Off Sick Tomorrow. Self Inflicted Injury.
Discussion
Was on a horse today for the first time in months. Went for a gallop knowing full well I wasn't fit enough and would be fairly beat up afterwords (and that was assuming I wasn't going to fall off). Net result is I'm jiggered. I have a very good sick leave record and get a lot done at home when I am off ill.
Two problems however. Me being off buggers up my bosses business and although I haven't been off much he mentioned tonight that he was very very unimpressed that the three occasions I have been off were all due to what he considered as self inflicted injuries (came off a mountain bike and sprained both wrists, bruised my coxyx badly flying off a chute showing nephews how much faster a grown man can decend lying on his back, using his shoulder blades as skis and making sure the chute was highly polished with a sweatshirt and now this (although I told him the horse had bolted).
Is sick sick or does a boss have a right to moan at how his staff become incapacitated.
Two problems however. Me being off buggers up my bosses business and although I haven't been off much he mentioned tonight that he was very very unimpressed that the three occasions I have been off were all due to what he considered as self inflicted injuries (came off a mountain bike and sprained both wrists, bruised my coxyx badly flying off a chute showing nephews how much faster a grown man can decend lying on his back, using his shoulder blades as skis and making sure the chute was highly polished with a sweatshirt and now this (although I told him the horse had bolted).
Is sick sick or does a boss have a right to moan at how his staff become incapacitated.
davepoth said:
Once is unlucky, twice is coincidence, by the time you've injured yourself three times by being a prat it begins to look like a pattern. IMO your boss is doing you a favour. 
I don't know about being a prat. Have always enjoyed downhill mountain biking, skiing, horse riding, motorbikes etc. Problem is I'm getting close to 50 and my poor old body is starting to struggle. Tannedbaldhead said:
I have a very good sick leave record and get a lot done at home when I am off ill. .
If you get a lot done at home then surely the fact that you're not physically IN work won't have a great impact on your boss or the business , so I'm not sure why he's making an issue of it?Countdown said:
Tannedbaldhead said:
I have a very good sick leave record and get a lot done at home when I am off ill. .
If you get a lot done at home then surely the fact that you're not physically IN work won't have a great impact on your boss or the business , so I'm not sure why he's making an issue of it?Boss sounds like a bit of an arse to me
Business buggered because a staff member is missing - oh dear - to me it seems prudent that if your business is dependent on a staff member been available during the working week - then surely youd have contingency plans in place to deal with that staff members absence.
From here it sounds like the boss is f
ked off because he has had to go out to a site or other such things when he didn't want to and is fked off as a result.
I can see why his unimpressed to a degree - but he should plan his business to deal with situations where a staff member gets injured or is ill - because these are situations that occour in every business that employs staff.
In fact I believe that businesses can get insurance cover to deal with a key manager/partner been ill etc for a period of time.
That's aimed at mega senior staff/owners/partners though - but I mention it to illustrate that things do happen.
Time to look for a new job id say - if this attitude is normal in general with this boss.
All imo of course
Business buggered because a staff member is missing - oh dear - to me it seems prudent that if your business is dependent on a staff member been available during the working week - then surely youd have contingency plans in place to deal with that staff members absence.
From here it sounds like the boss is f
ked off because he has had to go out to a site or other such things when he didn't want to and is fked off as a result.I can see why his unimpressed to a degree - but he should plan his business to deal with situations where a staff member gets injured or is ill - because these are situations that occour in every business that employs staff.
In fact I believe that businesses can get insurance cover to deal with a key manager/partner been ill etc for a period of time.
That's aimed at mega senior staff/owners/partners though - but I mention it to illustrate that things do happen.
Time to look for a new job id say - if this attitude is normal in general with this boss.
All imo of course
You must have had a pretty hard fall to be off work tomorrow. If going for a ride has knackered you that badly that you can't work then I can see your bosses gripe. FFS you may be a bit stiff tomorrow, but a day off?
You don't know how you will be in the morning yet you have already called in sick.
As a boss I would be pissed off.
You don't know how you will be in the morning yet you have already called in sick.
As a boss I would be pissed off.
OscarIndia said:
You must have had a pretty hard fall to be off work tomorrow. If going for a ride has knackered you that badly that you can't work then I can see your bosses gripe. FFS you may be a bit stiff tomorrow, but a day off?
You don't know how you will be in the morning yet you have already called in sick.
As a boss I would be pissed off.
Well taking the OPs post at face value - it seems he has a very good sickness record, I will also admit to assuming the OP has been a very good employee generally.You don't know how you will be in the morning yet you have already called in sick.
As a boss I would be pissed off.
Playing devils advocate here - you can be pissed off at an employee for an issue like this - but a sensible boss (imo) would recognise that a particular employee is generally very good at their work - so you know - you might live with the fact that said employee goes riding horses, mountain biking and other such things - which with the best will in the world - do carry a risk of injury.
Oh and a sensible boss would not design his work procedures in a way that completely messes up the business should 1 member of staff not be available to work due to injury.
Normally - if a staff member is off - its hassle for most businesses - but most businesses manage to survive for a bit.
What id really like to know though is how long the OP has been with the company - if its 15 years - then the boss is been a complete idiot imo.
If hes been there a year though - then the boss been very unhappy is a lot more understandable.
OscarIndia said:
He said he was jiggered, not injured and already has called in sick. That's what would get my goat.
If he had had a fall and was injured I could understand it, but this sounds weak.
Have you ever gone for a sustained gallop on a horse when you are out of condition and pushing 50? For "jiggered" read temporarily crippled.If he had had a fall and was injured I could understand it, but this sounds weak.
Sir Fergie said:
Oh and a sensible boss would not design his work procedures in a way that completely messes up the business should 1 member of staff not be available to work due to injury.
Normally - if a staff member is off - its hassle for most businesses - but most businesses manage to survive for a bit.
What id really like to know though is how long the OP has been with the company - if its 15 years - then the boss is been a complete idiot imo.
If hes been there a year though - then the boss been very unhappy is a lot more understandable.
Less than a year Normally - if a staff member is off - its hassle for most businesses - but most businesses manage to survive for a bit.
What id really like to know though is how long the OP has been with the company - if its 15 years - then the boss is been a complete idiot imo.
If hes been there a year though - then the boss been very unhappy is a lot more understandable.
. He's lost four days in that time and on balance there have been plenty of late finishes, unpaid Saturday mornings and work taken home that have more than made up for the time he lost.It's a smallish company and therefore, to an extent, everyone is key. Although he has kicked off at me his biggest bugbear is the footballers. There haven't been that many injuries but his attitude is it only takes a couple of broken legs to lose a substantial number of man-hours.
Similar happened to me earlier in the year.
I didn't take any sick leave though, otherwise I would have been off for over a week at least.
I could hardly drive, hardly sit, hardly stand, hardly walk.
But it was self inflicted and so I went for treatment and took strong pain killers to get me through it
I didn't take any sick leave though, otherwise I would have been off for over a week at least.
I could hardly drive, hardly sit, hardly stand, hardly walk.
But it was self inflicted and so I went for treatment and took strong pain killers to get me through it
Tannedbaldhead said:
Have you ever gone for a sustained gallop on a horse when you are out of condition and pushing 50? For "jiggered" read temporarily crippled.
Yes, I used to event. I went out two weeks ago having not been on a horse for 10 years sure I was a little saddle sore, but nothing that would mean a day off. Nowhere near.
You do know you are meant to sit on top of the horse and not carry it?
Is being off due to falling off a horse any different from being off with a stinking hangover? Can't imagine the second one would get any sympathy, both are self inflicted.
Also, what is a "good" sickness record? 4 days in less than a year doesn't sound that great to me - genuinely interested, not having a go.
Also, what is a "good" sickness record? 4 days in less than a year doesn't sound that great to me - genuinely interested, not having a go.
I had a lot of sympathy for you up until I saw the actual figures, 4 days off in less than a year is not a good sickness record, I've been off once for 2 days in the last 6 years and that's about an average sick record from the people I know.
Your boss is probably starting to think you are a bit of a liability, time to start thinking about the consequences of your actions before you indulge in any other pursuits that may leave you incapable of work. I've actually got more sympathy for the footballers, people keeping themselves healthy through exercise is actually beneficial for a company in the long run, but doing something you know is going to mess you up on a Sunday shows a lack of respect for your employer.
Your boss is probably starting to think you are a bit of a liability, time to start thinking about the consequences of your actions before you indulge in any other pursuits that may leave you incapable of work. I've actually got more sympathy for the footballers, people keeping themselves healthy through exercise is actually beneficial for a company in the long run, but doing something you know is going to mess you up on a Sunday shows a lack of respect for your employer.
Edited by anonymous-user on Tuesday 12th November 08:50
Parsnip said:
Is being off due to falling off a horse any different from being off with a stinking hangover? Can't imagine the second one would get any sympathy, both are self inflicted.
Also, what is a "good" sickness record? 4 days in less than a year doesn't sound that great to me - genuinely interested, not having a go.
4 days in a year is not 'good' It isn't terrible, although it rather depends on the number of occasions. 4 separate instances of 1 day is bad...Also, what is a "good" sickness record? 4 days in less than a year doesn't sound that great to me - genuinely interested, not having a go.
The fact is that the OP's problems here have been caused by his own fool-hardyness. You know you haven't ridden a horse in ages, therefore shouldn't have ridden it like you did, and now you can't work. If I were your boss, I'd be hacked off at another sick day.
My brother used to play football regularly and was a salesman out on the road for his day job. After the second instance of ankle sprain playing football, meaning he couldn't drive and therefore couldn't sell, his boss "suggested" that he quit playing competitive football.
Guess what? That's exactly what he did - no questions asked. Your job is your job...
Personally, if I were the OP, I'd be very apologetic and offer to take it as a holiday day.
Bluequay said:
I had a lot of sympathy for you up until I saw the actual figures, 4 days off in less than a year is not a good sickness record, I've been off once for 2 days in the last 6 years and that's about an average sick record from the people I know.
Your boss is probably starting to think you are a bit of a liability, time to start thinking about the consequences of your actions before you indulge in any other pursuits that may leave you incapable of work.
Average sick days per employee currently 7.6 - http://www.cipd.co.uk/research/_absence-managementYour boss is probably starting to think you are a bit of a liability, time to start thinking about the consequences of your actions before you indulge in any other pursuits that may leave you incapable of work.
4 days is pretty good.
GadgeS3C said:
Bluequay said:
I had a lot of sympathy for you up until I saw the actual figures, 4 days off in less than a year is not a good sickness record, I've been off once for 2 days in the last 6 years and that's about an average sick record from the people I know.
Your boss is probably starting to think you are a bit of a liability, time to start thinking about the consequences of your actions before you indulge in any other pursuits that may leave you incapable of work.
Average sick days per employee currently 7.6 - http://www.cipd.co.uk/research/_absence-managementYour boss is probably starting to think you are a bit of a liability, time to start thinking about the consequences of your actions before you indulge in any other pursuits that may leave you incapable of work.
4 days is pretty good.
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