Work colleague taking the piss?

[2catsandcounting43]

I work for a small team and one of my colleagues has mental health issues and is off fairly frequently..the past 3 times they have been off it has proceeded a planned holiday to somewhere nice. We have a new boss and I dont think they are aware of the pattern. They are suggesting that we take on more of the colleagues work on a more permanent basis until they are more stable. Is it unreasonable that I am pissed of with this and would you say something to your boss?

No, it’s not your business, keep out of it. I had two colleagues get sacked for meddling. You do not know what the medical diagnosis is.

You can’t say anything about them. You have to focus on the workload you are being given. Is it too much? Will it cause you unnecessary stress and longer hours?

It isn’t your job to sort out their workload on a long term basis.

Is the colleague going a long time between holidays, not having odd days off, say no holiday between Christmas and the summer? That could be contributing, and I agree with you it looks like trying to extend holidays, or avoid finishing up things before going on leave.

Employers aren't daft. Someone will notice that this person's sickness absences are tacked onto booked holidays, so you would probably better off letting them deal with it. In any case, there could well be personal circumstances that you don't know about, which are private between them and their employer, and not your concern.

I hear you but you don’t know the whole story regarding your colleague.

If you’re overworked and stressed as a result of additional workload raise that with boss.

No they have odd days off sick too and take holidays more frequently than every 6 months

They are suggesting that we take on more of the colleagues work on a more permanent basis until they are more stable.

This is all you need to concentrate on.

Ask your boss for a meeting to discuss how the extra workload will affect you and whether it's doable or not.

If you feel it isn't or that the workload is unfair, contact your union rep.

Nope.

Your ‘pattern’ is someone else’s medically approved circumstance.

HR / the People Team will know and will have advised the new Team Lead

Accept the Business Need and back off

Will you be getting extra pay for the extra work?

Haha no chance!!

Haha no!!

The only thing that has anything to do with you is if you are asked to do extra work (for free). In which case the answer to your employers is a polite, 'I am already at my limit. I cannot take on anything extra'.

You sound deeply jealous to be pissed off that someone else is struggling with their mental health. There is no empathy there at all. Let's hope you never have health issues yourself.

Once you cite mental health issues you’re pretty much untouchable. Keep out of it.

I hate this notion that when you’re off sick you can only be in bed.

You don’t know their circumstances

youre coming across as jealous of someone stuggling with their mental health. What a horrible way to live. Someone in my work was off on extended sick leave on 3 instances in one year, a few years ago, all we knew was mental health reasons. It’s only this year that she is back that she told us she had 3 miscarriages, an operation to remove her fallopian tubes, told she was unlikely to have children and both parents were diagnosed with cancer within months of eachother. It was none of our business so we knew the bare minimum at the time (rightly so). Imagine being jealous of those life circumstances.

Actually i do know their circumstances and it's nothing like parents dying etc..they have a diagnosed mental health condition which i cant disclose. This person also failed to inform management about going on holiday last year while on the sick so didn't get their annual leave deducted. Now tell me that that isn't taking the piss?

I had a colleague like this, it went on for 5 years, everyone was aware of the pattern but she’d been with the company for 30 years so everyone higher was so scared to get rid of her. You’re best to stick to what you’re doing and let management deal with it. Raise your issues with the workload but don’t directly link it to the CF.

I would say no to the extra work without extra money. But keep quiet about the sickness angle.

The only thing you should discuss with your boss is your own work load.

the rest of it is none of your business And you could look like a bully.

They don’t need to. If they are signed off sick then annual leave shouldn’t be deducted.

How do you know they didn’t tell management they were away on holiday? Maybe you’ve got a really decent employer who doesn’t deduct leave when you’re off sick if being on holiday is part of your recuperation.

Its complicated. This person was also signed off with eye problems last year and said they couldn't work because the glare on the computer hurt their eyes. They then went on holiday to a sunny place-while on the sick.

She sounds pissed off that the person's mental health seems to deteriorate just before they go on holiday requiring additional time off which presumably she and her other colleagues have to cover for no extra pay.
Now instead of addressing the capability of the sick employee the boss has decided they can do the extra work more permantly still for nothing
I'd definately be saying no and suggesting they hire someone else to pick up the shortfall.

No, you can't take on extra workload, unless they pay you more. It's all very well trying to accommodate people with disabilities, but not at the cost of your health by being loaded with the work the colleague can't/won't do.

My husband went on holiday whilst on sick leave (his employer was aware as his Dr agreed a holiday would be good for his recovery). Annual leave wasn’t deducted as that’s normal, similar to maternity where you still accrue your annual leave.