Do you take sickies from work?

Neadine

So, do you take the occasional sickie from work?
(Yes, I realise that lots of people have lost their jobs and those who still have a job, me included, just be damn glad, etc., etc.)
And what excuse do you use if you do?
It's been several years since I've phoned into work and not genuinely been sick, but would love to not go in tomorrow, but I will.

Where To

Never have, never will I hope. Unless I was sick. My boss is a bastard though and would never believe a sicknote is genuine.

TerrorFirmer

I try my best not to call in sick unless I'm seriously sick. I think maybe twice in the past few years I've called in sick even though I wasn't sick, and both those times there was something else personal at play rather than just doing it because I felt I could.

who_me

Nope, not unless I was very ill. Then again, unless there's a major deadline looping (which is often) I could probably just call in to say I'm not coming in without pulling a sickie and there wouldn't be much of a problem.

Czarcasm

It's a bit harder to call in sick when you work for yourself!


When I worked for a company before though, I was supposed to take six months off after an operation. I was going off my game after the first two weeks at home so I called in to my employer and begged him to let me come back to work. I didn't understand it at the time but he said he couldn't let me come back to work for insurance reasons.

I was also just as bad with holidays- had to be forced to take holidays on a "use them or lose them" basis. I genuinely wasn't that bothered, until my boss insisted I take them having not taken a holiday in nearly seven years.

My child is sick this week with a cold and I was still insistent that they go into school. A cold isn't serious enough to be missing out on schoolwork.

wandatowell

Czarcasm wrote: »

My child is sick this week with a cold and I was still insistent that they go into school. A cold isn't serious enough to be missing out on schoolwork.

What about your kid passing the illness onto other kids?

1ZRed

Where To wrote: »

Never have, never will I hope. Unless I was sick. My boss is a bastard though and would never believe a sicknote is genuine.

Yea I hear he's a real dick in fairness :pac:

Neadine

Czarcasm wrote: »

It's a bit harder to call in sick when you work for yourself!


When I worked for a company before though, I was supposed to take six months off after an operation. I was going off my game after the first two weeks at home so I called in to my employer and begged him to let me come back to work. I didn't understand it at the time but he said he couldn't let me come back to work for insurance reasons.

I was also just as bad with holidays- had to be forced to take holidays on a "use them or lose them" basis. I genuinely wasn't that bothered, until my boss insisted I take them having not taken a holiday in nearly seven years.

My child is sick this week with a cold and I was still insistent that they go into school. A cold isn't serious enough to be missing out on schoolwork.

If you ever want to pass on your holiday time to someone, send it my way.

As for sending kids to school sick, they pass it on to everyone else in the class!!

1ZRed

Czarcasm wrote: »

It's a bit harder to call in sick when you work for yourself!


When I worked for a company before though, I was supposed to take six months off after an operation. I was going off my game after the first two weeks at home so I called in to my employer and begged him to let me come back to work. I didn't understand it at the time but he said he couldn't let me come back to work for insurance reasons.

I was also just as bad with holidays- had to be forced to take holidays on a "use them or lose them" basis. I genuinely wasn't that bothered, until my boss insisted I take them having not taken a holiday in nearly seven years.

My child is sick this week with a cold and I was still insistent that they go into school. A cold isn't serious enough to be missing out on schoolwork.

Jesus fuk me, you're such a hard ass! :P

It's parents like you that breed mitchers

Czarcasm

wandatowell wrote: »

What about your kid passing the illness onto other kids?

Neadine wrote: »

As for sending kids to school sick, they pass it on to everyone else in the class!!

I had thought of that risk alright, but I talked to their teacher and the principal about it and we all decided that the risk to the rest of the children was minimal compared to the classwork my child would be missing out on were they absent for the week.

Czarcasm

1ZRed wrote: »

Jesus fuk me, you're such a hard ass! :P

I know the way you meant it Izzy, but I'm almost tempted to take that as a compliment! :pac:

It's parents like you that breed mitchers

Believe it or not that's the way my parents reared us, my mother was a teacher in the primary school so no chance of sick days unless you practically had a death notice instead of a sick note!

In secondary school my father was on the Board of Management and the principal had his number on speed dial. I had never mitched all the way up through school until one day in third year, we had a free class. I decided to see out of curiosity what all this mitching lark was about- thought I'd made a great escape, but then I realised I'd nowhere to go and nothing to do.

