Just seen "sick" colleague in supermarket

[Daniellemcg]

We're part of a small team (NHS staff) and are chronically under staffed and overworked.
One team member went off sick earlier this week with what she called the most horrific back pain caused by sciatica. Submitted a sicknote yesterday for 4 weeks. Saw her in supermarket today carrying her toddler and pushing trolley full to the brim with other hand.
She led us to believe she's in agony but was laughing to her toddler and walking normally today. No signs of the pain she's been displaying at work.
She didn't see me today.
Should I say anything at work? Everyone at work has been saying "poor Emma (name change), she must be in agony.. The poor thing.".

The other week I had vertigo and was off work sick but I still needed to go to the supermarket for sanitary products.

Being off sick doesn’t mean you can’t leave the house. Mind your business

Nurses have sick pay rights, it’s none of anyone’s business how those hours are used.

I second this. I’m off having chemo too and from the look of my social media you wouldn’t know it. I’m out going on all sorts of wonderful days out in between gruelling treatments and side effects.
@FruityCider I’m sorry you’re having to go through it too

My DP was off work for ages with sciatica. His MRI was also very concerning and at one point they thought he may need emergency surgery.
There were times when he had to leave the house to go to the shops or pharmacy- he would psych himself up and medicate himself up beforehand and would often then be lying on the floor for hours in agony when he got back.
You don’t know her full situation- if her doctor has signed her off - she’s signed off

I don’t like to show my kids I’m in pain or sick because it scares them. I am currently pregnant, having a horrible time, throwing up at the slightest whiff of anything, my back hurts, I still laugh with my kids.

It’s not like you saw her doing tequila slammers at a bar, you saw her doing her shop and parenting.

What i thought was flare ups of sciatica !
Was actually arthritis in my spine and SI joints and I can’t hardly move when it flares moving and walking is the only thing with strong pain pills ! You could actually end up getting into trouble if u involve yourself into someone else’s private business !

Yikes, she’s hardly out having fun. Sick people still need food and have to entertain their children. Mind your own, safe could have been putting on the bravest face for her child or having a pain free window. Are you just wanting to make trouble for her?

It’s also not any of your business if that’s what she’s really off with or not.

Your colleagues don’t get the right to know the ins and outs of someone’s medical history.

Terrible. She should have sent her child to a workhouse if it wanted feeding.

I think you would be perceived as bit sad. I wouldn't happy if one staff reported to about another staff being seen in public. She may be skiving but she might be really off sick. Perhaps, she is off for other reasons. The doctor doesn't have to provide full details

And d you clearly have no idea about sciatica!

She should’ve got a delivery to home. Sorry but if she had sciatica she’d not be carrying her toddler round the shop!

Someone who does not have enough food at their home? Someone who can't afford the delivery fee? It amazes me how lot of people don't realise 5 pounds make a lot of difference to lot of families, specially single mums.

Thanks baby shark. Thankfully nearing the end of chemo now... mastectomy and radio still to go. Like you though I'm finding energy and remaining as active as I can between treatments. I'm so grateful to have colleagues that understand - my boss just last week texted me to say that she hopes I have a great time on holiday. I will - even if the flipping insurance is more expensive than the train ticket! 😂

Good grief it's perfectly legitimate to get food while you are off sick.

One thing to go shopping for essentials, quite another to work a 12hr shift on a ward

I suffer from chronic back pain. You’ll often see me in the supermarket looking like I haven’t a care in the world but I’ll actually be in great pain.

When people have generous sick leave it can be easier to accept being signed off for longer period knowing you will be paid especially in lovely weather/school holidays. Not that I'm suggesting that's why of course but I don't think you should say anything she cud have something else on her sick line. It's also 1 thing to work a long shift than pop to supermarket

I've had sciatica on and off since my early 20s (which I now realise was work related). For me, the most difficult thing when it affects me is moving from lying down to sitting up or sitting up to standing (or bending over or squatting from a standing position).

Just walking about was never an issue.

"...carrying her toddler and pushing trolley full to the brim with other hand."

That makes perfect sense. That doesn't affect people with sciatica at all. It is the bending over when you try to get them in the car when it really hurts.

If I were in a job that involved lifting, bending or rotating (which I was back in my early 20s in the 1980s) and I had a real problem with sciatica then I can quite understand why, these days, that people do now get time off for sciatica. I think that's a really good thing.

Did you see the look on her face when she had to bend over at any point getting her child into the car?

You are a terrible person

No don’t say anything as you have absolutely no idea what is going on with her. Drugs which could make her unfit to work. Or no support and having to just grit her teeth and get on with it.

I actually can’t believe you’d run to management because she dared to shop without walking around screaming in agony

Next time one of your team say “poor Emma “ I would reply “oh I think the treatment must be working I saw her in the supermarket she seemed a lot better , hopefully whatever the doctor prescribed will continue help “

If she’s off work for a bad back, and I saw her carrying a toddler and pushing a large trolley of shopping, I think I’d be annoyed , as well, especially if it’s at the start of her sick leave. If it was at the end, you could assume she was well again, but nothing she’s only just gone if sick.

Snitch if you must but snitches are not respected.

Unless you can feel what she feels you have no idea what pain she is in.

Your team being chronically under staffed and overworked isn't the college's fault.

You know having a note for 4 weeks doesn't necessarily mean she'll be off for 4 weeks right @Daniellemcg ? As long as you feel well enough you can go back before the end date.

Non of your business.