Company Sick Leave Is Frowned upon

jellykingdom on 25/01/2024 - 12:11

A wee rant

Yknow what gives me the shits? I'm currently at work, I'm sick and feeling lousy, but I've let myself get guilted into not using my sick leave…

Some background. Couple years ago, between looking after a little kid getting frequently sick after Covid restrictions lifting and also getting sick myself, I ended up having 10 days of personal leave (carers + sick) over 12mo. This prompted my boss to sit me down, and tell me that my "absenteeism" was unacceptable (despite being a "high performer" - his words, not mine)

It was pretty irritating at the time, and while I explained that when i was sick i was going to take time off to recover instead of wasting time in the office, but the result was that I ended up coming into work sick more often than I should have done, and really second-guess myself everytime I'm feeling unwell

It isn't just a thing to do with my boss, it's generally just a big company thing. Having sat through people leader training recently, it was outright stated that 5 days of sick leave per year was too much, and that we should be pulling that person aside to have a chat.

Now i'm sick for 2nd time in 6wks (last time i needed 3 days off for some viral infection that flattened me) and really just need a frigging day off to recover but i'm positive i would be getting another talking to

Anyone else find this happen too? It just annoys me because we're given 10 days of sick leave per year, but the expectation is that you are not allowed to use it. This element of corporate culture is really stuck in the 1920s, and especially after Covid, it's totally bizarre to me

Education & Work

Comments

            • Extreme on 26/01/2024 - 07:48
              +2

              @GourmetFoodie: @GourmetFoodie how much income one receives has no bearing on sick leave entitlements under the Fair Work Act…..

    • JIMB0 on 25/01/2024 - 14:32

      Would you be paid sick leave or normal wages working from home when you're sick?

    • jolee3 on 25/01/2024 - 16:25
      +4

      Using 10 days a year with a young child is not uncommon. Double or triple that when there is more than one child. They get sick frequently and if they can't attend daycare then wfh while caring for them might not be practical.

      • Subere on 25/01/2024 - 20:39
        +2

        And then you get hit with whatever they have just as they get better. Fun times.

    • bhubb18 on 27/01/2024 - 14:54

      Is this a joke?
      Part of your contract is that you are given 10 days a year of sick leave. Not using it just benefits your employer. Its part of your pay effectively.

    • johnno07 on 27/01/2024 - 15:27
      +1

      Using a full 10 days every year is a lot

      Not really. Pretty big different between taking two weeks off for an extra holiday vs taking a day off here and there because you feel a bit sh*t. The notion that employees work at 100%, 100% of the time is absolutely nonsense. Let them take a sickie now and then.

  • kiriakoz on 25/01/2024 - 14:10
    +1

    I have actually seen this in previous workplaces. All I will say (having thought the same thing myself) is it's not the norm everywhere, feel free to shop around, particularly if you're a high performer. Utilise websites like Glassdoor and such to see the company you might be looking for jobs at. I can say at my current workplace, things are good. I don't utilise much sick leave other than some years where I might get the flu twice in close succession.

    It probably helps now that my boss and the people I work with know me.

  • JimJim on 25/01/2024 - 15:24
    +1

    This place sounds like bad news to me.

    I've not encountered anything like that. I was in upper management, and we actively deterred people from coming in with even minor illnesses, as it would inevitably take out other people. Especially post-2020, the culture has been much better around sick leave.

    Also, if you have a medical certificate and ample leave available to use, what is there to question?

  • Taro Milk Tea on 25/01/2024 - 15:34

    Always get medical certificate if you end up taking sick leave for more than 2 days, heck even if it is more than a day just get it. The company should not be able to do anything about it.

    If they still do, then like many other people suggesting here, start thinking about changing job. Life is too short to be working under such a toxic company and it is not worth it.

  • sam-1966 on 25/01/2024 - 16:46

    My husband and I each worked at one of the 'Big Four' banks.

    One of my colleagues in Sydney was diagnosed with breast cancer at 26 and was very worried about sick leave and their mortgage. When her manager realised how stressed she was assured her that there would not be a problem and that all sick leave would be paid under the circumstances.

