Sickies?

Markatomic

Markatomic

Markatomic

Associate
Joined
22 Sep 2006
Posts
337
Location
Kent, England
Morning all,
Was just wondering how common it is for people to take sickies or what was once referred to as a 'mental health day'?
Not only do people take them and how often but do you ever feel bad about it or is it something you would never do?
Cheers
mark
 
Isn't a 'sicke' telling people you have a temporary, drastic illness that means there is no way you can come to work today BUT that you'll probably have recovered from your brain parasites tomorrow?
 
I've 'pulled a sickie' probably about 2 times ever... Dont really see the point in doing it habitually.
 
cleanbluesky said:
Isn't a 'sicke' telling people you have a temporary, drastic illness that means there is no way you can come to work today BUT that you'll probably have recovered from your brain parasites tomorrow?
Click to expand...

That could be a definition of the word, all the same it doesnt really answer the question. ;)
mark
 
I've not taken a real or fake sickie in my professional life (University onwards).

It helps that I'm field based and I manage my own time, so if I'm feeling like crap one day i'll just work from home.
 
I'm only part time staff at weekends. But in a year i took one day off sick, self inflicted by a heavy night of drinking, which lead to profuse violent vomitting, tiring me out and rendering me unable to work :p
 
Some people would say that phoning in sick when you really cant face work is often better for your job. Given that if you had gone in you would have been extremely unproductive and having the day off means you are better equipped to work the next day.
mark
 
Markatomic said:
Some people would say that phoning in sick when you really cant face work is often better for your job. Given that if you had gone in you would have been extremely unproductive and having the day off means you are better equipped to work the next day.
mark
Click to expand...
Also if its something contagious you could really put a downer on work.
 
i used to have a lot of time of school because i had a chest illness but thankfully it cleared up in time for my gcse's for some strange reason, and lately i have been getting it back again, not nice, i had to pull a few sickies off work for when i felt it coming back.
 
I have never taken a sickie unless i actually needed it.

However i know a lot of people who will go out the night before work then when they realised that they haven't been to sleep and its 7 in the morning ring in sick.
 
Skyfall said:
I've 'pulled a sickie' probably about 2 times ever... Dont really see the point in doing it habitually.
Click to expand...

whilst i'm not saying i've ever pulled a sickie myself, i think i can explain the point of them slightly..

where i work, you're allowed to take up to 5% of your working time off on uncertified sickness absence (i.e. without a doctor's note) in a year

now, i (allegedly) work 37.5 hours a week (actually closer to 45 but for the sake of this we'll assume adherance to the EU working time crud)

with 4 weeks of paid holiday in a year thats:

37.5 x 52 = 1950 hours a year

1950 - 150 = 1800 hours after holidays

5% of 1800 hours is 90 hours

90 hours is 12 whole days


which means that before my company does anything about my sick leave record i could, if i wanted to risk it, take 11 days extra paid leave per year.

it's a lame attitude to have but lots of people in this world aren't above this kind of thinking, so much so that my company in one of many considering gifting people who haven't bee off sick with extra holiday days per year now as an incentive :(
 
Markatomic said:
Morning all,
Was just wondering how common it is for people to take sickies or what was once referred to as a 'mental health day'?
Not only do people take them and how often but do you ever feel bad about it or is it something you would never do?
Cheers
mark
Click to expand...
I’ve taken plenty of them, its common, and the guilt I feel soon evaporates about a minute after I’ve gone back to bed.
 
had a couple before but i have been ill for real so i dont feel so bad about them but i no people that have come up with some really wierd sicky lines before
 
I would say over 50% of people at my work take sickies, and about 5 people use the 6 months full pay to there advantage. get a doctors note, then just keep getting extended notes to maximise there holiday.

I myself generally dont do sick or sick days, unless it's really bad.

I've had 5 days of in the last 3 and a bit years.

4 for food poisoning coming out both ends.
and 1 day for smashing my knee up at work.
 
The only days I pull as "sick" are days when I am actually sick.
The "Sickie" or basically not going into work when really maybe you should have - I've done that maybe once or twice in my life.

The thing is, I've never worked a job where I've really hated the idea of going into work.
Of course none of us like having to work and if given the option I'm sure none of us would.
However at the end of the day there are bills to be paid, so work I must.
My work is good, I like everyone I work with and to be honest I feel I'm letting them down if the reason for me not going in is because I was far too cosy in bed or basically couldn't be bothered.

Over the past 7 years I've worked for the company I currently do I've had about two weeks off as sick, a week or so when my father died and I think 1 day when I couldn't be bothered - I'd had enough that week.
It's jut the way I am with work really - it has to be done so I don't look for excuses not to go in, I just go in and get the job done.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom