Seen in town when off sick

[Notallowedtobesick]

I'm off sick, very short term (not even a week) with a non-covid infection. I've seen a GP (well, telephone appointment) and been in contact with 111.

I live in the town centre so my nearest pharmacy is a high street Superdrug store and that's where the GP sends my prescriptions to collect. My antibiotics have been giving me ungodly side effects so I went to collect a second prescription today for anti-emetics and grab some over the counter stuff to help.

On my way home I popped in a small supermarket for basics and pet food so I could hunker down and get well over the weekend.

A colleague on a late shift has seen me in town on their way to work then spread it about the department that I'm obviously skiving because I looked 'dolled up'. A friendly colleague text me to tell me this. I was in leggings and a hoodie, no make up. Only thing was I hadn't bothered to tie my hair back like I have to for my job and I wore a neck scarf to cover my PCOS induced lady-beard that I am too exhausted to tweeze.

Obviously I'll be able to evidence prescriptions etc if anything is taken up to management. But just why? Why not talk to me in town? I'd have happily let them in on how minging I feel.

Sorry for a long rant. I don't actually need any help. I just really hate my workplace right now and this is just like a twatty cherry on a shitstorm cake.

Any good work place or good manager would support you if you happen to be out and about appropriately while off sick (by appropriate I mean you're not meant be isolating etc). A few months ago I was signed off work for a week due to a shoulder injury. My manager took my sick note off me, told me to stop feeling guilty and to go out and enjoy a few nice walks etc.

Thanks everyone. Back to work today and thankfully feeling much better. As for the colleague, I'm just going to ignore her. I have a job to do and I could do without engaging in her behaviour. It's just a shame that for some, the bitchiness of high school doesn't end at high school.

Frankly I think this needs to be stamped on and hard. You are absolutely allowed to leave the house whilst you are signed off sick. It is extremely unprofessional that a colleague should slander you in this way. As a manager I would take an extremely dim view of anyone spreading malicious misinformation.