Do You Take Sick Days When You Aren't Sick to Use Unused Sick Leave?

smit0847 on 12/07/2017 - 18:19

I rarely get legitimately sick. Probably one week-day every 2 years. I receive 10 sick days per year in my job so only need 5% of my sick leave and the other 95% would go unused. Some of my colleagues take most, if not all of their sick days, especially those with kids as they will take it as carers leave when their kids are sick.

I usually take 2 or 3 extra days per year as sick days even when I am not sick. This is usually in quiet periods, mid-week and only for 1 day at a time and I do very little during that time – might organise a tradesman to visit, or just lie on the couch watching movies. This means in total, I don’t even use half my allocated days and I’m happy for the other half to go unused.

Thoughts? Do you think they are there to be used or am I selfish for taking the odd one when I’m not sick? I have friends who work in public service that think their full quota of sick days is their god-given right to take and systematically plan them just like annual leave. They ensure they use every single day up and only give the reason of ‘I am entitled to take it’.

Poll Options

  • 36
    I use all or most of my sick leave for legitimate illness
  • 125
    I don’t use all or most of my sick leave so take some additional days when I am not ill
  • 183
    I don’t use all or most of my sick leave but do not take any extra
Education & Work

Comments

  • iratepirate on 13/07/2017 - 15:33
    +8

    I call them "mental health days".

  • snook on 13/07/2017 - 20:45

    My sick leave accrues. I try not to take it if i can help it.

    I recently had a bit of an accident and it's taken its toll on my rehab, so I've used quite a lot. Glad i was frugal about them before.

    • xoom on 13/07/2017 - 20:49

      thats is exactly why people should be frugal with their sick leave and not feel like some special snowflake that feels getting dudded if they dont use all their alloted sick leave on a yearly basis.

      • snook on 13/07/2017 - 20:54
        +2

        I worked with a guy who got a brain tumour. He'd only just started. His sick leave ran out in a week. He was screwed.

        That's what changed my mind about them.

        If anyone has sick leave that accrues, it's a huge added insurance policy in your health. You never know what's going to happen.

  • Blugok on 13/07/2017 - 21:37
    +9

    Pre-having baby. Used 1-2 sickies per year when I wasnt really ill. More if its genuine illness.

    Post-childcare germ. Used up all the entitlement every year plus losing money on childcare fees

    • [Deactivated] on 14/07/2017 - 05:41
      +3

      Have kids they said, kids are fun they said.

      • Blugok on 14/07/2017 - 16:05

        They forgot to send out the T&C

    • MessyG on 15/07/2017 - 17:24

      This.

  • vietken89 on 14/07/2017 - 08:03
    -1

    I haven't took a sick leave this year yet, took one last year cause cbf mood and the other was i was bored and wanted to go to sydney for a couple days over the weekend hahaha

  • airzone on 14/07/2017 - 09:07

    We had this guy on a nine-day fortnight. Every second Friday was an RDO, and the others were sick days. Worked well until he was actually sick and had to have leave without pay.

    • jerjergege on 14/07/2017 - 13:38

      How was he getting that many RDOs, full time workers get 1 every month unless you're like a sparky or something.

      • airzone on 14/07/2017 - 22:24

        9 day fortnight means 1 rdo every 2 weeks.

  • Toons on 14/07/2017 - 14:44

    Nope, but i know plenty of people who do,

    Depending on workplace they have certain agreements it's more about understanding yours.

    Our's will allow you to take 2 instances a year without demanding a doc note as long as your not screwing around they won't scrutinise. Even though there is a policy in place it's loosely followed unless they have reason to watch you. i.e routinely sick after Melbourne cup day or extra long weekends.

    I had my appendix out and my wife calling my boss from hospital was enough and i was off a month they never asked for the cover note.

    Ours as mentioned above by a few ppl also accrue so not in the fear of use it or loose it.

  • DangerNoodle on 14/07/2017 - 14:53
    +1

    I had three months of sick leave when I resigned from my last job. Was very tempted to use some when I gave my four weeks notice.

    • Pizdets on 14/07/2017 - 20:47

      My dad did this, used all 3 months of sick leave and then retired.

  • noskich on 14/07/2017 - 17:15
    +1

    U don't use use it, u lose it

    • DangerNoodle on 15/07/2017 - 10:00

      Not true depending on the workplace. In most work places, it's cumulative over the term of your employment. I currently have more sick leave than annual leave built up.

