Going back to work after being off sick?

lady_fuschia

My OH (who works in catering, ironically one of those industries most given to "if you can stand you can work" philosophy, and also one of those where it's least advisable) has been ill with flu the past week (that I gave him- oops!) and felt under pressure by his boss to go under work - predictably he's no better than he was a week ago and since then three or four more of the staff have also become ill, and being part-timer students, not felt under as much pressure to go to work, leaving them short staffed. It is ridiculous that people act like it's a crime to be ill occasionally!

us,thecat&thedebt

lady_fuschia wrote:

I would honestly detail how you're feeling right now (say "better but still not right, vomited this morning..." whatever) and say that you hope you will be able to come in tomorrow but that you will call in the morning to let him know for sure as you don't want to be ill at work or pass on the bug. I don't think he can ask for anymore than that really.

Thanks sounds stupid that im worried about them thinking im lying when im actually telling the blooming truth!!

Agree with the bird flu comment crikey what if i got that!!!! :eek:

lynsayjane

i have exactly the same problem wherever i seem to work! my last job i started coming down with tonsilitus, at 5pmish i was told i could go home early if i could get a docs appt, at that time of night hardly! was given the next day off as a holiday!
the job before i had a day off sick but it was my day off that week.
the job before that i went in (started work at 7am before any manager came in) to get my job done then thought i'd go home at 9am when everyone else came in to get a docs appt, was told we were short staffed so i couldnt go home despite them being perfectly able to see how ill i was. when i left that night i told them straight out i would not be in the next day, when i got back from docs the next day i had to text my dad to call them because i couldn't actually speak!

it's so shocking that people aren't allowed to be sick these days. it's a perfectly natural thing to happen so why is it so frowned upon? i'd defo tell your boss you'll see how you feel in the morning and if he has a problem wiht that he can take a long walk off a short pier! (then spend your sick time trying to get another job before he sacks you! :rotfl: )

ZTD

us,thecat&thedebt wrote:

Thanks sounds stupid that im worried about them thinking im lying when im actually telling the blooming truth!!

It's ironic that the last person who thought I was lying when I said I was ill (and was off a week) was a lecturer at Uni. Two weeks later he came back, looking very drawn, and very pale. He was a Moroccan, so how bad must it have been for him to look pale?

Needless to say, he had no sympathy from me. Possibly even negative sympathy. He did learn his lesson though.

us,thecat&thedebt wrote:

Agree with the bird flu comment crikey what if i got that!!!! :eek:

Go in and breathe all over your boss.

us,thecat&thedebt

any thoughts on if i should email or text, they textr me btw..

if i email i can offer to deal with some bits i culd do from home?

the worst thing is i love my job!

lady_fuschia

lynsayjane wrote:

i have exactly the same problem wherever i seem to work! my last job i started coming down with tonsilitus, at 5pmish i was told i could go home early if i could get a docs appt, at that time of night hardly! was given the next day off as a holiday!
the job before i had a day off sick but it was my day off that week.
the job before that i went in (started work at 7am before any manager came in) to get my job done then thought i'd go home at 9am when everyone else came in to get a docs appt, was told we were short staffed so i couldnt go home despite them being perfectly able to see how ill i was. when i left that night i told them straight out i would not be in the next day, when i got back from docs the next day i had to text my dad to call them because i couldn't actually speak!
QUOTE]

That's so familiar from when I worked in the hotel industry - I remember one of our poor night porters getting horribly ill with flu once (and you could tell by looking at him he was pretty bad) and he came in on his booked day off to beg to be allowed to take the next week as holiday time to allow him to recover. I once had to do without a week's salary when I had a kidney infection because they refused to pay me anything until I handed them a doctors note. And the doctor wouldn't give me a note 'til I'd been off for a week!
Luckily I have a more understanding boss these days!

lady_fuschia

I would call them if you can. And try and sound ill on the phone!

us,thecat&thedebt

the doc said i have to self cert up to 7 days but i can opt to pay for a doctors note which i may just do to prove a point?!!

lynsayjane

DO NOT OFFER TO DO ANY WORK FROM HOME! and if they ask you to point out you are sick, if you were able to work you'd be there to do it! but like lady fuschia says give them a call and try to sound (even more) crap on the phone!

lady_fuschia

How much are they charging for the doctor's note?