taking sick days as holiday

fire_man · 16-04-2014 8:23pm #1

I was off the last couple of days due to sickness.as i dont like taking sick days can i take these as holidays?would employers prefer this?

helimachoptor · 16-04-2014 9:14pm

fire_man wrote: »

I was off the last couple of days due to sickness.as i dont like taking sick days can i take these as holidays?would employers prefer this?

if you were genuinely sick take the sick days, frankly a decent boss if they knew you were sick would tell you to gtfo if you asked to do the above

davo10 · 16-04-2014 9:23pm

helimachoptor wrote: »

if you were genuinely sick take the sick days, frankly a decent boss if they knew you were sick would tell you to gtfo if you asked to do the above

Check your contract, if you've been out for a couple of days, you may need a cert.

fire_man · 16-04-2014 9:29pm

I have a cert but i just dont like taking sick days.just wondering if can take them as a holiday?

Hello Lady! · 16-04-2014 9:30pm

If you were more than 3 days off sick you can apply for illness benefit.
AFAIK your employer cannot request that you use annual leave to cover sick days but if you prefer you can do it that way. But your employer can refuse. Happened to me once - not in the company long enough to get sick leave, asked instead to use annual leave and they refused. Ended up down money the week before Christmas

fire_man · 16-04-2014 9:41pm

We get paid for sick days so thats not a problem.

afatbollix · 16-04-2014 9:45pm

Why would you want to take holiday? What do you achieve over taking the sick days?

I didn't take a sick day for a few years in my work place and nothing was said or a slap on the back or anything.

I don't see why you would want to do this?

fg1406 · 16-04-2014 9:48pm

Where I work even going home sick an hour before clock-out time is counted as a full days sick leave, so when I'm ill I take it as holidays. Boss knows the score, and is happy to have it that way.

fire_man · 16-04-2014 9:59pm

I suppose.maybe i would not gain anything by doing this.

lollsangel · 16-04-2014 10:02pm

Hello Lady! wrote: »

If you were more than 3 days off sick you can apply for illness benefit.
AFAIK your employer cannot request that you use annual leave to cover sick days but if you prefer you can do it that way. But your employer can refuse. Happened to me once - not in the company long enough to get sick leave, asked instead to use annual leave and they refused. Ended up down money the week before Christmas

Wont get paid for the first 6 days though since last budget

blindsider · 17-04-2014 12:19am

Leave well enough alone OP. Get back to work, head down, ar$e up. Everyone is ill at some stage.....

Hello Lady! · 17-04-2014 12:23am

Unless you've taken alot of sick days already or something just take them as sick days, esp if you get paid sick. Everyone gets sick at some point, no need to use your hols.

ongarboy · 17-04-2014 9:47am

I don't understand OP's motivation at all. Can he explain why he doesn't like taking them as sick days if he was genuinely sick? Just saying he doesn't like it isn't really an explanation and I'd imagine his boss would ask the same thing. They may have already filed paper work to Social Welfare for whatever PRSI compensation they get for staff on certified sick leave. Trying to retract it would create hassle.

Also, trying to explain this to a boss would only arouse suspicion I would think...almost like were you faking sickies and now have a change of conscience? I think it would do you more of a disservice rather than a favour.

Alternatively, it might come across a bit cringey or arse lickey - "I want to be such a great employee, I'll sacrifice my genuine sick days days as holidays". It's like asking for a pay reduction because you feel guilty that others are on less money than you. It's just not a professional thing to do and won't win you brownie points or look better in your employers eyes....if that is your intention.

seamus · 17-04-2014 9:51am

You can't take sick days as holidays.

OK so between yourself and your employer you can wink and nod about it, but it's not legal for the employer to do it.

fire_man · 17-04-2014 9:56am

Ok thanks for the feedback,I will just take them as sick days.I have a cert for the week and was genuinely sick.

Mrs OBumble · 17-04-2014 10:07am

seamus wrote: »

You can't take sick days as holidays.

OK so between yourself and your employer you can wink and nod about it, but it's not legal for the employer to do it.

Not quite right.

It's illegal for them to force you do do this.

But it's fine for you to ask to use your annual leave in this way - and it's quite common in jobs that do not pay sick pay (remember, it's not required here). These jobs are usually lower-paid, and being unpaid for the day (or earning a lot less than usual if you are entitled to IB) can be quite challenging.

Also, there are valid reputation-manageemnt reasons for keeping your number of unplanned absenses down. In particular, if ths employer is prone to using the Bradford Factor or similar when it comes to deciding on redundances.

Hello Lady! · 17-04-2014 10:11am

ongarboy wrote: »

. They may have already filed paper work to Social Welfare for whatever PRSI compensation they get for staff on certified sick leave. Trying to retract it would create hassle.
.

Its the employee that claims illness benefit not the employer. The employer can't make a claim on the employees behalf but there could be something in.your employment contract about passing on any illness benefit to offset paid sick leave.

Alf Veedersane · 17-04-2014 10:12am

fire_man wrote: »

I suppose.maybe i would not gain anything by doing this.

Maybe?

I'm not sure what you thought you would gain in the first place?

You were sick enough to get a cert so why would you put those days down to holidays?

TimeToShine · 18-04-2014 6:26pm

fire_man wrote: »

We get paid for sick days so thats not a problem.

Why on earth would you want to take it as a holiday then? The only reason I can see people wanting to substitute leave for sick days is so that they get paid!

taking sick days as holiday

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