Help need a good excuse to call in “sick” to work

[colourPink]

My toddler is unwell - high temp etc. if i say I’m off to look after him I don’t get paid (and lose £130 a day!) but if I phone in sick I do get paid.

However, I’ve had to do it a few times this year and not sure what illness I can have this time. Advice? (I’ve had quite a few colds/ sickness bugs/ ruiner infections..)

I’m sure you know this but as a manager, this is a sackable offence if your company find out.

You sound like a great employee…

Don't. It's gross misconduct in most workplaces.

Why can’t you just tell the truth?

Or a mum surviving hand to mouth week to week.

Are you not more worried about your Bradford score with all that sickness?

dont lose your job

”I’ve had to do it a few times this year”

Sooner or later, you will get found out, OP. In some jobs, they would be looking at your sick days and too many would trigger investigation. I hate to say this, but this is CF behaviour - you’ve had a few days off already, so just take a day off unpaid.

Well she’ll be in even more of a pickle if she loses her job as a result of her dishonesty.

Be very careful doing this. I’m guessing you are desperate with absolutely no one else to have your child, however is toddlers dad is around maybe it’s his turn. But anyone a colleague who did this always said migraine!

How about requesting it as last minute holiday instead so you still get paid for the parental leave.

You don’t want to lose your job due to high sickness absences (even if they call it something else…). Toddler’s dad stays home with him or take unpaid parental leave.

Tell the truth and then pick up an extra day of work later on

Maybe take unpaid parental leave for today then have a good chat with your boss about how difficult it is for you and see if there can be any flexibility around allowing you to build up flexi time, take a day’s leave at short notice or work from home and do work whilst the toddler’s asleep.

Would any of these work for you?
I know how hard it is with a young child Op, especially with no support but pretending to be ill especially several times in a year will eventually cause problems for you.

Caring for young children who are sick should really be a statutory paid leave like everything else. The UK is very behind with this.
Until then parents who can’t afford to take it unpaid and pay £70/80/90 for the childcare on top will end up logging it as sick leave.

This

Not all jobs work that way.

You will need to start saving money for these days or find a childcare solution. You won't be able to call in 'sick' everytime your child is sick. In the end you will loose your job. Managers spot fraud quite easy.

Hi @colourPink
Do you have a partner or family who is available and willing today?

I am sure you could ask AI or google the answer but I am here to empathise and also point out having a single day off sick sounds alarm bells for employers eg "I feel a long weekend coming on" (wink/cough) when someone fancied an extra day off sick.

If your other days were also Mondays, looks worse - pattern of behaviour - but can also be an unfortunate coincidence?

Do what you need to do but I would be going with holiday request first and unpaid leave second option. Less stressful.

Hope your little one gets well quickly x

Just tell the truth and arrange some childcare- if possible- for tomorrow.

This is the reason why people who do suffer severe migraine (as I do) are so often disbelieved.
Look up migraine. It is actually a brain condition. It is not just a bad headache as most people on MN seem to think.

Oh I absolutely agree. They are horrible and can be utterly debilitating.
All I’m saying is if people need an “excuse” that’s not provable then it’s what’s often used. I’m not condoning it at all

Why can’t his dad look after him this time?

Honestly if it’s becoming a pattern it will be picked upon. It is monitored and questions will be asked. They may already be logging it as a concern

I agree there isn't a good excuse to call in sick because you aren't sick! All these people who are saying "maybe she's living hand to mouth", yes, but I would have thought that make committing a sackable offence and losing her job, less sensible not more. That being said, do you get any paid dependent leave? Some places do give this so it's worth checking?