Really p***** do you think I'm over reacting? *Long*

**willow5** · September 18th, 2011, 08:25 PM

Ok so I'd like to know if I'm over reacting or if I'm right to be feeling this way...

Last month I was sick, just a coldy type bug but enough to be coughing and spluttering and generally miserable. I knew we were short staffed at work, really short! So I went in on the Monday feeling crap. A co-worker (lets call her L) noticed I wasn't well and asked why I had come in. I told her I would knew how short staffed we were and that I was already doing my job and someone else's so me being off would leave a big hole in the roster that week. L said she thought it was pretty crap I had to be at work when I wasn't feeling well and that it had happened to her in the past.

Ok so the next day I get a call from my boss, she also knew I wasn't well. She said she had managed to fill my shift for the next day and not to come in. I felt bad as I knew it was a hassle but wasn't going to argue too much and took the time off. I also felt bad for going in because I was worried about spreading the bug.

Skip forward a week. I go in the next Monday to find that L isn't at work. Another co-worker (lets call her M ) tells me she's sick, off for the week with a bad back. M was on covering her shift that day.

So I then find out that L is basically faking her back problem and was actually away with a friend on holiday. Apparently she didn't have any annual leave left she planned to have a week off sick. She got a medical certificate from her Chiro to say she couldn't work for a week.

This really annoyed me. We don't just have casual replacement staff on hand to fill shifts at short notice. If Someone is sick others have to work extra shifts and or come in on their days off to cover them. I dragged myself in when I wasn't well, wore a mask and gloves so as not to spread the love, then felt bad to have 2 days off. Yet she thinks it's ok to plan to have a whole week off "sick" and stuff around everyone else in the process.

What adds insult to injury is the week after I see photos on facebook with her tagged, participating in the Michelle Bridges 12 week challenge! So while she's off with a bad back, she's actually off in Brisbane, exercising and going to celebration dinners & parties afterwards.

When she realised the photos were up she made up a complete bull **** story to try to cover it. Then followed it up the next week with more lies. (I'm the only one at work that is connected with her on facebook)

So now I'm here sick as a dog, no way I'm going to be able to work tomorrow so I've already let the boss know. But I still feel bad calling in sick. So I think it's made me stew on L's week off again. Geez I feel bad when I am sick having a day off, how could she fake a whole week off, then lie, twice, with out batting an eyelid?

Would this annoy you? Or am I just being too precious?

ADDIT: The smiley in the title was actually supposed to be a little cranky face I must've clicked the wrong one while blowing my nose

**Tinks** · September 18th, 2011, 08:28 PM

That would pee me off! Sick leave is for being sick! If she had planned a holiday she should have taken holiday leave!

**~StarBright~** · September 18th, 2011, 08:29 PM

This would annoy me!!! You have every right to be PO'd!!!! You are legitimately sick and feeling awful for some well earned time off work and she is just living it up without a care in the world- and getting paid for it thanks to her handy chiro!!!!

I would almost feel like dobbing her in myself, or making a snide comment once she is back at work.. but thats just me lol!!

**delphmoon** · September 18th, 2011, 08:36 PM

While I see why your annoyed, some people are just like that and arn't as committed to working in a team as you are.

To be honest, don't waste your energy thinking to hard about it...concentrate on getting better I think

**LionsandBears** · September 18th, 2011, 08:37 PM

I'd be seriously PO'd too. She taking advantage of her employer and colleagues and committing medical fraud too probably (i'm not a lawyer).

My values are not aligned with people who behave like that. I'd have no respect. Btw- pretty sure it's grounds for dismissal and if I were her employer, I'd fire her.

**feeb** · September 18th, 2011, 08:43 PM

Grrr that is sooooooooooo wrong grrr.

Hope you feel better soon.

xoxo

**Stephie** · September 18th, 2011, 08:45 PM

I'm with Tashybabe, I'd be completely peeved and pretty sure she could get fired for it!

