Off sick - would you do this piece of work?

[OctopusSay]

It's papers to go out for a meeting next week. They should have gone yesterday.

Most of the work is done but they need checking and collating. Probably an hour of focused work. Plus one task to do from scratch, about 40 mins.

I'm off with "flu". Yesterday I was good for nothing. Slept most of the day, could barely stand when I got up. DS1 actually offered to carry me back to bed

Today, it's much more a heavy cold. I'm tired and achy but I am able to function.

So, if I accept it will take all afternoon I could do it. But I'm off sick.....

The committee might complain privately that they didn't get papers on time, but to me they'll be all kind and understanding. TBH, I swear no one ever reads them before the meeting anyway, but it is a legal requirement that they have them a week before.

There's usually one other person who could do most of it, but she has the same thing I have.

Is the meeting on Monday? If yes then yes I’d do it, if no then I’d do it first thing Monday.

No, if you do it then they will want to know why you were off 'sick' and will assume you were lying. It could mean that your sick pay is called into question etc. You are ill, therefore you do no work. It is the responsibility of your manager to ensure that work is done in a timely fashion and to have contingency plans for staff illness. Go to bed!

You’re either fit to work or you’re not.

No it's not until the end of the week, but they're supposed to have a full 7 days, to include the weekend, as most of the board are volunteers.

I am very tempted to leave it til Monday though

Do you get paid sick pay?

If so yes.

I don't get sick pay so no way I'm doing anything.

You are sick so you are not fit for work. If you are fit for work, you aren’t entitled to sick pay.

So no. It makes no difference whether you get sick pay.

I'd be telling my staff if you're sick you're sick. But there is a point where you're in no way well enough to attend a full day of meetings and juggle multiple demands, but could mange to do one self contained task quietly at home, without it bringing into question whether you're actually ill, surely?

I'm guessing you're a clerk to governors?

If so.... I've now been in governor circles for nearly 20 years. When I started the 7 days was drummed into us in our training, legal requirement, etc. This might be true but in reality no one gives a toss. Ofsted certainly don't care.

Relax and get better!

No, it's the papers I need to prepare for the clerk to send out!

Surely someone in your office could today send the recipients an email to say due to illness the papers will be slightly delayed this month. And then send them out Monday?

Yes of course, but they'd still be late.

If you're sick you're sick. Don't do it.

Well, same principles apply! If you're a maintained school the regulations actually only state that the agenda must be circulated 7d in advance... this is commonly wrongly interpreted as all papers.

Get well soon

Yes, which you’ve warned the recipients about..so, that’s okay imho.

As a manager I'd find this really frustrating. You're either ill or not, if you're ill rest up and get better, don't be a martyr.