Feeling ill, dragging myself to work as don't want disciplinary

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  • Undervalued
    Undervalued Posts: 8,844 Forumite
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    FredG wrote: »
    Nope, the Bradford method is giving him wonderfully timed additional holiday to play whichever video game is on his to-do list.


    No amount of statistics will ever be of more use than common sense and knowing your staff. All Bradford appears to do is force sick people into the office to spread germs while taking its place as a stick to beat those that really don't need beating, all in the name of group policy. It's archaic and poorly implemented almost everywhere I've worked.


    That maybe so but, as somebody said earlier, without some kind of recognised system an employer has little protection from a spurious claim if they were to dismiss an employee who is clearly milking their sick pay "entitlement".

    Sadly that happens too and the end result is that decent employees suffer as a result of some of their colleagues taking the proverbial!
  • SandC
    SandC Posts: 3,929 Forumite
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    I've always found wherever I have worked that different people have a different perception about what constitutes 'too ill to be in work'. A decent employer will use the Bradford method sensibly, it's a tool to call an employee in for a chat when their absence reaches a certain point. That shouldn't mean automatic disciplinary action but a chance to a) check if employee is well enough to be back and b) let employee know that absence is recorded and monitored - hopefully making them think about whether they really were too sick to be off.

    Some people do think that if they wake up feeling a bit off colour that they're better off not being in work rather than getting up and getting on with it and seeing if they improve once they're up and about. And as other posters have said, there are definitely still many people who see sickness absences as a supply of duvet days to be taken over and above annual leave....
  • TBagpuss
    TBagpuss Posts: 11,199 Forumite
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    The Equality Act efines diasbailty by saying

    "A person is disabled if they have ‘a physical or mental impairment’
    which has ‘a substantial and long-term adverse effect’ on their
    ‘ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities’. "

    So a person with asthma may be diasabled as a result of is, but 'asthma' isn't automatically a disability.

    OP, I'm glad you are feelinga bit better.

    Do uou know how your employer treats additional sickness? What does the disciplinary process say? It may simply be an informal warning of discussion, or closer monitoring of your absences for a set period, or something else relatively minor.

    One thing you might want to consider for future use would be to hold back a few days holiday entitlement. If you start to get ill and feelthat you are likely to struggle, see whether you can book a day as annual leave. It does mean using some of your annual leave rather than sick leave but it is one way to avoid a disiplinary, and as suach, you may feel that it is worth while in terms of reducing your stress levels.

    Of course it does depend a bit on how easy it is to book time off on short notice, and how concerned you are at risking the disciplinary.
    All posts are my personal opinion, not formal advice Always get proper, professional advice (particularly about anything legal!)
  • FBaby
    FBaby Posts: 18,367 Forumite
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    Totally agree with SandC's post.
    People like you just really annoy me. There is nothing noble about being in work with a cold when you're spreading your germs around to others - you may not think that you're doing any harm but you are.

    I much much prefer to have to deal with a colleague with a cold, taking precaution to minimise the chance of catching it then having to pick up their workload when I am myself already struggling with mine.

    Funnily, last time I suffered from a cold, which I have no idea where I got it from because no-one I knew had one, not one of my colleagues at work or family at home caught it. Amazing what good hygiene does!
  • Guest101
    Guest101 Posts: 15,764 Forumite
    I was ill, came in to work and was promptly sent home - colleagues and manager didn't want to catch it.


    I would've phoned in sick, but actually needed to do something that morning - barely had a chance to explain before I was out the door.
  • Guest101
    Guest101 Posts: 15,764 Forumite
    FBaby wrote: »
    Totally agree with SandC's post.



    I much much prefer to have to deal with a colleague with a cold, taking precaution to minimise the chance of catching it then having to pick up their workload when I am myself already struggling with mine.

    Funnily, last time I suffered from a cold, which I have no idea where I got it from because no-one I knew had one, not one of my colleagues at work or family at home caught it. Amazing what good hygiene does!



    Yes it is, but that has nothing to do with catching a cold....
  • SandC
    SandC Posts: 3,929 Forumite
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    It does if you wash your hands (or use sanitizing gel) frequently, cover your nose and mouth while coughing or sneezing and don't wander around with a tissue in your hand touching door handles or equipment.
  • System
    System Posts: 178,093 Community Admin
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    FBaby wrote: »


    Funnily, last time I suffered from a cold, which I have no idea where I got it from because no-one I knew had one, not one of my colleagues at work or family at home caught it. Amazing what good hygiene does!

    It could be anyone such as someone sitting next to you on a bus, standing next to you in a queue. Just needs a cough or sneeze over you or item you touch which is theirs - such as a bank card or using a Chip.n Pin machine.

    I get my colds from customers and I have little contact with them.
  • System
    System Posts: 178,093 Community Admin
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    Also I don't like my employer counting an operation as a period of sickness. Especially if the operation will stop future time off sick if the employee had time off sick for the condition in the past.

    Employers should encourage their employees to reduce their chances of being sick
  • theoretica
    theoretica Posts: 12,295 Forumite
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    Guest101 wrote: »
    Yes it is, but that has nothing to do with catching a cold....

    http://www.everydayhealth.com/cold-and-flu/secrets-to-good-hygiene.aspx
    But a banker, engaged at enormous expense,
    Had the whole of their cash in his care.
    Lewis Carroll
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