      • noskich on 15/07/2017 - 10:23

        U lose it ultimately when u re sacked or leave the job or die or retire.

  • noskich on 14/07/2017 - 17:37

    Chuck in a sickie matey, u ll feel betta instantly guaranteed whether u are sick or not!!

  • johnno07 on 14/07/2017 - 17:56

    I work for a company where we can work very flexibly. Means that if I have a bit of a cold, and can still work, I can just work from home until I'm better. No down time, no spreading disease. Everyone wins. I take one or two mental health days a year when I wake up in a CBF mood, and come back more productive the next day.

  • derrida derider on 14/07/2017 - 19:21

    Good workplaces work off MUTUAL trust. That means that you should be able to say "I need a mental health day - I've been slugging my guts out" and get it no questions asked, in return for only asking that when it's true. And if someone says "I can do this bit of the job faster at home where I'm uninterrupted" then the boss should be able to trust the person to keep their word, accommodate them, and judge the success of the arrangement only by how well the job is done (what Management courses call "management by outcomes").

    When either or both parties get in a mindset of "taking all my entitlements" or "disciplining non-attendance" then things are already going downhill then and there.

    • xoom on 14/07/2017 - 19:37

      Before we were able to work from home and weren't so strick with sick leaves but a few bad apples ruined it for everyone else sadly.

  • acersaurus on 14/07/2017 - 22:11

    I tend to take a couple of days extra, but on the flip side I work sometimes when I'm sick (to meet deadlines etc..).

  • scottb721 on 14/07/2017 - 23:13

    Sonething I've always wondered about sick leave. Can you use it for preplanned stuff like operation recovery or is it for unexpected stuff ?

    • xoom on 14/07/2017 - 23:34
      +1

      use it for operation recovery. sure. why not. my colleague fell off his motorbike fractured bones in his feet needed surgery. used up his sick leave recovering.

      • scottb721 on 15/07/2017 - 17:17

        That's still for something unexpected. I need a knee op when I can be bothered pulling my finger out.

        • xoom on 15/07/2017 - 20:08

          cant see why not. a knee op is not something you get over lightly. if your knee is buggered. get it fix and use up your sick leave to recuperate.

        • CheapskateQueen on 16/07/2017 - 23:04

          Yes you can use sick leave for planned surgery. Maybe not something entirely cosmetic like a boob/nose job but for a real issue,yes.

        • UFO on 18/07/2017 - 02:19

          Umm…. yes you can for a boob/nose job too.

          It's medical, and provided the doctor/surgeon gives you a certificate stating you actually need the time off, it would be a perfectly legitimate reason for the leave.

          Breast augmentation isn't exactly a trivial thing you know. Surgery is surgery…. whether its cosmetic or not isn't the point.

        • scottb721 on 22/07/2017 - 14:47

          @UFO:
          Hmmmm got me thinking now. Maybe boobs instead of the knee.

  • starwarsfreak on 15/07/2017 - 08:31

    2.5yrs into my new job and not a sick day yet *touchwood, it accrues and is transferrable to other Government departments (which is where i work). I currently have 1500hrs and accrue 15days a year, I know heaps of ppl who take 'sickies'.. It is an aussie tradition to use it for no reason lolz.

  • unwritt3n on 15/07/2017 - 12:54
    +1

    It's no longer really called sick leave, it's personal leave. You use if you're sick, caring for others, don't feel up for going in mentally, dentist appointment, doctors appointment or even for stubbing your bloody toe. It's presonal leave for personal reasons.

  • [Deactivated] on 15/07/2017 - 19:06

    Why don't we just have a culture where you're allowed to take 10 days off for anything - sick, mental health, carers, seeing a kid at school, and yeah fun activities.
    I just think if you care about what's important to people and how they feel, they're more likely to be honest, care about what they're doing, not resent being there, more focused, or go the extra mile for you. Only if you can work it in etc.

    • xoom on 15/07/2017 - 20:25

      because sometimes people will use their personal/carers leave every start of the year asap. get into sthrife when they really need to use it later on. say because of actual emergencies. like they got into an accident.

      then they get forced to use annual leave if they have any left.

      promptly followed by leave without pay if they got no more annual leave.

    • DialIN on 16/07/2017 - 11:18

      This sounds awesome, taking time off for whatever we want! But instead let's call it something else like annual leave and make it 20 days a year in addition to the 10 days personal leave just for good measure.
      I think it'll be a hit.

