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Original poster

Sicky and posting on social media

112 replies

foodiefil · 17/03/2023 23:43

I’m quite annoyed about something and wondering if there’s anything i can do.

colleague called in sick today. A few of us were asked to swap shifts which is how I know.

colleague then posted on Instagram several times - in a pub, eating drinking, in another pub, in the car on a trip out.

i raised this with a colleague who is more senior than me and they couldn’t say much but said it had been arranged with our boss, it was a sick day due to mental health.

i have a diagnosed mental health condition and I’ve needed time off in the past - no issues there.

but due to job stresses many of us are experiencing mental health issues (redundancy) and I’m wondering if we should all be able to take a day like this, a one that is paid, goes down as sickness but where we can go out and do what we like?

this isn’t company policy it’s a decision that’s been made at manager’s discretion to allow this employee to take today off but I don’t understand why we can’t all have a day like today, is this not treating people differently?

same roles same pay roughly etc.

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Original poster
foodiefil · 18/03/2023 18:36

BishopRock · 18/03/2023 16:47

All this checking people out just has people talking about people behind their backs and being paranoid and creates a bad workplace environment

This, absolutely this.

I've worked in offices, retail, hospitality, social care, some of which were dependent on a certain complement of staff working a shift. Demonising colleagues for being ill in whatever way is not the solution to a problem where places of work aren't sufficiently staffed. Yes, someone not being there generally means consequences for the staff that are there, but it's the management and owners who are at fault, not the person who's absent.

I didn’t check anyone out. I’ve made this clear. I opened a social media account and it was there.

This might be hard for people to comprehend but there is a possibility that this person is a complete and utter piss taker and did this to deliberately wind colleagues up. They wanted to be seen to be doing these things on a sick day.

If everything else that’s been suggested is possible this is possible too.

Agree this is a management problem and this is where I was going with my OP.

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MichelleScarn · 18/03/2023 18:41

MrsMullerBecameABaby · 18/03/2023 12:28

Honestly I'm with you.

I think people putting the boot in have no concept of workplaces where a colleague being absent has a massive impact on other colleagues.

We have to give up our days off, reschedule our children's medical appointments, work seven days in a row, swap Monday and Tuesday shifts for working all weekend, work when we're at the end of our resources and tired to the bone and should have been off, do a shift meant to be covered by two qualified professionals alone, stay late meaning our children miss extra-curriculars/ sports training or whatever.... when colleagues are off.

Of course everyone gets sick (mental health issues as well as physical) but it'd be inhuman not to resent a colleague posting about a day in the pub when they've called in sick with a significant knock on effect on colleagues.

I assume people saying that you have no complaint and are selfish to in any way feel put out, are people who shuffle a pile of papers which is theirs alone, for a living, and who's presence or absence from work impacts nobody.

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Agree, and what happens when all the goodwill of people is gone? And we say, sorry can't cover that shift? Is that seen as not being a good team player or discipline worthy? Imagine getting disciplined for not being able to cover this, then seeing the 'off' colleague out on a jolly!

Phoebo · 18/03/2023 19:33

foodiefil · 18/03/2023 18:36

I didn’t check anyone out. I’ve made this clear. I opened a social media account and it was there.

This might be hard for people to comprehend but there is a possibility that this person is a complete and utter piss taker and did this to deliberately wind colleagues up. They wanted to be seen to be doing these things on a sick day.

If everything else that’s been suggested is possible this is possible too.

Agree this is a management problem and this is where I was going with my OP.

Show quote history

Putting it on social media was dumb of them, I'd be annoyed. Maybe stupidity is their illness 😐 certainly are lacking any emotional intelligence

GoodChat · 18/03/2023 19:38

@foodiefil I think you should delete them from your social media. You'll be happier for it.

Original poster
foodiefil · 18/03/2023 19:44

@Phoebo indeed.

@GoodChat im worried this will come across as passive aggressive or something and create more issues 😖

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BishopRock · 18/03/2023 21:17

But anything is a possibility OP, that's the point - you don't know, so it's pointless getting wound up and second guessing.

GoodChat · 18/03/2023 21:27

foodiefil · 18/03/2023 19:44

@Phoebo indeed.

@GoodChat im worried this will come across as passive aggressive or something and create more issues 😖

Would they even notice you've removed them?

Original poster
foodiefil · 18/03/2023 21:55

hmm I dunno actually. Maybe not! @GoodChat

i do think it’s absolute cheek to do what they did but I’m honestly more annoyed by our boss and can look around our place of work and see people who could really do with a day like that but who wouldn’t ask for it. Yes that’s their concern and no their health isn’t my business either and maybe more people should take days like that for themselves but through some misguided loyalty they don’t. This thread has helped me to work through it and come to the conclusion that I can’t do shit about it even if it does piss me off @BishopRock

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BackOfTheMum5net · 19/03/2023 18:57

I’ve been managing someone signed off with mental health issues, and I’ve had to really nag them to get outside and do stuff. Stuff that makes them feel better. Anything!

A part of why they struggled to take the steps needed was feeling like they would be judged for not being at home. I guess in a sense they were right!

MrsMullerBecameABaby · 19/03/2023 19:35

BackOfTheMum5net · 19/03/2023 18:57

I’ve been managing someone signed off with mental health issues, and I’ve had to really nag them to get outside and do stuff. Stuff that makes them feel better. Anything!

A part of why they struggled to take the steps needed was feeling like they would be judged for not being at home. I guess in a sense they were right!

This really isn't the same as a colleague taking a single sick day off in between days at work and using that sick day to go to the pub and post photos of it on social media!

People who are at home for long periods due to depression need to get out of the house if they can.

People who are in work one day and need a day in the pub need to wait for their next day off, not phone in sick and go to the pub and post about it on social media so that colleagues who have been called in to cover the shift on their own day off, probably cancelling their own plans and commitments with a knock on effect on their own social relationships, families and ability to cope, will have their faces rubbed in it!

Original poster
foodiefil · 20/03/2023 07:21

Yes thanks @MrsMullerBecameABaby

I appreciate your input but your example is quite different @BackOfTheMum5net and I’m unsure where posting on the socials regularly comes into the getting better process. I DO agree getting out helps someone who is experiencing poor MH and wouldn’t judge someone for doing that.

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Original poster
foodiefil · 20/03/2023 07:32

Ps. They’re back to work today btw

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