To ask if anyone deliberately plans/uses their sick leave as part of their entitlement?

[OneOpenRedShaker]

I know some people who treat sick leave as an entitlement and plan/schedule when to use it, even when they’re not seriously ill. I’m curious to know if anyone else does this, or if most people reserve it for when they’re genuinely sick. Do you view sick leave as a right to use as needed, or is it something that should be used sparingly?

I don’t know how to vote as you haven’t said what you think but I think it’s massively unreasonable to use sick leave in this way. It’s not what it’s there for and makes it harder for people to take genuine sick leave if it’s known that others are exploiting the system.

There’s an individual in my team who has taken 4-6 months off on sick leave every year since they’ve been there. They have somehow managed to get a promotion in that time as well then promptly went off on the sick again.

God no, it's literally for when I'm too ill to work.

That sort of behaviour is what makes companies reluctant to offer good sick pay packages.

Nope. I'm NHS and haven't had a sick day since 2017.

I don't but I do regret not using my 'alloted' paid annual sick days when I was pregnant at my last company. They made me redundant anyway just before 2 years employment and massively screwed me over. My meeting was a.week before my maternity leave started and I still did a full week and unpaid overtime to ensure everything I knew was noted down somewhere. I must have mug tattooed on my forehead!

I don't, no. Sick leave is for when you are, sick!

However at one company the owners were pretty tight - everything was statutory minimum, but with 5 days paid sick leave. So many people just took the sick leave as planned days, they openly discussed it so that they didn't leave the place too short staffed.

Absolutely not. I would be too scared of using it up and then not getting it when i actually needed it.

I was very ill last year and needed to be off work from Oct-mid Feb. I was so acutely aware of the fact that full sick pay ran out several weeks later. I cannot imagine not having the safety net if you actually needed it

Many years ago I worked for a bank. Some people thought that the average worker took 11 sick days a year. When it got to November they work start ringing in sick to make sure they got what thet were 'entitled' to.

Erm no ? I’ve had 2 days off sick in the last 3 years year and this was because I was in hospital undergoing a procedure. One for the procedure and one the day afterwards for the drugs to wear off. The side effects of which meant i was advised not to work or sign any legal or important documents.

I worked when i had covid - although i did have to take a nap during the day.

Define 'free ones'.

I have about 1 day off sick every 2 years. So I use it correctly.

Sadly quite a few of my colleagues use it as part of their leave, e.g. falling ill the week before and after their wedding but being on top form for the day itself. Have some colleagues who have 3-6 months off sick every year.

I know people who consistently have a week off every six months. They can self certify and if they do it every six months it doesn't trigger any disciplinary action. Basically they're getting an extra two weeks leave a year.

No, but.... I have taken a couple of days off here and there over the years when feeling absolutely wrung out, burnt out and good for nothing, and tbh I've called in with stomach sickness rather than explaining my mh because quite frankly it's easier.
I know it's not right but it doesn't feel 100% wrong either.

Be careful taking what you feel is your "right" for sick leave. It is less a right and more of a goodwill gesture by employers. Some employers do not pay anything to staff for the first three days of sickness. If your employer does pay for all days then beware - they will usually also have a plan to tackle sick leave when you have taken X periods or number of days. Then you might find you are really ill and need to take time off and are dealt with (sometimes harshly) by HR. Karma may catch up with those taking days off when they just want to do their own thing. I have never felt that sick leave was my right, but have been grateful when I have needed to take time off. I have survived 2 bouts of cancer with all the attendant treatment and feel lucky to still be employed.

No, I only use it when I’m sick which isn’t very often. I think I can have either 4 or 6 months, I can’t remember but I rarely use more than a couple of days in a year.

I go off sick when I’m sick and also take 3 days in a row, once a year when I’m not ill, normally in December.

Use it or loose it. 25 days annual leave is far too short when you have a family.

Yes some people definitely do this. I worked in the civil service in a previous life and sick leave entitlements were added to annual leave allowance by quite a few staff.

I don’t get sick pay so not an option for me. but I have friends who do and use them as extra holidays when they feel like it. Like someone upthread says, if they only use one or two every month or so then it doesn’t get flagged up as an issue.

No but I once worked for a company that gave the bare minimum number of holidays.

i wasn’t there long but just before I left I found out that loads of people used their contractually noted 5 sick days at full pay per year as a way of getting an extra week off work.
i clearly hadn’t read the contract properly and had no idea.

they just sucked up a day or two of no pay if they were ever actually poorly.

Do you view sick leave as a right to use as needed

ah, of course? Why wouldn't I use it when I need it (i.e. when I too ill to work)? I am on SSP and don't even get paid the first days. Why would people plan to take it given how abysmal sick pay for so many in the UK is?

I don't know anyone who can afford to throw a sickie just for fun. It must happen but surely is rare?

We had someone who kept falling ill before or just after a holiday. We took disciplinary action against him.

It's not " use it or lose it "
This is an awful abuse of employment policy

BiL and SiL both did this before they retired. A former boss of mine used to do the same, she called it her tonsillitis or sinusitis weeks. I suspect one or two of my current colleagues are doing it too. It’s a really shit thing to do.