To be tempted to pull a sickie?

[ofthelandandsea]

And yes it’s morally reprehensible but …

Work in a school, so can’t take annual leave or anything like that, and it’s my DDs first school play Friday.

My school won’t let you have time off for anything like that; they just won’t, it’s just no, no, no. It’s similar if a teacher needs to leave the site during the day, you just can’t get out.

I really am tempted to say sod it and say I’m unwell.

It will be no. I’ve worked there seven years now; I know how they roll so to speak.

It is gross misconduct but proving you aren’t unwell isn’t possible in this context and as close to impossible as it’s possible to be.

One of them is here for a meal after work with their kids - I’ll ask now (and don’t worry they are assertive enough to pull no punches we brought them up that way) …. No they didn’t miss out, yes they had a fab childhood and I’m am their hero.
Being a loving and supportive parent is a lot more than sitting in a school play btw.

I think given how far apart the schools are you should risk it. You don’t get these moments back. It’s awful your school aren’t more flexible for this kind of thing. I not saying they should tolerate you always having to have time off but this is an hour in the afternoon…

I’m not going to get into a squabble over it, so I’m done, but bless your heart.

If you feel that strongly do it, but be aware it could impact your job, and definitely will if you are caught in the act.

I would 100% go, it sounds like a prison- why cant you get out of the doors?

If you have a smaller dd2 I would say she's too sick for nursery, if anyone sees you, she was well enough to lie in a pushchair for 30 mins.

Sports day etc the child really only needs an adult they know (grandma etc) but nativity - last year ever child in dd's class had 1 most had 2 parents there

I

Is it really far or quite nearby? Have you asked? Id be tempted to ask if it only meant an hour or so away. If they said no though you'd have to accept it but I'd carry that inflexibility into my future interactions and not do anything out with my remit or beyond contracted hours in return.

So what if they do?

It boils my piss when people think sick leave is like house arrest.

Being on a day's sick for let's say period pain doesn't mean you can't go to a concert.but I'd probably take more than just the day.

But you’re not unwell. You’re lying about being unwell.

Even if you are caught you'll not be dismissed as too ill to work doesn't mean confined to the house and they couldn't prove you were not at your DDs event AND ill. They'd have your card marked though and you'd not be popular.

If you are well enough to go to a play, you are well enough to work🤷🏼‍♀️.
There will be many people filming that day and you can't control everything which goes out on SM. You have to be prepared for it to be public knowledge that you were there. Despite what some people think, misusing your employer's sickness absence scheme is a serious matter. You might not lose your job if you have no other disciplinary warnings held on your file, but you could well find yourself issued with a formal written warning-which is a serious sanction.
Have you talked to your manager about this? Could you take a few hours off & make up the time before or after the play day? Or maybe as unpaid leave?

It is a big risk. If you get caught, it is gross misconduct.

It’s dead easy but thanks for concern.

Can't you take your non contact time out of school? If you aren't teaching can't you leave anyway? We aren't expected to be in school for non contact time (also Secondary). If we have non teaching time at the end of the day we can leave to do this at home.

But that can’t be proved, even if anyone saw me, which they won’t.

It isn’t about ‘should I do it because I could get caught.’ It’s more about how I feel about it myself. It’s a huge hassle being off; I don’t like doing it. I’d far rather just go in, teach, leave early because that’s when my PPA falls anyway, go and watch the play. Unfortunately, that’s not an option so I need to work out in my own mind what the best move is.

Honestly makes me so sad to hear this. Teacher here (Scotland) & even though things have got waaaay tighter here in recent years, we still seem to have it easier. Staff are given time for these precious times & they work it back (if part-time that's easy- I am PT too. Full-time will do some study camp time/ after school extra classes).

Truly crap for you. Can you really not have a terrible head-ache/ big bleed & need to get home quickly? It's your planning time!

We have a documented arrangement where if you have planning time at the end of the day you can sign out. Rarely have the time to do it, but have done over the years now & again.

Do it. Your child is more important thsn any job.

Definitely pull the sickie. A first nativity is special and you being there will make your child very happy.

She means if you get caught honey. Never underestimate the vindictiveness of school leaders. It’s sad they won’t give you an hour or so to see such an important milestone. Rotten sods. Where I work it’s a tight knit community and there’s always someone you know but it might be different where you are . Would someone cover for you at school and then you could reciprocate sometime? Would they buy that?

I knew what she meant thanks. No, they won’t let anyone cover you!

You won't if you can convince them you are actually sick. However if they discover you aren't unwell you probably will. No you wouldn't have to be under house arrest, but generally people are off work sick because they either actually feel too poorly to work, which would mean you were too poorly to be out or they are infectious which would mean they shouldn't be in their child's school, or unable to move around due to injury so how did you get to your child's school?

Id go into work, stress how ill you feel to anyone who listens and then go home sick at lunchtime.
You'll still need to collect your daughter and if you happen to see the play too oh well.
Means the school won't need to worry about covering if your last period is all you need to leave by

Op I never go off sick (seriously! Never!) and usually take a dim view of people who pull sickies-but I think given how inflexible and unfair your employer is, I don’t blame you. Phone in with a migraine and if anyone catches you, it resolved after lunch time. You won’t get these memories back.

Hey OP - teacher here.

Go for it - I completely understand why you are considering this. It's completely unfair that you aren't allowed the time for this, I face similar circumstances unfortunately. Even if you were found out, any understanding SLT would let it slide... They can't afford to lose a teacher in the current climate (there are NONE!).

Also, they're only small once and it would be a real shame to miss it.

You’re right, you’ll never get those moments back . I had my baby in early July and was back teaching in Sept . I missed out on lots of things. The years whizzed by, one minute you’re making their nativity day costume, the next, dropping them off at university. It’s mean spirited to deny a mum these moments and memories. OP should go if she’s sure she won’t get caught or grassed up . If I were her colleague, I’d gladly do an unpaid cover for her.