    My husband went back to work after having a day off. One of his workmates joked about a sickie (his area was mainly men of child bearing age, so to speak). When my husband explained that he wanted to confirm with a doctor that he didn't have mumps (as his symptoms showed), the other guy just stood back and thanked him for not bringing something like that into work.

    What sort of workplace wants illness coming in that can spread to the other staff?

    • MS Paint on 25/01/2024 - 18:02
      +1

      mainly men of child bearing age

      So 13?

    • WhyAmICommenting on 26/01/2024 - 11:45

      A dumb one

    • Poor Ass on 27/01/2024 - 00:30

      OP's workplace

  • Ultimate Gattai on 25/01/2024 - 18:40

    My workplace is pretty toxic, and using sick leave is frowned upon, but they can't say anything once I bring that doctor's certificate in (if I can get an appointment, I rarely get sick), some bosses care more/less. Some people even wear coming into work sick as a bad of pride, I'd rather they stay home and not make me sick, but we're also pretty understaffed.

    • Extreme on 26/01/2024 - 07:50
      +2

      You can obtain medical certificates online for a small cost these days.

  • offthetap on 25/01/2024 - 18:48
    +1

    This is a classic toxic workplace culture. have been there myself and it was no fun. my advice, start looking elsewhere
    At my current company people are sick all the time, no one questions it, sick certs never required. My company trusts its people to do the right thing and they do just that. the work always gets done.

  • hasher22 on 25/01/2024 - 19:08
    +2

    That workplace sounds so bad to work for, leave. This is not normal, sure there are bad managers but there are also good ones in maybe the same company. If all managers are forced to interrogate sick leave then it's a policy/culture thing from higher ups and this usually is bad news cause micro-managing is sure the best way to treat employees (sarcasm)

    When I was a manager at a corporate company, I told my team to stay home when sick, even when light symptoms arises. I don't care if you feel bad not coming to work or you 'feel' fine coming to work. Don't come to work, simple. You come to work with your germs and end up making everyone else sick.

    Take time off, get better and I'll see you when you're better.

    Also, don't call me, text me. I can't force anyone to come in when they're sick and calling me just to 'prove' you're sick doesn't make a difference, I seriously don't care, stay home.

    I ain't got time to interrogate my team why they're sick. Also if they're a smart leader/manager, they would know who are the dodgy people taking advantage of sick leave. Like my team mate who would take every Monday off for 3 months straight 'sick' then HR intervened, I couldn't do anything cause he had a doctors cert, and legally I can't do anything and even if I wanted to, not my position.

  • Benoffie on 25/01/2024 - 19:15
    +3

    The one line that always stops this bullshit:

    'Excuse me, but are you counselling me about sick leave?'

    Any savvy boss will STFU immediately and never speak to you again about it.

    Anyone that continues is asking for a HR report.

    Say it once, note it, the time and date down and response in front of them. Watch it all just disappear.

  • jellykingdom on 25/01/2024 - 19:19

    Interesting responses, seems my experience with this kind of culture across 15yrs of multiple large multinational businesses is actually not normal!

    It really stuck with me hearing so many other managers agreeing how much they felt like 5 days sick leave in a YEAR is somehow symptomatic (pardon the pun) of disciplinary issues. Felt like i was the only sane person in the room

    If you want to get really riled up. My boss had asked how come my wife didn't look after our daughter "more" when she was sick. Definitely highlighted a generational gap, where men earned and women cared

    PS im not normally sick, just happens ive picked up a couple nasty bugs in a short period of time

    • hasher22 on 25/01/2024 - 21:49
      +3

      Seems your workplace is full off stereotypical, sexist, out-dated-thinking men and I can only assume they're older gen X and boomers.

    • leiiv on 25/01/2024 - 22:33

      Maybe it's because you have always worked in a very specific industry?

    • El cheepo on 26/01/2024 - 02:00
      +5

      Out of curiosity, what line of work are you in?
      (No need to be super specific)

  • ihbh on 25/01/2024 - 19:23

    Don't do what a DB investment banking analyst did. They came in for a second M&A project and I asked the manager where the analyst was.

    He had to go to his grandmother's funeral. And his bosses bumped into him on the ski slopes, and that's why he was not there anymore.

    Taking taxis home for analysts at investment banks is normal. They hire them young and work them into the ground; with only a few eventually getting to partner.

  • Subere on 25/01/2024 - 20:45

    It's not even called sick leave anymore but personal leave, which leaves the interpretation much wider.

    • hasher22 on 25/01/2024 - 21:56
      +1

      Fairwork determines personal leave as: "personal illness or injury, caring responsibilities, family emergencies and the death or life-threatening illness or injury of close family members."

      It's quite clear on Fairwork: https://www.fairwork.gov.au/tools-and-resources/fact-sheets/….

      But I do see alot of managers will make up their own little description on what is "personal leave" whether it's good or bad.

      For example 2 years ago, I had a awesome manager state personal leave is 10 days of leave per year to do whatever you want and encouraged us to take it ontop of our annual leave. He said "you want to take a day off to go house hunting, go for it, it will come out of your personal leave".

      But I do see other managers that will negatively, gaslight employees on their own version of personal leave

      • bigbadboogieman on 26/01/2024 - 08:51

        One of my managers in the past would not let me take personal leave for specialist appointments because these were pre-scheduled and known in advance. They forced me to log annual leave.

        • hasher22 on 26/01/2024 - 10:49

          Bruh that's bs, I would have contested that and it fits perfectly in fairworks personal leave description.

          With me, I'm kinda outspoken to unethical and unlawful things in the office. I hate hate hate office politics, and I do speak my mind on dodgy practices and I dont care.

          Maybe that's why I work for myself now haahhaa. I don't miss having a manager. Most managers are full of it.

        • us3rnam3tak3n on 27/01/2024 - 07:48

          I guess don't warn them next time.

          • bigbadboogieman on 27/01/2024 - 19:28

            @Molebag: May be because getting to an appointment, waiting for other patients to be done, then getting medicines on the way back and actually getting back home might take more than an hour especially if one of those trips take place during peak hour traffic or you're taking public transport.

            Not saying it's isn't shady for people to book appointments just before a weekend or during peak busy days but sometimes there is no choice. The doctor might only be available on certain weekdays in a clinic that is accessible easily or during certain times of day. If you've been a manager long enough you would already be capable of separating out bludgers from genuine situations.

  • Banana on 25/01/2024 - 22:02
    +1

    No I don't think that's normal at all. I have worked in a number of companies and have never once been asked to provide certificates for taking sick leave. The longest I have taken was 2 weeks to recover from surgeries, 1 week here and there for other stuff.

    In my current role people don't even lodge sick leave into the system. They just send the team a slack message, or better, pm the manager, chuck on this emoji 🤒, and it back to bed.

  • tabitha731 on 26/01/2024 - 07:38

    Ive just finished working at one of the best workplaces, i saved my sick days to take as mental health days in the future, but i actually ended up needing them for recovery from a surgery, and i wasnt even asked to provide a medical certificate for my absenteeism, no questions asked about when i took my sick days. Not all companies, are that trusting, many of the finance companies require a medical certificate for even 1 day off for sicknesses… which is ridiculous… i didnt stick around too long at those companies

  • Aliensf on 26/01/2024 - 08:14

    You should never feel bad being sick, or taking sick leave.

    Get a sick certificate and tell them to get stuffed. There's nothing they can legally do if you have a certificate to prove you were sick.

  • ColtNoir on 26/01/2024 - 08:17
    +2

    I've found in white collar the more corporate or back office you go, the less sick leave is frowned upon. For example when I started in a call centre for a telco, they tracked SL like nothing else and even with an ‘unlimited at manager discretion’ policy you’d still get cut-off at your 10days.
    Once I moved into the back office into analytics, it was a different world. When I used to explain things like I needed to in the CC, I would get met with faces like ‘why are you telling me this’.

