Are you off work sick or In work sick?

Mc Kenzie

Hey Everyone,

I hope this in the correct forum.

Ok so i caught quite a dose of a flu from my Boyfriend last weekend and i then went down to my parents house and my father had also just gotten over a nasty cold. So there was no escape for me.
my eyes were all swollen, nose running like a tap and i could feel the pain when i sneezed of a cough coming on. i got the bus back up sunday evening and had tp get a taxi to the house. Even the taxi driver commented how miserable a seemed.lol So i called in Monday to my supervisor as we are currently without a manager. We are given there numbers as a form of contact. All was fine with my supervisor as i sounded bad.

I thought it would go after the first day i was still not over it ended up taking another day as i was still sick. I was up all last night and only started to feel normal again today lacking in energy , so i said ill wait to go back fully recovered because theres nothing worse imo, then going back to work sick spreading your illness for others to catch.


im now actually feeling guilty that im 3 days off work which is silly as im genuinely sick and id rather go back to work healthy.

Do you think its ok to better to ensure your better before going back to work.

or do you rush back still half sick?

indigo twist

You should probably check your workplace's sick leave policy - a lot of places have a policy in place that you need a doctors cert if you're off for more than 2/3 consecutive days. Also make sure you check whether you get paid for sick leave.

Honestly if it's only a bad cold, I'd be inclined to head back as soon as I was on the mend. I really don't think a bad cold should have you off work for three days or more, so if I wasn't better at that stage, I'd definitely be visiting the doctor to ensure it wasn't anything more serious. I'd then return to work as soon as I got the doctor's approval to do so.

Lux23

The OP has an infectious head cold, if the first person in a workplace stayed home when they developed a cold, it might not spread through companies like wildfire. The amount of times, I have witnessed some idiot cough and splutter all over their desk, photocopier and common areas while acting like a martyr for attending work is infuriating. If there is an option to work from home, I would always try and do that.

tenifan

If you get paid sick leave and your employer can do without you for a few days, take as much time as you need! Employers are more likely to frown on someone taking every second Monday off than someone taking a week off who is genuinely ill but otherwise reliable.

Zipppy

Ill employees should not go to work where they can spread infection...

Look at it from an employers perspective..

I'm sick so I stay off work.....one person down..

I dont wish to go sick even though I'm ill so I go in..infect 5 more staff...then myself and the other five cannot continue.... 6 persons down...

Sick leave exits for a reason.....

doolox

Many employers hate sick days and are not shy in telling you so. Many do not operate a sick pay scheme so you are out of pocket if out sick.

Checking the written policy, there should be one, is the first step. It is possible that your place of work involves old or young people and the employer operates a sensible policy of encouraging sick people to stay away if infected with something like a flu etc that could harm others less robust than the general population so you might be OK, but check.

Mrs OBumble

Mc Kenzie wrote: »

im now actually feeling guilty that im 3 days off work which is silly as im genuinely sick and id rather go back to work healthy.

Do you think its ok to better to ensure your better before going back to work.

or do you rush back still half sick?

You've nothing to feel guilty about.

If I'm sick, I don't go in. I used to soldier on, but then I realised that I'll take longer to get well overall - and a couple of times, I got a lot sicker than I would have if I just stayed in bed for a day or two.

So if I'm sick, I call in sick. Irrespective of whether sick leave is paid or not.

I make sure I know the policies in advance, call the correct person within the required timeframes, and don't think twice about going to the doctor if either I think I'm sick enough, or if the policy means I need a cert.

If a place wants me to work while I'm sick, I find another place to work.

krissovo

I soldier on, at a client meeting a couple of months ago I was unaware I was dripping from my nose until I looked down at my note pad and my ink was smudged from the drips. Turned out ok as I won a large deal from it.

If I stay at home I will only have to go in and catch up and end up working weekends.

skallywag

OP I would not go back if you are still coughing & spluttering etc, it will just annoy people.