made to feel guilty for being SICK!!!!?

Question

Hi - would appreciate kind words today - feelin very down

Been very sick since last week and took off Mon, Tues from work..even tho was sick went in on Wed ...coz felt pressurised from manager to come proove I was ill!
struggled thru Wed..coughing badly etc and evident to all at work ..look very ill!
Got doc's appt this Fri coz thats earliest they had and said to manager when leaving on Wed that I felt worse and prob can't come in tommorrow thurs.
i call in sick today as goin in made me worse (especially as there are 2 guys who keep staring at me nonstop!)
Have a good attendance rate overall, but I feel guilty by her that i am jus skiving when i am feeling very ill...and tried to come and work.
Director said can have xmas eve off unpaid...when i said to her that i am likely to be sick past Mon and asked if need to come in - she said hav to come in n show faces 4 half day!
Been good honest all my life am always hard on myself..feel bad dat this 1 time sick hav 2 proove it!

Answer 1

Once you are better you should look for a new job.

It is your employers responsibility to look after their employees ITS THE LAW. You should be entitled to some sick pay and you shouldn't be taking Christmas Eve off unpaid - you should be either getting full pay or 'statutory sick pay'. You can self certify for up to 7 days (you can get the certificates from your doctor's surgery reception).

I hope you get better soon, please take care of yourself!! I think you sound like a lovely person, and yes, you are too hard on yourself! *hugs*

Answer 2

We have such a high level of sickness in the UK, that most employers are sceptical to the level of actual real sickness out there.
It doesnt help when people who are not really ill ''throw a sickie'' to pop to town or just laze for the day because they can not be bothered.
These are the people that we have to thank for employers attitudes towards sickness.
Also it is Christmas time and your employer probably thinks your off to finish your shopping.
Absenteeism can cost a small business far more than just statutory sick pay, even large firms can lose money if there levels of sickness are high.
Go to the Doctors and ask him for a sick note get your prescribed medicines and take your note in to work. Tell them you are very sorry but you are not well and wont be staying.
If this is as you say your one time ill and you have been there for a while there is nothing they can do except take your sick note.
If you are genuinely ill then dont stress about it ill is ill!!
i hope you feel better soon.

Answer 3

This is not your fault, it's not even your companies fault, this is the fault of all those people who phone in sick for stupid reasons like a sore throat or just throwing a sickie.

It's their fault because if people only took time off when they were genuinely ill then companies would be fair and understanding, but when it's estimated that 40% of time off through sickness is staff just wanting a day off then you can understand why they act the way they do.

That's 40% of the staff being paid money to sit at home watching tv, or go shopping, or on a day out with the boyfriend, i'd call it stealing or fraud!

Your sickness record should prove to then your genuine, why not put it in writing to the company that you understand the pressures they are under and will do your very best to return to work as soon as possible,

Answer 4

Go to the doctor on Friday, get a medical certificate and hand it in when you go back. Also, as a curtisy, you could call her once you get back from the doctors and let her know what the doctor said so she knows that you are not faking it. It is your right to take time off when you are unwell and it is also bad for you to be there making everyone else sick too . So the best thing for you is to stay away until you are better for everyones sake. Your boss is probably feeling it as you are not doing your job and it sounds to me that you would pull more than your fair share of the duties at that place. Let it be a lesson to them as to how much they need you and don't feel bad, just get better.

Answer 5

Maybe it was best that you just said you'd let her know what the doctor said on Friday rather than saying that you think you'll still be ill past Monday.

That's 5 days a way, a long time for the body to recover a normal illness so maybe she is suspicious that you're trying it on. (How do you know you're gonna be ill in 5 days?)

You can only self certify for a week in the uk, after that you need a doctors note!

Hope you feel better soon,

All the best,

Becky x

Answer 6

I went through this same problem myself at my old work place, I was ill for a week,none stop sickness and my manager was ringing up my phone every day asking me when i would be back at work,she even did this to other girls that worked there,She was gettin really bitchy towards the end of the week and even slaggin me off to other memembers of staff, she also did this with the other girls that had time off,When I came back from the week off,I was still not feelin any better and the symtoms were gettin worse,so I had the rest of the week off,AGAIN the phones calls and bitchy coments started and when I came back to work,she had Referred my to occupational health for councilling sessions (basically she fort i had made the whole thing up and fort i was nutts) ABOUT two weeks later I found out I was pregnant,so I handed in my noticed and havent looked back. I still talk to one of the girls there and shes still the same. IF YOUR ILL THERES NOWT YOU CAN DO ABOUT!!!!!!
Stacey,Uk

Answer 7

You certainly seem to be genuinely ill and you could spread germs to other workers. Not sure what country you live in but don't you have a Union you could report this to???? Plus I assume you have a Doctor's certificate stating that you are indeed quite ill with flu or whatever. I hope they allow a certain amount of sick leave per 12 months and if you had used all of that up then I don't think you would be paid but if you haven't then you are entitled to sick leave and pay. Hope you are in a Union to ring and ask them.

Answer 8

That's just bollocks, you're allowed something like two weeks paid sick leave per year, check the law on this from the Department of Work and Pensions website.

A lot of employers either ignore it or don't even know the law, they're just slave drivers. Don't let them bully you, if they try to sack you for being off sick then they're breaking the law, you could sue but really you're better off without a boss like that.

If she forces your hand, just be sure to cough on as many co-workers as possible (including your boss at every opportunity). Fake a black out! Make your boss look stupid, I would.

Answer 9

Don't know why but I don't get that you are sick so if you are not convincing me, and I don't care either way, you really are not going to be convincing your bosses. A couple of years ago I had pneumonia and was very ill - had to have three months off work because I was too ill to work. do you know in all that time I never once turned on my PC - if you are well enough to play on the PC you are well enough to go to work.

Answer 10

My work is like that. We have sooo many people here though that do not want to work and will call in sick and then you will spot them on your lunch hour shopping or dining out! Our management takes a cynical view towards anyone who tries to call in ill and assumes everyone is lying! Its frustrating when you are ill and you feel pressured to come in anyway. I still come in when I am ill and suffer because I am afraid to lose my job.