    • serpserpserp on 26/01/2024 - 09:57
      +3

      Call centers are a world unto themselves. The little managers in that place are either bullies or bully panderers.

      • ColtNoir on 27/01/2024 - 08:14

        100%. It’s been the best thing for me since I got out, career skyrocketed after I did. CC’s have a way of keeping you in your place and limited progression if you’re not one of the line towers.

  • 2esc on 26/01/2024 - 08:32
    +1

    As long as you have a certificate take the sickies if your sick. Where i work one guy comes in no matter what coughing up a lung or the time he came in to work with a fracture in his foot the boss ended up telling him to go home.

    We work in close proximity to each other and getting sick because of another worker doesnt realise the health risk to others is not on.

    If you can i would be looking for another job. (Easier said than done depending on career and location).

  • 82norm on 26/01/2024 - 08:37
    +3

    Go into work sick next time and infect everyone else. Let’s see what your boss says then!

  • BeamMeUp on 26/01/2024 - 08:49

    Not directed at OP but a decent or experienced Manager also quickly works out the malingerers vs the genuine situations. HR and “talkings to” should only even be needed for the former, doing it to good workers just when they need to consume all their leave is just stupid. That good worker is probably open with their manager so they probably also know what’s going on.

  • AustriaBargain on 26/01/2024 - 09:16
    +1

    When I was a teen working pizza job the owner of the store convinced everyone to give up their paid breaks, taking a paid break was "frowned upon". Managers and owners will do anything to save money, they don't give a single shit about you. I'll never be bullied into giving up what are basic lawful rights again. Outrageous that they even felt comfortable telling you you can't use your own sick leave. If your team is so understaffed that your absence will grind operations to a halt, then that's their fault. They should have hired more people.

  • Grunntt on 26/01/2024 - 09:32

    I don't understand why someone would employ anyone that they just don't trust (and this is a prime example of not trusting people).
    I've always trusted people that I select to act like responsible adults from day one.
    My job became so much easier by working from that starting point.
    No, they weren't all perfect but, it's a much better work environment for everyone.

    • Kongzi on 26/01/2024 - 12:16

      How you going to hire someone before working with them for a period?

  • ceroau on 26/01/2024 - 09:41

    It less common than internet forums will have you think and it really isn't the norm.

    I know you tell yourself that this is the norm to justify keeping that job and keep playing by their toxic rules because the idea of change frighten you in part because you have a low risk appetite from having a family to consider but their attitude is not healthy, it's not normal and alot of people wouldn't tolerate it. I know this isn't discussion worthy but plenty of companies even larger companies treat their staff like human beings, yes they're still a business, yes they still love capitalisms and greed but they treat their staff like people like most the rest of us treat strangers like people, we may not go out of our way to help one and other but most of us don't dehumanize each other.

    You either need to start standing up for yourself and taking time when you leave and/or leave the company. A part of the reason why you're likely getting so sick so often lately
    would be the stress, the stress is probably causing you not to be well rested lowering your immune system making you more vulnerable to sickness which only make the whole vicious cycle continue.

    Good luck.

  • serpserpserp on 26/01/2024 - 09:53

    It is not a big company thing. You need to get new managers, since that can be impossible to do, you need to get a new job.

  • FimpBARGAIN on 26/01/2024 - 09:59
    +2

    "Couple years ago, between looking after a little kid getting frequently sick after Covid restrictions lifting and also getting sick myself, I ended up having 10 days of personal leave (carers + sick) over 12mo."
    Question, are you a dad?

    I find this kind of eyebrow raising happens if I take leave for a sick kid, but if my wife does the same it's totally normal/accepted…

  • Cheaplikethebird on 26/01/2024 - 10:00
    +2

    "Can I get that in an e-mail?"

  • cenakhoa on 26/01/2024 - 10:26
    +1

    You are in a toxic workplace, I have worked small caps and big caps companies. As long as you stay within the government limit, even if at max 10 days, nobody will question your absenism. if you have kids or the manager had kids, they will even allow you to exceed the limit a little more

  • Rob-4x4 on 26/01/2024 - 10:56
    +1

    Easy fix with idiot employers like that .. Just go into the office when you are ill, especially with nasties like covid . Then share and enjoy ..

    • Trying2SaveABuck on 26/01/2024 - 14:44
      +1

      bit harsh on the other workers though….also i hate being anyway when im sick i just want to be home resting

      • Poor Ass on 27/01/2024 - 00:37

        But eating 2 enchiladas don't help

  • Kooratz on 26/01/2024 - 11:04
    +1

    My company 12 sickies a year accumulate every year, only when employee taking over 30 days a year the manager chat to us, I just stick with 29 sickies a year :)

    • SlickMick on 26/01/2024 - 11:24

      Not quite a solution for Mondayitis.

  • TiredKitty78 on 26/01/2024 - 13:21

    and tell me that my "absenteeism" was unacceptable

    Oh, when have i been absent for no reason?

    But for real, game play that shit and email HR

    "Just emailings as so and so has brought to my attention that the company has taken issue with my i quote "absenteeism". Would this refer to days that i have been absent from work without cause? Because i don't recall any such days, but please advise if there are. Otherwise, the only day i know of where i have been away from work when scheduled have been sick days. Unless there is an inference that the company count use of sick days as 'absenteeism' and thus, is discouraging the use of sick days. Please advise.

  • Seaeagles on 26/01/2024 - 13:53
    +3

    This reminds me of when I got spoken to about a patten in my sick leave once.
    I had been at the company about 10 years and two years in a row I had the same date off, I would average about 2 days sick leave per year . The manager spoke to me about it and said that is a patten, what is so special about that date which I told him there is nothing special but just a coincidence but he still wrote me up about it.
    That pissed me off so for the next 7 years I made sure I took that date off sick to give him that sick leave patten.

    • Alley Cat on 28/01/2024 - 13:46

      Not related to the topic, but look up anniversary effect. It is real.

  • reactor-au on 26/01/2024 - 13:56

    I remember 20 years ago my first manager said how much sick leave someone took impacted their chances of promotions. I don't know if it's true or was true for him for just to discourage it.

    One of my best mates takes statutory leave when he is sick, I find that odd but maybe it's a thing after all. Who knows.

  • Trying2SaveABuck on 26/01/2024 - 14:39
    +2

    this is common practice in many businesses - to pressure workers not to take sick leave

    the only way to stop it would be to force businesses to pay out sick leave regardless of if taken or not thus there is no benefit to pressure workers not to take it when they are sick.

    ideally workers should have the option to cash out sick leave once they have a few months accumulated

  • Herbse on 26/01/2024 - 15:06
    -3

    Companies need you to make them profit. Being at home, even if it's using your allocated sick hours, is losing money for them.

    95% of sick leave is people wanting a day off because they just can't be bothered or they have to do something stupid like go to the post office or take their dog to the vet.
    Every company, ceo, manager, team leader and employee knows that people use their sick leave when they're not sick then push through at work when their actually sick because they've used up their sick leave or want to save it to use on a nice sunny day for something more interesting.

    It's unfortunate that you appear to actually need to use it, assuming you're being genuine. But as per the above, the boss doesn't know what's genuine and what's bs anymore and making the assumption that it's bs. Because more often than not, it is.

    If you want to work in a place where you don't feel bad for taking time off, start your own business and make your own rules.

    • us3rnam3tak3n on 27/01/2024 - 07:54
      +3

      It's this sort of attitude that leads to workers pushing through their sickness and spreading it to the rest of the staff. Short sighted.

      start your own business and make your own rules.

      No need to make your own rules. Fair work has already done it for all Australians.

    • ssfps on 28/01/2024 - 03:36
      +2

      95% of sick leave is people wanting a day off because they just can't be bothered

      Is this a well crafted troll post or are you seriously advancing this belief?

  • SpicyStew on 26/01/2024 - 15:09

    get doctors note

    • Herbse on 26/01/2024 - 15:57

      Means nothing. People literally just use telehealth and tell the docs they can't be stuffed going to work and get a note.

      • SpicyStew on 27/01/2024 - 16:17
        +1

        you know little to nothing

  • trapper on 26/01/2024 - 16:24
    +1

    When your really sick and snotty make a point in coming into work a few times, sneezing and coughing everywhere and generally terrorising everyone - ideally you want to actually get sent home.

    After this you're good to go, no one is going to question your sick days again.

  • trapper on 26/01/2024 - 16:29
    -1

    Generally it is unusual to use more than a few days of sick leave a year though, most people build up months of sick leave if they work at a company for a long time.

    So anyone using the full 10 days per year will be highly suspect, it's definitely not normal.

    • garetz on 27/01/2024 - 03:07

      What are you talking about.

      The average Aussie worker takes 9.7 days of sick leave per annum, so it is very usual and not suspect at all.

      • trapper on 28/01/2024 - 13:21

        I can only speak to my own experience I guess.

        But how can it be possible that 97% of all sick days are taken (average of 9.7 out of 10 days) when many people have months of sick leave saved up? The math just doesn't seem possible.

      • Ozbargainasaurus on 28/01/2024 - 13:24

        I doubt it's 9.7 day, source?

    • ssfps on 28/01/2024 - 03:37

      I see you've never worked in government. I've worked with people that don't even hide it, they take their 10 days around the year at the same time, like clockwork, year after year.

  • sam-1966 on 26/01/2024 - 16:29
    +1

    If you're sick and snotty and you know it, blow your nose.
    If you're happy and you know it, go to work.

    and just keep singing it.

  • matt-ozb on 27/01/2024 - 00:59
    -1

    I have almost 7 months of sick leave .. might be good if I get cancer one day.

    But yea, like OP, I feel guilty taking sick leave.

    • Alley Cat on 28/01/2024 - 13:49
      +2

      Time to utilise that 7 months to see a therapist about your guilt.

  • haemolysis on 27/01/2024 - 02:33

    If it’s within your leave entitlement, then it can’t possibly be ”unacceptable”. That is an employer abusing the system and trying to instil a fear that your entitlements are, in fact, not actually entitled to you.

    Remind them that if they have concerns your leave does not comply with the leave policy they need to provide the evidence substantiating their claim or their conversation constitutes harassment.

    As a manager of staff in the past, yes I was required to interview staff about absenteeism after about 5 instances of sick leave, but the HR-stated purpose of such interview is to check on their well-being. That said, yes of course that’s kind of “code word” for “discipline them without disciplining them”, but I’d if a manager ever said the quiet part out loud to me… I’d make sure they know where to shove it.

  • Felixrising on 27/01/2024 - 06:59
    +5

    I'm a manager in a reasonably large global company, I can assure you we are trained to encourage sick employees to take sick leave and recover. There is a lot of good research that clearly shows that presenteeism leads to more sickness spreading and the employee being sick for longer as they "soldier on" with lower productivity. If I hear an employee is actually sick but trying to show how "dedicated" they are by working sick, I'm the first to ask them to take the rest they need to recover properly. Any company or manager who does otherwise has the wrong training and mindset.

  • fairyflossgrapes on 27/01/2024 - 07:54

    I have an incredibly supportive workplace where I’ve needed to take what would equal probably a couple of months off (not at once) due to chronic illness. Aside from asking for a medical certificate for the smaller times off (two days-ish) and explaining what’s happening, they’ve specifically asked me what they can do to make things easier on me. OP, you have a crappy workplace.

  • CHIEFMEGADETH on 27/01/2024 - 07:57

    Doctors Note and a go (profanity) yourself look, and if you want to question me some more?
    Say to him if I'm sick, so too bad because I'm using my sick leave, and taking as much time as I need.

    I'm encouraged to use it at work

  • Dyl on 27/01/2024 - 16:02

    That's one way to open your company up to mental health related workplace injury claims - make employees feel like they can't use sick leave….

    They're the most expensive cases too.

    Get a doctor's certificate and ask if they require you to work against doctors advice, HR will back down quick if they have any knowledge of workplace injury claims.

    • Dyl on 27/01/2024 - 16:06
      +1

      Previous company I worked for I had a talking to for taking planned sick leave for surgery planned months in advanced. Apparently it was very inconvenient for the team that I wasn't there for 3 hours on the day of surgery.

      Left that company pretty quick.

      • WhyAmICommenting on 29/01/2024 - 07:35

        I hope you Glass-Door’ed that rubbish so others can avoid.

  • Kiro on 27/01/2024 - 20:15

    If I have someone sick under me, I will send them home.

    Back in the day on the tools 1 guy came into the workshop with gastro and boom, shop closed for over a week. 10 tradies out with gastro.

    Never want to go through it again.

    • WhyAmICommenting on 29/01/2024 - 07:36

      Wow what a dumbass for bringing that in.

  • mdell95 on 27/01/2024 - 22:08

    Sick leave is sick leave if you need it use it.

    If you are like me I have a high accruement of sick leave but never get questioned in the rare cases when I have to use it.

    Your employer is toxic but it could be possibly him/her taking frustration out on the Sick leave abusers (I see some of this frustration from my boss from the abusers)

    • ssfps on 28/01/2024 - 03:42

      Your employer is toxic but it could be possibly him/her taking frustration out on the Sick leave abusers (I see some of this frustration from my boss from the abusers)

      There's no such thing. An entitlement is an entitlement, and the boss can't know if somebody is genuine or not - they have no choice but to trust the person.
      Even extreme cases like somebody being "caught" in a lie has an entirely plausible defense that they are taking a mental health day due to stress, and they have the right to medical privacy and not having to tell the boss the details. Maybe it's true, maybe not. Indignant boss can't know.

      The real idiots are the employers that don't understand the cost of an employee includes sick leave, super contributions, etc, and/or the employees that don't make provisions for employees getting sick, getting hit by a bus, going on parental leave, etc.

  • BlahBlahBlaah on 27/01/2024 - 23:05
    +1

    Sounds like a company problem, not a You problem. Might be time to spruce up the old CV and at least take a looksie at what's out there, I definitely wouldn't hang around in a company such as you’ve described.

    In the short term, just substantiate each sick day with a medical certificate in case it all gets ugly for you. But no, nobody should ever feel guilty for taking legitimate sick days, end of story.

  • cybapete on 28/01/2024 - 20:48
    +1

    what makes it worse is when the boss's pets can take time off whenever they want but if someone else who rarely has time off takes one day then it's an issue

  • Willy Beamish on 29/01/2024 - 07:34
    +1

    shit management all it is

  • McCloud on 29/01/2024 - 08:40

    At my engineering workplace (working 7.5 years), many people just say they are sick and that they will be working from home or working from home where they can - which defeats the point unless they feel ok to work but don't want to spread their germs.

    I rarely take sick leave because I feel guilty and because I have so much work…

    My current status :-/
    Sick Leave Accrual
    412.244 Hours over 7.5 years.

    • FimpBARGAIN on 30/01/2024 - 08:52

      I know when the kids were in daycare post covid they wouldn't take them if they had the slightest sniffle (and they always do)
      No reason you can't be productive at home while the kid plays Lego on the floor, but can't come to work and leave them in bed all day

  • KiKH on 29/01/2024 - 15:29

    My company doesn't even count the sick leaves you use.
    Just a quick 'hey I'm sick and won't be in today' message in the morning.

  • transplanted on 04/02/2024 - 20:17

    The last time I used my 1 day sick leave my manager asked me thru Teams if Im gonna login and work in the afternoon.

    • Nugs on 04/02/2024 - 20:22

      I hope you were not monitoring teams on your sick day, hence would have only seen it on returning to work
      .

      • transplanted on 04/02/2024 - 20:23

        I didnt reply to him as my status was Offline, but I was pissed, seemed like he thinks I was lying…

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