To go off sick in December?

[Sarahbd3]

I've just found out that I'll only been granted one day off over the Xmas and year new period (I mean besides the official public holidays). Names drawn out of a hat about who on the team can have which days off over the Xmas season.
I'm a single mum to two young children under 6 and, for once, I want to be able to spend a proper stretch of time over Xmas being off with them and doing all the Xmas stuff that other families get to do. Their grandparents are going to be away on a cruise so I'd have no child care anyway, unless I was off work.
I have a chronic health condition which is well known at work (although I've never previously taken any time off sick with it). In facet, I have not been off sick since a car accident 4 years ago.
On my team, it's always the same person who goes off sick for Xmas, for several weeks and nobody seems to have an issue.
Wyibu to go off sick with my chronic illness to be guaranteed the festive season with my children? To not make it look too plan I, I'd probably go off in the second week of December, rather than on Xmas eve. Maybe return second week of Jan.

If it's that important to you to get that time off get a job that enables you to book that period off, there are plenty out there. I think you're being a bit precious considering you have the BHs off, but Christmas leave is one of the things I consider when taking jobs. Don't be selfish and cause someone else to cover you or be put out because you're unable to either assert yourself, or position yourself into the appropriate role.

So my answer is part yes part no! It’s shitty that one person always gets Xmas off - I think that needs to be addressed with work.
but yes, it’s shitty to get a sick note to take a month off and (as an employer) the 2nd week of December as opposed to the 3rd makes little difference - I’d still question the convenience.

This type of post is also why some employers don't want to hire mothers. I hate to say it, but it is.

No.
Find another job that works better for you.

You won’t get that time back with your kids. If you’ve not been sick for years then do it, do you by chance work for the inflexible don’t give a shit about employees nhs?

Yeah, as long as you're independently wealthy and can afford to support your kids without your job, crack on and do what you like. But please don't expect the taxpayer to pick up the bill when you eventually get fired for your shitty attitude to work.

And the rest of staff okay to do likewise?
Quite many NHS workers (and other 24/7 jobs) don't have sick days around the year so they can pull them too at Christmas and it's just fine?!

I think it's fine, you know more about your sick pay entitlement etc than us. I work in HR in a local authority and it would take months of processes and occ health referrals to get close to sacking someone for poor attendance. And a one off period of sickness wouldn't even raise eyebrows tbh. A job is a job, they'd replace you without second thought when they needed to but kids can't say the same

But it's fraud? She isn't sick. Just lazy.

How would you feel if a colleague did the same?

Why would she be fired?

Not so sure about that.

Taking holiday and pretending she was sick perhaps?

Because her employer will eventually decide to manage her out for her shitty work ethic.

What a load of over exaggerated people on this one, like the majority of you have never pulled a sickie in your life. OP is thinking of taking sickie over Christmas , hardly committing a crime is it.

OP you do what you want to do and don’t let anyone dictate how you live your life. You will find most on here who are having a go at you are either stay at home parents or will be having a nice few days off for Christmas.

Hope it turns out for you and you have a great Christmas with your family.

Yeah, that 's how local government works- completely unlike the private sector or should we say 'the real world.'

People in LG are so protected it's insane.

I think you might struggle to do this as you seem like a very reliable person who likes to get on with things, despite challenges. If you're going to do it you'd need to come up with something that sits comfortably with you.

Well why do you deserve it over someone else? We all have our own situations and people we love who we want to spend time with. If it’s been drawn out of a hat then it’s fair and I’m assuming you knew there was a chance you could be picked to work over the holidays when you took the job.

It's not fraud to call in sick for 4 weeks because you want a free holiday? Jesus.

what makes you think that your Christmas is more important than your colleagues? You can go sick and will most likely get away with it from a management point of view, but you will have increased your colleagues workloads and possibly caused resentment towards yourself for the future.

there is then also the what if in the near future you actually are sick and need the time. You are balancing a fine line.

Family first. But I do recommend you find a new role. This sounds unsustainable!

A place i worked someone used to do this at xmas her child free colleagues and the odd parent picked up the slack which was completely unfair to us genuine workers she didn't last long in the job due to it you are being unreasonable tjis is unfair to your colleagues being a parent does not entitle you to special privileges

She mustve lasted long enough for her to do it so regularly to have been noticed, given that xmas only happens once a year 🙄

Wasn't just xmas was majority of holidays her kids birthdays school plays tje xorks she also would cry to leave early at times so she could do school run etc was a nightmare managing her she always used the im a single mum you cant descriminate card

So you want to take 4 weeks off sick?! Surely in lots of jobs you only get the bank holidays off as a given, and they are the important days. Most people don’t have 2 -4 weeks of magical days off work at Christmas. I think you’re being a bit daft. Your complaint would be justified if you weren’t getting Christmas Day off. What if you need another long period of time off later in the year will you drop to SSP?