn't do return to work meetings for sick periods of less that five days.

I only took about four days sick leave in a year in that last job.

I started a new job seven months ago and I'm in shock.

I've taken four days sick leave in the whole seven month period. Two different periods of two days. I was sick. They were uncertified (as I had moved to a new area and hadn't registered with a local doctor in time) and I didn't get paid.

After each period I was called into an office with a manager and made to do a return to work meeting.
I was told in each meeting that too much sick leave can leave to contract termination.

My colleague just took five days certified sick leave, and on her return they said the same to her, that too much sick leave can lead to contract termination.

Aibu to think that four days sick leave in a whole year is not a lot.

Like we are going to get sick . Everyone does.
In one of my sick periods I totally lost my voice with a chest infection. I couldn't speak at all and I have a customer facing role.

What is sick leave like in your organisation?

I also think two episodes of sickness in 7 months is above the ‘norm’. If you were off sick again in the next five months where I work, it would trigger staging. A return to work meeting is pretty standard for a lot of employers after any sickness absence. Your old employer was very lax.

There we go. I knew there would be more red flags.

Why is that a red flag? Employees are not slaves. They can look for another job.

It’s a rolling year, usually. So if you went off sick tomorrow, you’d go back to 11/8/23 and any absence you had taken since then would be knocked off your current entitlement.

so if you’d used it all up, you’d need a clear year to build up the full entitlement again.

I haven’t read all the posts. The OP said earlier that 7 months in role wasn’t “new” because most people leave after a year there. I pointed out that that level of attrition is a massive red flag.

and it is, because there are “things” the OP doesn’t like about the workplace.

Of course they can look for other jobs. But for 12 months to be considered long service is extremely concerning.

Not necessarily above the norm. It depends on your job, your exposure to viruses, your age and vulnerability.

Depends where you work …..who you work with…..i have contact with young families so my team come down with lots of illnesses…..and our team has 50% of staff in their 50s so immunity starting to wind down….menopause and all the shut that comes with that …..be different if it was a team of 20 something year olds and a job role that allowed wfh

I’ve not had it myself but my work place is very strict on sickness, a couple of members over the years have had written warnings over it, I think the fact it’s a very small business so it does have a massive impact, but it stresses me a lot as I have a 6 year old who gets every sickness bug going from school which I know is not my sickness but is still time off, and even though I could easily work from home it is strictly not allowed.

Reading this thread, I'm starting to think something is wrong with me. I get ill about 4 or 5 times a year, through no fault of my own. I get tonsillitis a couple times (not enough to warrant them being removed apparently) and i get one or two proper sick bugs every year where I'm just spewing all day. How are you meant to go to work like today?!

I always drag myself in when I have a cold or sore throat etc but can't go with a sick bug or tonsillitis. I had a chest infection this year also!

I am a teacher, I can't work from home and I can't take annual leave 🤷🏽‍♀️

I'm not taking the piss, I don't see how I can avoid these illnesses but everyone on here is talking like they get ill once every few years. 😱😱

I work for myself so I can take as many as I like; however, if I don't work, I don't get paid.

I get ill about four to five times a year also.

Always the same things.

Chest infection
Vomiting bug
2 - 3 very Severe colds.

For the minor colds I always go in

Is there something wrong with us?! 🤮

No I think it's normal

Nope. Join the sick teacher club. Until parents stop sending their ill children in, this will happen.

I guess you don't work in an environment where you are likely to pick up viruses, flu, colds and other infections diseases. Well done for being as strong as an ox. Good for you.

At my work more than 3 separate occasions of sick days are seen as a lot. So 4 in 7 months would be a concern.

I don’t remember the specific amount of days, but my previous job essentially had minimum then you’re fired. I have a bad chronic illness and disability (CRMO, basically my body thinks my joints are infected and attacks itself causing severe pain all over my body). I also have a weakened immune system, to the point where I got an ear infection that caused sepsis and almost travelled to my brain. My work SHAMED me for having days off. They would phone me when I was in hospital and tell me that it was unacceptable how many days I had off. Then when I’d go back in, I’d be called in for a hearing where I’d be told how many strikes I had left. I remember having a breast cancer scare and having to show them the letter to be ‘granted’ the time off to attend my urgent appointment… they told me they had too many people off that day so I couldn’t go. I then was fired a few months later. I know I should have fought it, but I was only 19 and had no education or life experience on how. I get it’s inconvenient for an employer and company - but I was degraded to the point where I would come out of the meetings crying each time over things I couldn’t help.

I sympathise op. I have also recently changed job and it is public sector so I am not sure why people think public sector are more lenient. Ime private companies often offer better conditions. My new job makes you take annual leave or unpaid leave if you have a hospital/doctor's app. Only pay SSP if you are off sick and there are many rules around how sickness is calculated and how you may be disciplined. It really is a shock! I don’t take much time off sick at all but would like to feel I would be looked after should I become ill. It is nothing like my last job where we had sick pay and were paid if we had to have hospital/doctor’s appointments. It has really put me off the job, as well, so I shall be looking for better conditions once I have served a reasonable amount of time. I am not sure employers are aware how off putting this is to staff, as it is a role where they seem to really want to try and retain staff as staff turnover is quite high 🤷🏼‍♀️.

Guess away! I worked in customer facing retail at the time. I never said I didn't get sick I just commented on what absence policies have been like in my experience, the OP did ask, 'How many sick days are you allowed to take?' I said I thought 2 periods of absence in 7 months seemed like a lot. OP hasn't mentioned where she works, only mentioning that she cannot work from home. So I find it strange that you seem to make assumptions about me.

OP asked a question and doesn't really seem to like that she's being told that her current employer is more the norm than her former employer. I'm not saying that people should be leaving an RTW in tears or in fear for their job.

I'm not in the UK. Here we get 10 days sick leave per year, and if you don't use it all then it carries over. I've never of these "return to work" meetings - wft??? You might have one if you have been off for a long time, otherwise no.

If you run out of sick leave then you take it unpaid, or I guess as annual leave. In my last full time job if you had a medical appointment you just took the time off for it - it wasn't recorded anywhere (unless it was a full day, then it would be taken as sick leave).

I forgot to say, here you can use your sick leave to care for a family member who is ill.

You’re staying off with a cold?! Flu or covid ok. But a cold is taking the mickey. No wonder they call a meeting. Grow up.

Good luck, with this attitude you won’t last long anywhere

The UK attitude sounds a bit draconian. I get really bad colds and sometimes take a day or two off, other people I've worked with go home with the merest hint of a sniffle.

Last year my boss made me take four days off for a cold - I went in on the Monday and she decided I shouldn't go back until I had stopped coughing. Left to my own devices I would have gone in every day!