# Sick Leave



## kiwifruit (19 Nov 2009)

I have had 3 weeks and 4 days certified sick leave since January of this year.  On 2 occasions I was contagious so there was absolutely no way I could go into work.  Anyway today I was called into HR for a pre prodcedural meeting ie before disciplinary action.  My question is can they take disciplinary action against me when my sick leave is certified and is my leave excessive?


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## bacchus (20 Nov 2009)

Is there no more to it than just the 5 weeks certified sick leave?


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## Deas (20 Nov 2009)

That's a lot of sick leave - almost the equivalent of a normal person's annual leave entitlement.  If you get the standard 20 days per year annual leave, you have effectively been missing from work for two full months in the twelve.  You need to ascertain if there are any patterns involved that HR might be looking at; i.e  sick leave immediately before/after holidays, at beginning /end of week.  Granted you might have been ill; however if I was in HR's shoes there I would have you to a company GP for assessment.  I would be looking at two areas - 1.  If you are genuinely sick or messing the company about; and 2.  If you are genuinely sick, is there a bigger issue healthwise that even you might not be aware of.


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## kiwifruit (20 Nov 2009)

I was just unlucky.  I had conjunctivitis therefore highly contagious and was certified from work dr to be out for 1 week in Jan, I then contacted the winter vomiting bug from work and ended out for 2 weeks in Feb because I was continuously vomiting for 10 days. Again winter vomiting bug highly contagious.  I then got 2 throat infections and had two days out with them one in july and one in oct.  As you can see there is no pattern I was just unlucky.


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## Brighid (20 Nov 2009)

kiwifruit said:


> I was just unlucky. I had conjunctivitis therefore highly contagious and was certified from work dr to be out for 1 week in Jan, I then contacted the winter vomiting bug from work and ended out for 2 weeks in Feb because I was continuously vomiting for 10 days. Again winter vomiting bug highly contagious. I then got 2 throat infections and had two days out with them one in july and one in oct. As you can see there is no pattern I was just unlucky.


 I have to say I never heard of conjuntivis being highly contagious and winter vomiting bug 48to 72 hours is the norm incubation period, u were extremeley unlucky.


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## pudds (20 Nov 2009)

I once had very severe conjunctivis and was attending for hospital treatment and at no time was I told it was contagious and agree with other poster, ie not contagiousl


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## kiwifruit (20 Nov 2009)

For those that do not believe conjuctivitis is contaigous please see below, I was certified off sick by a hospital consultant because it was so infective.
[broken link removed]


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## Emma1980 (20 Nov 2009)

i've had conjuctivitis a few times and eye drops sorts it out within a day or two...it is contagious alright, i passed it from one eye to the other ha! maybe i just didn't have it as bad as some....


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## Mucker Man (20 Nov 2009)

Hi Kiwifruit, what was your absence record like last year? Surely if you have an unblemished record from previous years this will stand to you in your HR meeting.


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## Jewel (20 Nov 2009)

Yes, it is quite normal practice. 
According to your details, you've had 4 instances of sick leave during the year. Regardless of the reasons, this is quite high. It works out at an absenteeism rate of approx 8% which is high. 

Many organisations have a process in place whereby after 2 instances they have a "Return To Work" conversation with the employee , so certainly after 4 absences I would not be surprised to hear you have been invited to a meeting. 

You state that it's a "pre-procedural" meeting .. I havent' heard that term before, but it sounds to me that the purpose of the meeting will most probably be to raise awareness i.e. to point out to you that regardless of the reasons for the sick leave, or regardless as to whether the absences were certified or not, the company have a concern with the level of absenteeism.
The best thing you can do is go into the meeting with an open attitude... don't be defensive about the absences... certainly, give the reasons for the absences, but don't get too focused on the fact that they were certified because it doesn't matter. 

Most organisations that manage absenteeism levels tightly like this will manage to have quite low absenteeism rates.


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## AlbacoreA (21 Nov 2009)

I'm sure theres all different levels of conjuctivitis. Just because someone gets a mild version of it, doesn't mean someone else can't get a severe version. It is very easy to spread which is why you take precautions when cleaning eyes etc, and not reusing wipes. Also it wouldn't be the first time someone got incorrect information from a hospital would it?

When the kids get it, I get it pretty bad. But because I was a contractor, and didn't get sick leave I went to work with it. I may have taken a day or two, I can't remember it was a good while ago. But in hindsight it was a bad idea, working on a laptop, and even driving was a bad idea when your eyes are streaming and clogged with goo. Not to mention passing it on to colleagues. Mine usually took best part of a week to clear up. 

If your sick there nothing you can do about it. Most companies will check it out. While some people never get sick, anyone can have a bad run.


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## AgathaC (21 Nov 2009)

jewel said:


> the best thing you can do is go into the meeting with an open attitude... Don't be defensive about the absences... Certainly, give the reasons for the absences, but don't get too focused on the fact that they were certified because it doesn't matter.


+1.


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## Papercut (21 Nov 2009)

Have any of your colleagues had similar amounts of certified sick leave in the past & been called to a similar meeting?

Also, are you a member of a Trade Union?


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## AlbacoreA (21 Nov 2009)

Its probably HR just crossing the T's and dotting the i's to over their own back, and doing what the company policy dictates. I know people who had serious illnesses which went on for months and it would be usual to get HR involved in cases like that. But there were no problems.


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## sparkeee (21 Nov 2009)

listen to what they have to say,ask for documentation,if your not happy tell them you will be consulting a solicitor.


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## Jewel (21 Nov 2009)

sparkeee said:


> listen to what they have to say,ask for documentation,if your not happy tell them you will be consulting a solicitor.


 

OP, I would seriously disregard this kind of advice.
An attitude like this will get you absolutely no place, except into a confrontational situation with your employer. 

Your employer is doing nothing wrong.... all they are doing is managing absenteeism in the business.  Tossing words around like "I'm consulting my solicitor" just because you don't like what they're saying would be a silly, immature attitude to display. 
You'll get a lot further if you listen to what they have to say and the reasoning behind what they are saying and maybe take on board the fact that you absenteeism rate is very high, and that it is your responsbiility to maintain low levels of absenteeism.


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## Teatime (22 Nov 2009)

I always thought kiwi fruits were exceptionally high in vitamin C and thus very good for building up your immune system...do you eat any?


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## Purple (23 Nov 2009)

Jewel said:


> OP, I would seriously disregard this kind of advice.
> An attitude like this will get you absolutely no place, except into a confrontational situation with your employer.
> 
> Your employer is doing nothing wrong.... all they are doing is managing absenteeism in the business.  Tossing words around like "I'm consulting my solicitor" just because you don't like what they're saying would be a silly, immature attitude to display.
> You'll get a lot further if you listen to what they have to say and the reasoning behind what they are saying and maybe take on board the fact that you absenteeism rate is very high, and that it is your responsbiility to maintain low levels of absenteeism.



+1 Good advice


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