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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Colleague’s absence

19 replies

WednesdaysChild25 · 31/03/2025 23:28

AIBU?
if your colleague is absent due to sickness, would you expect your line manager to inform you that they are not going to be in?
If your colleague is on annual leave, would you expect them to let you know (small team less than 4)

OP posts:
Poppyseeds79 · 31/03/2025 23:32

Depends on the circumstances? If they're off due to sickness then it's not acceptable to share personal information unless they are okay with it.

Annual leave is different as it's not a personal issue.

ToKittyornottoKitty · 31/03/2025 23:35

Obviously depends on the circumstances and type of work. My manager wouldn’t specifically let me know if a colleague was off sick, but once I’d noticed they’d now come in id ask and boss would say they are sick.

Nursemumma92 · 31/03/2025 23:36

Annual leave I would expect to be communicated but surely in such a small team it could be on a communal calendar either online or on paper depending if you work in an office or remotely.

Sickness may be appropriate to report by your manager if someone's absence is going to directly impact you but with no details as to why they are off, noone else needs to know that.

SallyD00lally · 31/03/2025 23:36

It depends on whether them being off sick affected my work or not.

Annual leave, I'd look at the calendar.

user1471503652 · 31/03/2025 23:37

I'd say yes to both.

My manager usually drops a message to say X is unwell today so we're aware.

As a team we put our holidays in each other's calendar as a FYI.

We're remote though and geographically spread out.

irishbloodenglishparts · 31/03/2025 23:39

I would expect to be notified if someone was off sick because as a team we would field calls for them and need to know if they’re in or not. Wouldn’t need to know what was wrong.

Annual leave should be in the calendar though.

Original poster
WednesdaysChild25 · 31/03/2025 23:43

user1471503652 · 31/03/2025 23:37

I'd say yes to both.

My manager usually drops a message to say X is unwell today so we're aware.

As a team we put our holidays in each other's calendar as a FYI.

We're remote though and geographically spread out.

Thank you !

OP posts:
Original poster
WednesdaysChild25 · 31/03/2025 23:46

Thanks all, was just feeling a bit irritated about it today, especially when I was sick the other week it was announced on teams as well as why I was off

OP posts:
Choughinthemist · 01/04/2025 00:08

WednesdaysChild25 · 31/03/2025 23:46

Thanks all, was just feeling a bit irritated about it today, especially when I was sick the other week it was announced on teams as well as why I was off

Thats out of order if you mean the reason you were sick was announced?

EBearhug · 01/04/2025 00:16

We have a rota for absences, including annual leave, training, known sick leave. We're a small team, and have to have cover between certain hours. Obviously most sick leave isn't planned, or at least, not far ahead, and I would expect to be told someone wasn't in that day, especially if it meant I had to stay an hour later to make sure we still have cover.

PinkD87 · 01/04/2025 00:46

I’d say yes to both. I wouldn’t expect to be told they were off sick or why, just that they were absent, eg “mark wont be in today”. Annual leave would be a calendar.

RickiRaccoon · 01/04/2025 02:08

We get notified if someone in our team is off sick or due to go on annual leave because we're a team and often field questions about each other's work or will pick it up if someone's off. I don't expect to be told the nature of their sickness but normally it's just colds and flus so there'll be accompanying reminders about not coming in with spreadable germs.

YeGodsandLittleFishies · 01/04/2025 02:16

It would be common in my work for someone to say “Wednesday has a bad cold/migraine etc and won’t be in today, she’s expected back on tomorrow.”

But if it was anything more serious or private then we’d be told “Wednesday is off, we don’t have a return date yet X and Y will cover her workload.” No one would ask for the reason.

For holiday, we let colleagues who might be impacted by our absence know we are going to be off in advance and put on an out of office email notification for everyone else.

notatinydancer · 01/04/2025 06:09

WednesdaysChild25 · 31/03/2025 23:46

Thanks all, was just feeling a bit irritated about it today, especially when I was sick the other week it was announced on teams as well as why I was off

They absolutely should not say why you’re off.

HoppingPavlova · 01/04/2025 06:15

We are not able to share the reason for leave at all. We say x is on leave. That may be annual leave, sick leave, carers leave, other type of leave.

However, with my reports at group meetings I do ask if anyone is ‘wanting’ to share leave dates and invariably they share planned annual leave which is noted in rolling minutes, so easy for people to refer to. They can tell people what sort of leave and any detail they want, but I cannot.

HelenWheels · 01/04/2025 06:16

the reason for sickness is private
the rest of the team of course should know you are not in, sick leave or annual leave.

Zanatdy · 01/04/2025 06:17

They should have just said x is absent today. No need to say if sick. Giving the reason for the sickness like with you is hugely inappropriate.

golemmings · 01/04/2025 07:00

There are 3 in my immediate team. If my colleagues aren't in I'd usually WhatsApp to make sure they're ok. If they're not, I offer to cancel/ cover what is in their diary.

They have usually told the boss, but she doesn't usually share that.

Ablondiebutagoody · 01/04/2025 09:23

It's a small team so I would expect everyone to know pretty much everything

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