What IDIOT goes mitching in the local library? Only to be spotted by the vice principal across the top of the bookshelves! I made a runner for it, back to the school, vice principal just strolling back to the school, caught me hiding out on top of the bike shed.

"Come down here Mr. (Czarcasm)!". Marched into the principal's office, I was burning up with embarrassment. The principal told me he wouldn't inform my father if I agreed to yard litter duty for the rest of the year. I promptly agreed and did the yard litter duty for the rest of the year. I only found out years later that the principal had told my old man anyway when my old man threw it back in my face over one of our many petty arguments!

NIMAN

I honestly can't remember the last sickie I took off work, think it might have been about 7 or 8 years ago, and even then it probably went down as a holiday cos we have an end of year bonus if you don't take sick during the year, and its a nice little lift at Xmas time if you behave yourself.

1ZRed

Czarcasm wrote: »

I know the way you meant it Izzy, but I'm almost tempted to take that as a compliment! :pac:

Don't flatter yore arse, mate :P

Believe it or not that's the way my parents reared us, my mother was a teacher in the primary school so no chance of sick days unless you practically had a death notice instead of a sick note!

In secondary school my father was on the Board of Management and the principal had his number on speed dial. I had never mitched all the way up through school until one day in third year, we had a free class. I decided to see out of curiosity what all this mitching lark was about- thought I'd made a great escape, but then I realised I'd nowhere to go and nothing to do.

What IDIOT goes mitching in the local library? Only to be spotted by the vice principal across the top of the bookshelves! I made a runner for it, back to the school, vice principal just strolling back to the school, caught me hiding out on top of the bike shed.

"Come down here Mr. (Czarcasm)!". Marched into the principal's office, I was burning up with embarrassment. The principal told me he wouldn't inform my father if I agreed to yard litter duty for the rest of the year. I promptly agreed and did the yard litter duty for the rest of the year. I only found out years later that the principal had told my old man anyway when my old man threw it back in my face over one of our many petty arguments!

Ah, feckin' novice! :pac:

In fairness I was raised somewhat similarly, though if you were genuinely sick you'd get a day or two.
Though my mom was more understanding and she'd be open to a bit of negotiation like if there was an open day in an I.T I wasn't interested in I could stay at home 'studying'.

Thank feck for college open days, and coincidentally, there were a lot of them when I was doing my LC.

Strange how they've died down a bit since :P

cherryghost

Never taken a sickie from work.

Czarcasm

1ZRed wrote: »

Don't flatter yore arse, mate :P





Ah, feckin' novice! :pac:

Thank feck for college open days, and coincidentally, there were a lot of them when I was doing my LC.

Oh speaking of college? It only gets worse, lol, I was moved up to Dublin at this stage and I had decided one day to go back to the home town for a visit. I was sitting on the fountain in the shopping centre reading the Irish Independent when my old man pulled up in the van and our eyes locked as he spotted me inside the door! I STILL burned up having been caught rightly! :pac:

I know technically I didn't have any classes but it was still a "school day", and I had moved out of home since 5th year, but my old man could still do that Fokker "you're not in the circle of trust" look that made me feel so small and ashamed every single time! :pac:

mikemac1

Worked as an office drone and found a better job
Sound boss, great teammates but new job paid more

Handed in my notice and was told I had give 2 months notice, pure nonsense as I wasn't senior. I was lowest grade of all!
Ok, rules are rules so I gave 2 months notice


Came in the following Monday, boxes on my desk and told I was off the team, moved to the other side of the building and I'd spent the next two months on my own archiving old files into boxes

Called in sick for last three weeks, they clearly didn't want me there
Hand in your notice and you are dead to them

Oranage2

I am never actually sick ever,I just don't get sick ever, but I have rang sick a few times when I wasn't. Took a week off last year to go to the euros. Another time I was in the last ten of a poker competition, rang in sick and then was knocked out about a minute later.

sam34

no, never. I've been working for over ten years and I've never taken time off sick.

I've never had anything seriously wrong thankfully, anything I've had has been manageable enough to work through.

lg123

the thurs before christmas was the first day off sick i have taken since graduating in 2006, didn't call in sick either because i was unconscious in hospital and didnt wake up until the saturday. hopefully get back to work on monday week.

2rkehij30qtza5

No, never. I don't think it's right to pull a sickie unless of course you genuinely are sick.

galwayrush

Financial disaster if i ever do.

ANXIOUS

Oranage2 wrote: »

I am never actually sick ever,I just don't get sick ever, but I have rang sick a few times when I wasn't. Took a week off last year to go to the euros. Another time I was in the last ten of a poker competition, rang in sick and then was knocked out about a minute later.

Did you ever have any injuries that prevented you from working? Like a wrist injury?

pwurple

A sickie as in pretending to be sick? Heck no. That's stealing isn't it.

derfderf

Do it the very odd time, don't wanna chance spreading my hangover to other people in the office. Would only do it when i know it will be dead in work though (most of the last couple of weeks of each month)

Dravokivich

Only when I'm sick, or suffering a fairly bad ache and can't get my clothes on.

desertcircus

Used to occasionally when I was in college and just working for beer money. Have not missed a day since graduating in 2006.

SmilingLurker

Neadine wrote: »

So, do you take the occasional sickie from work.

No, never.

Appreciate having a job, and if you are not happy look for another. Someone wants or needs yours.

I am on my way in today, would rather be in bed.

Novella

I've taken one sick day but I genuinely did have a vomiting bug. I would never call and pretend to be sick.

monkeypants

Czarcasm wrote: »

...reading the Irish Independent...made me feel so small and ashamed...

And rightly so.

Ush1

I don't dislike my job enough to need to.

Lollipops23

Took a sickie before Xmas due to some personal issues I was having- wasn't actually sick, but was completely sleep deprived and like a zombie at that point.

Apart from that, no, haven't "faked" it since I entered the proper working world. Just don't see the point to be honest. I also don't tend to get drunk mid-week very often, so hangovers aren't an issue!

Rabidlamb

Call into work ?
Call into work ?

If only there was an electronic mail system where you could send an instant message negating the need to talk to someone.
If only . . . . .:(

anncoates

Usually only if sick, which is usually 1-2 days a year max.

My boss/company is actually really sound about letting me go early early/come late/take time off at short notice if something crops up like kids being ill or appointments and when you''re treated with respect like that, it would be wrong to take the piss.

Lollipops23

Rabidlamb wrote: »

If only there was an electronic mail system where you could send an instant message negating the need to talk to someone.
If only . . . . .:(

Most places I've worked have a policy of only allowing sickies to be authorised over the phone. Texts are not allowed. Emails are not allowed. And it has to be to your direct manager.

This works well in theory, but I once had to phone my (male) supervisor at half 6 in the morning to tell him I had such bad cramps I couldn't stand up (which was true). He couldn't get off the phone fast enough.:D

I feel bad enough calling in sick when I AM sick

maximoose

Yes.

I didn't in my first few years here, but when you don't get any thanks for full attendance and you know EVERYONE else is openly abusing "sick" days, it's silly not to take advantage occasionally when there is no penalties for doing it.

matrim

If I'm sick I've no problem taking a day off, but I don't get sick that often. Last time I had to take a sick day was about 3 years ago.

I'd have no problem pulling the very occasional sickie (once maybe twice a year type thing) and have done it in the past but because of the ability to work from home in my last couple of jobs and having flexible hours on top of that I haven't had to take one in about 4 years as I can usually just take any time I need and work it back later.

Wftablueboy

Haven't had a sick day in about 7 years , but I work for a company that tolerate them so much that its unbelievable . One person had a week off because their grandparent died , halfway through the week one of their family came in for a chat with them and didn't know anything about the death !!!!. New interview rules are 1st question how many grandparents do you have still alive ? ;-))

MurdyWurdy

I'm actually at work now but was given a med cert for this whole week so could be at home if I wanted. The main reason I'm here is that I don't get paid for sick days and I wanted the money I've had quite a few med certs over the last few months and generally have come back a day or two early and not taken the whole time

In saying that, I don't pull sickies per se, but I have called in sick before when I was just feeling a bit run down/lethargic and needed some sleep when I probably could have gone in.

krudler

Rabidlamb wrote: »

Call into work ?
Call into work ?

