Sick day

J50

So I had a day off last week as I wasn’t feeling well, under the weather, I called the absence line the morning of my sick day and left a message stating I wasn’t feeling well.

Today I had my return to work, I said I wasn’t feeling well, I was asked if it was due to stuff at work I said no, I was asked if they can make any adjustments I said no as it’s nothing to do with work I just felt generally unwell.

An hour later HR is asking for more details about why I was unwell, I don’t get paid for sick days and said I don’t have to explain myself basically I was unwell I didn’t come to work and I didn’t get paid, end of.

Are companies allowed to dig like this ?

whosthatrubi

Yes, they have a duty of care and need to check to make sure you're ok and fit for work.

J50

whosthatrubi said:

Yes, they have a duty of care and need to check to make sure you're ok and fit for work.

In the return to work form it asked if my absence was due to work I said no, it also asked if they they need to make any adjustments I said no.

so if my absence is nothing to do with work and I’m not being paid why do I need to explain my absence in further detail, I said I was unwell and returned to work the next day?

born_again

If all you said was " I wasn’t feeling well" & not explaining exactly what was wrong with you. They will dig further. 

As it just sounds like you are pulling a day off. ( no offence )

sheramber

They want to establish you were actually ill and not skiving off.

i worked beside a guy who 'sick' when it was a nice sunny day. 

Regardless that you don't' get paid how work affected if you are absent.

Do colleagues have to cover for you?

Does the  productivity go down if you are absent?

These are all things your HR department have to consider.

J50

Yeah kinda makes sense, so the daily wage they would have paid me is far less than what they may lose in my absence.

Altior

It doesn't read anything too suspicious J50 but your responses are rather vague. The absence will need to be recorded, and 'under the weather' is a little too ambiguous. Your manager's manager could question them down the line as to why they didn't dig into it a bit more. For example, they'll want to monitor if there is a pattern of absence, ie if you have separate spells for the same thing.

It would be easier for everyone if you provided specific symptoms such as a headache, upset stomach, feverish, whatever it was. 

Savvy_Sue

This: headache, feverish, stomach ache, diarrhoea, sneezing, coughing, period pain: in what way were you unwell?

Undervalued

J50 said:

whosthatrubi said:

Yes, they have a duty of care and need to check to make sure you're ok and fit for work.

In the return to work form it asked if my absence was due to work I said no, it also asked if they they need to make any adjustments I said no.

so if my absence is nothing to do with work and I’m not being paid why do I need to explain my absence in further detail, I said I was unwell and returned to work the next day?

They are perfectly entitled to reasonably satisfy themselves that you were too unwell to be at work. You don't say what your general sickness record is like. Is this most unusual for you or have you had a few short absences?

A single day off can often raise suspicion. Yes, there can be genuine reasons for it or it can be the result of a "heavy" night out etc! A hangover, however severe or genuine is not acceptable. An employee has a duty not to get themselves into that state when they are due at work the next day. Refusing to give a proper explanation simply raises suspicion. There is no "right of silence" in employment law!

J50

Thanks for the replies guys, some very interesting responses, I’m still happy with the way I handled it.

thanks again :-)

Marcon

J50 said:

Thanks for the replies guys, some very interesting responses, I’m still happy with the way I handled it.

thanks again :-)

You may be, but possibly your employer isn't. They have various obligations to their employees - for example, if someone is off sick with the vague description 'I felt unwell' and later turns out to have something highly infectious or contagious and other employees develop a nasty virus or similar...