I've called in sick, shocked at the response

[Neversick]

I am never off sick, I'll spare you the gory details but I'm really unwell. I did get up and try to push through it, but I can't stay away from the bathroom!

It is a terrible time for me to be away from work and I'd have gone in if I could, but I can't and TBH I wouldn't have thought they'd want me there.

Boss, who is very senior, not some inexperienced manager, has said don't worry about this morning, but if you can manage this afternoon's meeting that would be appreciated.

I do understand it's left them in a spot, but really?

Honestly, reiterate you are not well and won't be making it even over zoom. Log out and get cosy in bed and have a nap.

You have to draw this boundary. Even if the meeting is important, they have your materials and it's not the end of the world - too many employers seem to think they own you and your time.

I've really come to this realisation over the last few years after working hours of extra free overtime every day, being forced to work till 1.30am on deadline days with not even proper lunch break etc etc.

You do not owe your employer your life, physical and mental health and all of your free time. No-one does. Very few jobs are genuinely important enough. Most people with full time work are giving the majority of their hours on earth over to make some company more money.

There will always be those work martyrs who stay late to seem "committed" and in those people who push it and ask you to 'just log on for the meeting even tho it's your day off or ' 'just one more change' 'just 5 minutes of your time' when your about to leave or log off - they will always push and keep taking the piss even more if you say yes. Always.

Draw the boundary with them, take some meds and rest up. You deserve it. I hope you feel better soon x

Well the implication was that it was an in person meeting. Even if it's off site it's in someone's building/workplace/space among people. So not really necessary if you to split hairs.

If it’s the same bug I had this weekend, which started with projectile vomiting half an hour after I realised I was feeling a little bit queasy and then continued for about 10 hours, you shouldn’t go in.

There’s a strong possibility it’s norovirus. NHS website is quite specific that you should not go to school/work or prepare food for others until at least 48 hours after you have last vomited or had a diarrhoea attack.

I’m like you - I never take time off. Self employed so actually can’t afford to and often work a 7 day week. But an hour into this bug I was kneeling on the bathroom floor with my head down the loo telling DH I thought I was dying. I spent the whole of Sunday in bed exhausted and wasn’t well enough to work on Monday either.

Definitely don’t go to work. Your boss probably doesn’t appreciate the difference between being sick once from a dodgy sandwich and continuously throwing up over several hours. You won’t be up to it and you run the risk of making everyone else sick as well.

You are unwell end of - you should stay in bed - ridiculous!

what a horrible way to treat an employee - you are sick - what about Norovirus which is highly contagious?

I agree you're damned if you do ("gosh, Never performed terribly in that meeting") and damned if you don't ("I can't believe Never didn't show up for the meeting").

If you're damned either way, you may as well do it in a way that suits you better!

I hate this attitude of working sick just because you’re working from home - if you wouldn’t go into the office, you shouldn’t log on!

Surely you'd just reply that you're sorry but you can't do that as you are very unwell. However they do have your deck and you run theough it with x person. Just be polite, professional but firm.

D&V is HIGHLY contagious. We are in the middle of a Norovirus epidemic, its not something imodium would even touch and you should not be risking infecting anyone else.

I didn't get that from the OP's original post. It wasn't stated. I wasn't splitting hairs, just pointing out that there are many scenarios. In a few of them, it could have been an acceptable request.

OP said they could join remotely. Are you worried OP virus could mutate to computer virus?

I’m not sure that the OP dealing in and then having to rush to the loo because she is vomiting is going to look good.
Nor if she can’t answer question because she is out of it (it’s not just ‘head stuff’ that does that!)

If you have a really big PR campaign launch, you should have more than one person able to deliver the speech. And more than one person who knows what’s going on inside out.

The problem here is the boss,

My boss told me to take the day because I have MS related leg pain. I couldn't imagine working in a none supportive environment like this!

I think you're more dammed if you show up and do a poor job because you are unwell. That gets remembered.

The last job I worked at I called in sick after being up all night throwing up, shitting through the eye of a needle and helping my son who was similarly afflicted. I'd not been there that long so I was really nervous. I usually worked the late shift so got the day manager. I had a whole speech, and grovelling apology ready to go but was shocked when the manager spoke to me with kindness, said he'd just come back after being affected with a similar bug, shared some advice and said to call in the morning so he could mark it for me again. Then wished me well. I was gobsmacked. Having only ever worked in places that made you feel guilty and hounded you if off sick I couldn't believe it. It was only a minimum wage job but I thoroughly enjoyed the 5 years there and only left because they relocated 30 miles away and I don't drive.

Honestly I feel like if you are in a high level job making important decisions for a company then you should be able to decide if you are well enough to work.

I’ve had jobs in the past where they have said this. And/or told me update them at lunchtime.

madness. If I’m ill enough to be off work I would most likely be in bed asleep at lunchtime. Absolutely not setting an alarm to phone in and update them.

I really disliked it and never stayed long in places like that