      • [Deactivated] on 17/07/2017 - 23:33

        Hey. Why don't you give us more life advice - you sound really happy :/

        I just think it has benefits not treating people like dogs to be obeyed, and give them flexibility for what's important to them outside of the standard holiday time. If you care about how people feel and they know it, they tend to work harder for you I think.

  • nobarginsarehere on 15/07/2017 - 19:50
    +1

    Sick days dont exist, they are called Personal days

    They can be taken even if not sick

    https://www.fairwork.gov.au/how-we-will-help/templates-and-g…

  • mr fox on 15/07/2017 - 21:08

    Smashed myself up snowboarding and needed three months off work to recover. Because of industrial action against my employer we weren't logging sick leave. Three months at home recovering - didn't use a single days leave.

  • [Deactivated] on 15/07/2017 - 21:09

    I was in an accident last year where I was walking across a pedestrian crossing and someone ran me over (whilst texting and driving). Luckily not serious injury but due to my occupation I could not return until 100%. My 13 year accrual of sick leave covered the exact time I required off which was helpful financially. Over time I only called in when required, probably once or twice a year which enabled a build up.

    For those interested, being in a specialist field that earns significant dollars I was able to spend a bit of cash legally and got that person behind bars. The reason for my anger was CCTV (you would be amazed at how good some of these cameras are nowadays and what they can see) proved they looked back saw me on the ground but kept driving, so a hit and run.

    Whilst on the mend I came in contact with a lot of people in similar accidents. Their main gripe was nil sick leave due to blowing it over the years when they weren't sick.

    • xoom on 15/07/2017 - 21:29

      Their main gripe was nil sick leave due to blowing it over the years when they weren't sick.

      this is exactly why people shouldn't just chuck sickies because one day they might need this time to recover. you don't ever want to take leave without pay because you have no more sick leave or annual leave.

      • [Deactivated] on 15/07/2017 - 22:16

        Yep.
        I came across one who got caught out, had to sell the home and rent use home sale funds to survive.

  • Panama on 15/07/2017 - 22:53

    Place i work at has a use it or lose it policy which is stupid as hell. Better believe people will abuse it.

    • DialIN on 15/07/2017 - 23:41

      You mean they're following the national employment standards?
      That is quite stupid.

  • momov3 on 16/07/2017 - 20:45

    My other half has 350 DAYS. I think it's time to axe the Income Protection insurance.

  • UFO on 18/07/2017 - 02:29

    I make sure I have 4 weeks Personal Leave in the bank at all times.

    Any sickness or injury longer than that, and the Income Protection will kick in.
    I feel sorry for all these people who seem to be proud of the fact that they "never take sick leave".
    Everybody gets sick.
    If you aren't sick, then your family is sick.
    If you aren't sick, you're injured or sore.

    No way someone can go 5 years and not have to use sick leave. These are the people that annoy me the most. "Soldier on" and make everyone else at work sick in the process.

    TAKE YOUR BLOODY SICK LEAVE!
    I'm not saying burn through it every month and leave nothing left, but surely a fit and healthy employee (mentally, physically, and emotionally healthy) is worth more to an organisation than someone who's always there, but infecting everyone else with god knows what?

    • RocketSwitch on 18/07/2017 - 12:51

      I agree, you can thank unhealthy work ethics for this.

    • xoom on 19/07/2017 - 21:47
      +1

      Dont think anyone here is advocating NOT to take sick leave. By all means take sick leave if you or your family member are sick.

      Not use sick leave because the footy or soccer is on and you want to watch the game. Proceeding to burn through their sick leave unnecessarily.

      Then go to work when they are actually sick because they dont have anymore sick leave or annual leave. Resulting in infecting everyone else at work.

  • [Deactivated] on 26/07/2017 - 11:57

    Use it or lose it. Just like money, you can't take it with you and life's not just about work.

    • xoom on 26/07/2017 - 18:10

      The problem with this attitude is people just use them up because they can. Not when they actually need it. Then when they do need it. Thats usually when they got none left.

      • [Deactivated] on 27/07/2017 - 08:52

        Assuming you work for the same company your whole life….. That company you're being nice to will punt you when they feel like it.

        • xoom on 27/07/2017 - 09:27

          Funny enough two did. Pretty much handed me a bag of cash and told me they dont need me no more.

          Or could end up like what gearup said. Forced to take leave without pay and had to sell up because they have no more sick leave and annual leave. That is not where i want to end up.

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