To call in sick to work when you’re sick

[Linzdashluna]

Last week, I called in sick on Tuesday and Wednesday as I couldn’t get out of bed. I tried on the Wednesday, got up, had a shower with the intention of at least trying and seeing if I perked up, but had to keep getting into bed after each thing I did, I felt dreadful so called in again.

My colleague has Thursday and Fridays off so I didn’t see her again until yesterday and she was making digs at me for being off. Saying things like “I was so poorly last week, but I came in because you just have to get on with it” and “I never have time off because I don’t think it’s fair to the team” I said if she was so ill she should have also called in. She said “no, my mum always said if you can walk, you can work” I ignored her but this morning she’s saying stuff again. She won’t stop complaining about how ill she feels but I don’t know what to say because she won’t call in sick so if you’re deciding to get on with it, do that then and stop moaning about it. She said “last week was awful when you were off because I was so unwell and had to do your work as well. I just think there’s people out there who have it worse” what kind of a take is this??? Are there other people out there who actually think like this? We have sick days and sick pay for a reason. If you’re not well enough to work, use them. I don’t understand the problem

Why are people like this 🤣
I dont have many sick days off myself but I WFH all the time. When someone in the team is off sick then I offer to cover anything urgent or that day. When they come back I send them a “hope you feel better, please let me know if you need anything” and thats the general way my team work.
Being a martyr and passive aggressive is unnecessary and just breeds bad feeling.
My mum taught me a good work ethic, if you can walk you can work etc but as I have gone through life I have realised that no one wants to catch other people’s germs.
Id ignore it or be blunt and tell her to have a day off with her comments

She is a work martyr.
Tell her you couldn't walk therefore you didn't work.
Ignore the mithering.
💐

Yep, met her type many times in my 35 years of working in London offices. That's why I'm grateful to now be able to WFH.

Sick leave is there for that exact reason. For being ill. You don't owe her any explanation or breakdown of what you were ill with. We've all had to cover each other in offices - the amount of pregnancies and maternity leave I've covered in my time with no extra recompense or even thanks - but I wouldn't dream of saying anything.

She's a bully. Tell her to leave you alone and she can take it up with management if she's so miserable.

It’s a cultural thing (presenteeism). It’s also bloody expensive and costs far more than it “saves”.

Yes, but that's an exceptional situation. Fortunatly nobody here has to wait years for an operation.

Your colleague is a shit.

Have people not learned anything from Covid?! I don't want your germs shitty sicky workmate!

I WFH so we don't take the germ spreading into account but even if someone says they're ill, our boss will say to log off and get well. She trusts that we don't take the piss (small team, we don't).

As I 80% work from home I can, nine times out of 10, still work if I don't feel 100%. When it's office time it can be the journey to work rather than the work day that's the problem. Don't fancy crapping myself on the tube and j doubt other commuters would like it either.

in my experience that is true. First time I had flu I was a fit healthy teenager and hallucinated. Second time I was in my 40's Dh settled me on the sofa made sure I was ok and went to work. I needed the loo, luckily it was downstairs and close (10 steps) by. I actually had to crawl too and from the loo and pull myself up on the sink because I couldn't walk there or back.

I have no idea what she thinks of me

one of my colleagues went home from work once because he was really dizzy and she said to the rest of the team something along the lines of “why would you go home because of that? We all get dizzy if we stand up too fast” I don’t understand her way of thinking

People who have the attitude of your colleague absolutely infuriate me, not least because they are responsible for spreading illness further.

I hate calling in sick, but if I'm that ill then yes I'll call in sick.

Because she's only a work colleague, ignore her. I've had managers like that who insist everyone has to come in even if they're dying. That means that viruses spread like wildfire. No one who is ill like you were is able to do any quality work. But HR holds the Bradford Formula over employees' heads and idiots like your colleague create this unhealthy environment. It's stupid. When I've been forced to come in when I know I've a flu or heavy cold, I've been tempted to spread as many germs as possible on the keyboards of those kinds of managers or colleagues!

I disagree strongly. It’s as if covid never happened. Coughs and colds are viruses which can lead to much worse complications ( rsv, pneumonia) in vulnerable people you spread it to. The ‘man up’ philosophy is also infuriating, as people can suffer coughs and colds much worse than others. It’s another form of presenteeism.

I think some people also don't have a sense of scale about being ill. Some people use "really I'll" for sniffles. I know it's a source of friction in my house that DP will take time off sick then spend the day up and about at home, but he couldn't possibly work because he wasn't feeling 100%!

On the other hand, the martyrs who spread germs around are just as bad. But I'm genuinely terrible at telling how I'll I am and have therefore gone into work really unwell because I don't really register it until it's too late.

Guessing you’re not in the UK!

Never a truer word. They are pains I the arse passing of there filthy colds, sickness, sore throats ect.

I too hate these martyrs. They try to make everyone else look bad but it is them and their selfishness.

No, not in the UK.

I’d say you’re probably the one I caught it off, perhaps next time take time off to stop spreading it to everyone else

Tell her that by coming in sick she made everyone else sick and that cost the company way more in time and money. Please next time think of her colleagues and stay at home.

Confuse her - “Honestly, I’m just really glad you are not as ill as I was, otherwise you wouldn’t have been here to tell me all about it.”

Then walk away to fill up you your water bottle.

You must have an awesome immune system then. Very lucky.

Invite her to fuck off

I wfh so probably soldier on more than I would when I worked in an office. But I have had days when I’ve stopped for half a day. Also I broke a bone in my shoulder last year at our busiest time, and my only help had gone off sick but I worked using dictation to write emails. And I took time off to attend physio and fracture clinic at the local hospital (thankfully only 10 mins away)

But

I would never expect someone to work if they don’t feel well enough. Most of my ailments seem to be ok if I’m sat at my computer! And I can always stop, we are most definitely not monitored like that.

Self employed so if I am not out of the house I don’t get paid. But my god I despise people who get on like this. If you are sick you are sick. Just ignore this silly women. Then to all the people saying they are never sick! Well done to you all, how lucky you are!