AIBU to be fed up with colleagues repeatedly off sick?

[IngridsLittleToe]

I'm going to get my arse handed to me and I don't care. Sick staff....I'm so over feeling sympathetic. I'm not talking really sick staff...I'm talking repeated back ache/gynae problems/migraine/back ache/sore throat/cold/depression/back ache/sinusitis/cold/sore big toe....

They have been on repeated sickness absence management and pull it back from the brink each time. Only to start all over again. Years and years of this. The rest of the team have to pick up the pieces, cancel their jobs to cover someone else's and the sickie doesn't have any loyalty at all.

The whole time they are sick they manage to socialise and do a voluntary role. Any attempt to manage the sickness is met with claims of bullying and then they go sick with anxiety.

All on full pay.

AIBU to think they are shamelessly playing the system and should be sacked

Well surely the fact that people are skiving on full pay is the major cause of underfunding and also the cause of overwork for their therefore understaffed colleagues.

I sympathise OP it’s the same in our workplace.

Hmm, I agree with you in some respects and there are long term sickness problems in prisons and probation and social work that are clearly due to stress and overwork. But I have been in civil service roles over the years and there are plenty of underworked staff too. ‘One man one job’ was the rule of some of the first team I managed - which meant ‘give me one task and I’ll do it, and come back for another’. They refused to do anything proactively. Packed up and logged off for 4.50 each day so they could leave at 5. Did have one long term sick who eventually had to be managed out but it took about a year. Maybe things have changed a lot since then, but I don’t hear that from colleagues still in the CS.

This isn't about you though is it?

It would be very obvious to me that you're genuine because of surgery, hospital care, recognised diagnosed condition. Step back and know its not you.

Totally agree with you - infuriating how some people can play the system and get away with it, leaving honest people like you to pick up the pieces.

Of course it’s about me. I have to have long term sickness MULTIPLE times a year.

None of my colleagues are aware of my chronic health condition or diagnosis. Because it’s none of their business. Only my line manager and HR are aware of why I am off sick.

I suspect many of my colleagues share your opinions, and think them about me.

Just mind your own business. It’s hard enough trying to get medical professionals trying to listen to us and take us seriously. We don’t need grief from the workplace too.

Education was the same. And should the school or college be lucky enough that the skiver applied for a job elsewhere they would give a good reference to get rid of them.

If you're off sick for whatever reason on a regular basis, you are a liability to any business, public sector or private. And your colleagues will resent you.

How are people with chronic disease or disability supposed to earn money? They're damned if they claim benefits, and damned if they work.

Seriously not the thread for you. Two things can be true

1. Some people have long term or short term sickness needs linked to genuine health
2. Some people play the system

Also it’s in your OP!!

“I'm talking repeated back ache/gynae problems”

LMAO. How dare you?

How dare you sit on your high horse and look down on us with repeated gynae problems. Do you know how debilitating endometriosis is? Do you understand how debilitating the symptoms are? Do
you realise we can suffer horrendous back pain due to endo. And leg pain. And chest pain etc.

So please don’t describe my illness and symptoms in your OP and then have the cheek to say “This isn’t about you”.

So why have you described my illness and symptoms in your OP?

I have repeated gynae issues and back ache due to my health condition.

So why isn’t this the thread for me?

I had a friend who'd had 1 x 6 months off then another 1 x 6 months all full pay. However got fucked over when genuinely needed another 6 months off straight after but was now on 1/2 pay.
Worked about 9 months and was finding the job not suiting her and actually commented they'd worked enough now to get another 6 months off full pay.

Have they been referred to occupational health? In my industry they get referred quite quickly and a lot then quit or get put through capability process.

It shouldn't be the case that someone can go off sick, recover and go off again in a rinse and repeat fashion at the exact point they are due to be caught out.

It can be done in a really caring way - I see that you've had five episodes of long term sickness in the last two years, and I'm very concerned that the job is making you ill...

Genuine question as I don't know, if you put someone on an improvement plan for their lateness and poor quality work, and they went off sick, would the plan still be active when they come back?

I apologise. Maybe it is for you

I always sympathised-I would rather do extra work than have some of the problems on your list, as I said to an ex boss when she snidely said I'd had to do extra work to cover for colleagues-in front of the very person who had been off, to upset her! For decades, I never had a single day off. That doesn't make me a better person-it just means I was lucky. I have since had some of the problems, and going through gynae tests/operations is awful. The mental and physical stress is something I wouldn't wish on anyone, having taken my health for granted all those years. You say your colleagues kept doing other things-I don't know what your job is like, but it is possible doing these was manageable while the job wasn't, and when you're terrified your tests might come back showing you have cancer/will be left permanently disabled, I can understand they might want to keep their mind off things. Maybe if management made adjustments, they'd keep working. IF they're really skiving, ok, but the doctor who authorised their fit note presumably knows best.

Yes we do refer. Varied help tbh. I find their story changes constantly...and OH often repeats verbatim what they say. It is an essential part of getting to capability process but since they always recover at the brink...saving themself

Anyway work in the morning for me....thank you for the sympathy and those that read and got it

Not really depending on the operation. I had an operation and I was told beforehand I would be virtually bedridden for 3 months and then would be allowed to slowly start walking again but wouldn't be fully mobile for 6 months at least. So I told my boss I'd be off work for at least 6 months as soon as I found out so they could employ temporary staff if they wanted to!

Agree. The OP dismissing migraines like that shows they've never had one. I feel for you teaching because I work at a computer and literally vomit and nearly pass out if I've got one.

I'm going through menopause and also have diverticulitis...my old manager (a man) used to act all pissy when I had a sick day or because of diverticulitis said I would prefer to work from home...ok so you want me to shit myself in the office?! Ok then. Luckily my new manager is the opposite. She respects me and I respect her.

Then watch them outsource your departments work and be made redundant

What do people want you dont work and claim pip people moan. You do work and have more time of then average people moan.