If only there was an electronic mail system where you could send an instant message negating the need to talk to someone.
If only . . . . .:(

Grounds for disciplinary in my place, has to be over the phone, and yourself cant be someone going "oh he's poorly". Actually I've never worked anywhere where you didnt have to call.

MurdyWurdy

MurdyWurdy wrote: »

I'm actually at work now but was given a med cert for this whole week so could be at home if I wanted. The main reason I'm here is that I don't get paid for sick days and I wanted the money I've had quite a few med certs over the last few months and generally have come back a day or two early and not taken the whole time

In saying that, I don't pull sickies per se, but I have called in sick before when I was just feeling a bit run down/lethargic and needed some sleep when I probably could have gone in.

You're not insured to be at work if you're signed off and they shouldn't allow you in there when you are
You need another note

MurdyWurdy

bluewolf wrote: »

You're not insured to be at work if you're signed off and they shouldn't allow you in there when you are
You need another note

So I've been told by a few people today and yesterday - doc is miles away though so I'll just wing it

krudler

Lollipops23 wrote: »

Took a sickie before Xmas due to some personal issues I was having- wasn't actually sick, but was completely sleep deprived and like a zombie at that point.

Apart from that, no, haven't "faked" it since I entered the proper working world. Just don't see the point to be honest. I also don't tend to get drunk mid-week very often, so hangovers aren't an issue!

Being sleep deprived or completely bummed out to the point of being not much use even if you were there I wouldn't really class as faking it, your mental state should be enough grounds to ring in as being physically sick, sometimes its easier to power through a cold or whatever than it is to deal with personal stuff.

That being said I know someone who took over a week off because they were dumped by someone they were going out with less than 3 months. thats taking the absolute piss

miamee

Working in current place about two and a half years, no sick days taken. Worst I have had in that time was a heavy cold but that was at the start when I was still a temp and only for paid for days worked so couldn't afford time off. I'm rarely sick and I feel like I'd be tempting fate by pretending to be. Mocking is catching and all that.

krudler

MurdyWurdy wrote: »

I'm actually at work now but was given a med cert for this whole week so could be at home if I wanted. The main reason I'm here is that I don't get paid for sick days and I wanted the money I've had quite a few med certs over the last few months and generally have come back a day or two early and not taken the whole time

In saying that, I don't pull sickies per se, but I have called in sick before when I was just feeling a bit run down/lethargic and needed some sleep when I probably could have gone in.

If you're certed you shouldnt be in work, the company can get in trouble for you being there, you're actually causing them more hassle than you would be by being out. Sucks you dont get paid for sick days though, we get a decent few a year

Ush1

krudler wrote: »

Grounds for disciplinary in my place, has to be over the phone, and yourself cant be someone going "oh he's poorly". Actually I've never worked anywhere where you didnt have to call.

I'm in charge of my department and I don't mind anyone texting or emailing me as I know they don't take the p*ss but in a very big department I can see the need for phoning in.

Oranage2

ANXIOUS wrote: »

Did you ever have any injuries that prevented you from working? Like a wrist injury?

Actually yes now that you've mentioned it. I asked a manager for a few days off to go to Germany, he said no, and gave a stupid reason why not, so the next day I brought in a docs note saying I couldn't work because I had a pitch and putt injury.

I know I know lucky to have a job and what not but life is too short to care about being the best rat in the rat race.

anncoates

MurdyWurdy wrote: »

I'm actually at work now but was given a med cert for this whole week so could be at home if I wanted. .

So you're in work and infecting everybody else, in other words.

Lollipops23

krudler wrote: »

That being said I know someone who took over a week off because they were dumped by someone they were going out with less than 3 months. thats taking the absolute piss

Jesus, I went through a terrible break up at the start of the month and didn't take any time off! (even though it happened midweek!) Wasn't exactly the model employee for about a week, but was functioning!

Yeah, to be honest the stuff that was going on at the time I took off was very distracting, so even if I'd hauled my ass in I wouldn't have been any use and would have probably burst into sporadic tears at random points in the day....

MurdyWurdy

anncoates wrote: »

So you're in work and infecting everybody else, in other words.

I got a cert due to issues being pregnant - as far as I'm aware that's not catching?

John Mason

as soon as i am here for 3.5 hours today, i am going home sick, because i am sick of the sight of the place and it will end badly if i dont leave