how many sick days is too many or too often?

I'm currently on day 2 (well 1.8) of a week's sick leave. I have a sore back and my work involves heavy lifting a lot so I went in on Monday for 2 hours only to be told to go home and rest. I went to the doctor today and he told me I had to take a week off. So I'm off. Bored already.

Previous to this I've had no days sick in the year in my current job and 1 day sick in my previous job but to be fair I did knock myself out and get admitted to hospital (only to discharge myself), that was in 2 years.

I hate taking sick days, mainly because I've nothing planned and so get bored.
 
Fireskull said:
Im on about 20 odd weeks within 2 years do I win? :p
And ive just been called for Jury service, this I do not need :(
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Do you mind If I add you to msn if you use it? I have jury service in June so. I'm a complete noob and not sure what to expect
 
-BA- said:
If you haven't got the confidence to stay off work when you are on the verge of passing out, that's your own issue. You are an adult and companies have sickness policies for a reason and self-certification is there for a reason.

Abuse it at your peril but for the love of god don't think you have to go in to work to be inspected by your boss and given approval to go home. That's ridiculous.
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I didn't go in ill because I was scared of my boss not liking it, but to willingly go in and do my job until it was okay for the day or he had sorted someone else to do it, so that the office wouldn't be backed up for a week for every day that I was ill. And he would send me home, I would not ask to be sent home after showing him how ill I was.

Working in a company where people would pull sickies all the time to go shopping and other useless stuff, it was appreciated that I did what I was responsible for and tried going to work even when feeling like crap.
 
Twentyone said:
I didn't go in ill because I was scared of my boss not liking it, but to willingly go in and do my job until it was okay for the day or he had sorted someone else to do it, so that the office wouldn't be backed up for a week for every day that I was ill. And he would send me home, I would not ask to be sent home after showing him how ill I was.

Working in a company where people would pull sickies all the time to go shopping and other useless stuff, it was appreciated that I did what I was responsible for and tried going to work even when feeling like crap.
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your manager thinks you are a fool. if he cared then he would sort out the sick situation with the other members of staff.
 
Monserrat said:
I'm usually the 2-or-3-days-per-year type person. Earlier this year though I had to take 2 weeks off due to an eye problem. Couldn't wear contact lens and without it was house-bound. After all, you can't do much if your prescription is -26.5. It was pretty sickening that I had to take those 2 weeks off but it was the first time in my career.
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Good grief, -26.5! Mine is -7.5 with a side helping of 2.75 astigmatism and I'm not good for much without glasses or contacts. -26.5 must be just different shades of blur.
 
Our policy on sickness is simple .

1. No sickpay
2. Doctors note is required I think for anything more than 7 days
3. Any sick days will have a dramatic effect on end of year bonus .

Suffice to say our attendance is pretty good

So going back to the 0.P yes your sickness record is crap already.
 
Angilion said:
I wish people would take more days sick rather than coming into work infectious and spreading it around.
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+1

I can't stand people who boast that they haven't taken a day of sick for x years or whatever while at the same time they come in and spread their pestilence round the office.

I used to work next to exactly that kind of person. He came in once with an atrocious cold and managed to infect half the office with it. His "heroism" of not taking a couple of days off until he felt better cost the company around 20-30 man days as it spread round the office like wildfire.
 
Does anyone one else think there is link between sickness rate and who you work for, public v private. Ive found that in the public sector the rate is just stupidly high, atleast around my neck of the woods it is.
 
DJMK4 said:
Do you mind If I add you to msn if you use it? I have jury service in June so. I'm a complete noob and not sure what to expect
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Sure, address should be there when you click the msn logo under my avatar :p
Mines in Crown Court in Winchester so could be a big one!
 
If I'm ill I will not be in work, I don't want to spread what I have to other people and I would hope they would do the same. However a lot of people like to be a hero and come in no matter what, thanks for sharing. ;)

A lot of my sick time has been for surgery purposes though, or on-going illness which has got better the last couple of years.
 
Luckily my employers are very understanding, as last year I was off for most of Feb with appendicitis, was back to work for 3 weeks and then took Menengitis (not fun!)

But aside from those two instances I don't remember the last time I was off work for just a day or two.
 
I've been with my current employer for 3 and a half years. I've had 3 periods of illness during that time, twice for 1 day and once for 3 days. Each period has been at least 6 months apart. The last time was after over 18 months without a sickness absence.
 
It's all very well and good saying 'I always drag myself into work even when feeling like death warmed up', but there are jobs you can get away with doing that and some you can't. Friend of mine works as a mechanic, he could probably turn upto work and no-one would notice if he went for a snooze!
 
elmuzzy66. said:
Does anyone one else think there is link between sickness rate and who you work for, public v private. Ive found that in the public sector the rate is just stupidly high, atleast around my neck of the woods it is.
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Ahh but due to all the extra rest they get they do a stunning job when they are in work.

;)
 
elmuzzy66. said:
Does anyone one else think there is link between sickness rate and who you work for, public v private. Ive found that in the public sector the rate is just stupidly high, atleast around my neck of the woods it is.
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Working in the public sector you're on about, I can back it up.

I see it like this (locally):

You get people who are "fit" to work in the private sector, their sick leave rate = not much difference. Looking at the figures, an average of 3-5 days off sick.

You get people who could not be arsed with the private sector, their sick leave rate = absolutely immense. Again, quick look at figures, anything between 18 days to....48 days :eek:

14 people in my particular dept. I'd say 3/4 of them are huge abusers of doctors sympathy, if you get me.

(btw, 10 years, 20 sick days in total. I'll echo the sentiments about having kids and getting ill too...)
 
Does not look to good considering you have just started.

Been working for my firm for the last 18 years and I'm proud to say I have only had 8 days off due to illness. :)
 
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