**Mother Goose** · September 18th, 2011, 08:53 PM

Yes, I'd be peeved too! Gives me the right royal willies when people do this at work.

**RhiChiChi** · September 18th, 2011, 09:07 PM

:-( Firstly, I hope you feel better soon. Better to rest and get completely well than to call in sick for extended periods of time.
In regards to the other person who called in 'sick', she is really not worth the worry over and I hope she realises how inconsiderate she has really been

**Catastrophic** · September 18th, 2011, 09:58 PM

Yea that would Peeve me off too!

I hope your feeling better!

**Cranky Kitten** · September 18th, 2011, 10:03 PM

I'd be pretty ratty over it too, however it's not really worth stewing about - these things do have a way of coming back to bite peoples on the buttocks later on.

Hope you're better soon.

**willow5** · September 18th, 2011, 09:58 PM

Thanks girls at least I know it's not just me. DP was a bit kinda "yeah that sucks but oh well" so I thought maybe it was just me.

Thanks for all the get well wishes too

Delph I know I'm probably wasting too much energy on thinking about it but it's really just got under my skin.

I did think about dobbing her in, but well I don't really know why I haven't. If my boss came out and asked, I don't think I could not tell, actually there's no way I wouldn't. I just don't feel right about going straight out and telling. That sounds so school yard

I guess I try to think that there's a good reason for peoples behaviour when they do something that appears to be selfish, rude or the like. I just haven't been able to find a reason for it in this case.

Just to make it even worse, which could also be why it's dredged it up again. We have some compulsory training in a couple of weeks. It's at night and off site, over the other side of town actually. My co-worker M doesn't like driving at night so she asked if I would give her a lift, she lives close and we've car pooled before, no drama at all. Then last week L (who is sort of friends with M outside of work another long story altogether) found out I was giving M a lift. So she, after trying to get out of the training mind you, put her name down for the same session and asked if I'd take her as well. I must be a sucker because I said yes

Now all I keep thinking is omg who are you??! You blatantly lie to me twice then have the gall to ask me for a lift

I couldn't really say no I'm sure it would've caused a drama, and I can't be bothered with that at work. Probably why I'm here whinging to you guys

Twinkle I really hadn't thought of that! If she's that fluent a liar she just might try the compo card I guess.

Sorry if I'm rambling. I just felt I wanted to get it out there to sort out in my head what, if anything, I should do.

**lilima** · September 18th, 2011, 10:18 PM

As annoying as it is,( my boss does it all the time) she is entitled to the sick days and has a certificate. How she uses her sick days is ultimately her choice, and no one else can tell her what to do " while "sick." so as peeved as you may be ( and I totally feel your pain, as I am let down by my boss all the time) nothing can be done. Also remember appearances can be deceptive. As someone who suffers anxiety that no one at work knows about. I have had to take days off for *me* time before (albeit few and far between) and she may have legit reasons that you would never know about.

Anyway just trying to give you a different POV.

***Twinkle*** · September 18th, 2011, 08:51 PM

I would be livid and would seriously tell your boss! I manage staff and I would wantto know about this especially being a lied about bad back...what if she went on comp later on and blamed work!?

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**black_rose** · September 25th, 2011, 05:21 PM

I would be telling her to stop pulling that nonsense about the fake back or you will be telling the boss.

**Floweryfields** · September 25th, 2011, 05:42 PM

I would be telling her to stop pulling that nonsense about the fake back or you will be telling the boss.

Yeah, tell her you're onto her faking illnesses all the time and she needs to pull her head in!

**peanutter** · September 25th, 2011, 08:19 PM

a client of mine found out one of his employees had done this (someone had dobbed her in annonymously - I think from providing some printouts from Facebook) and he figured out when she'd be flying back in and met her at the airport on her way home from Queensland, to inform her she was fired immediately, for breach of contract.

because she'd breached her contract, her entitlements etc were pretty limited ...

I wonder if she felt hard done by, or whether she ultimately felt it was her just desserts ...

**willow5** · September 25th, 2011, 09:29 PM

I wonder if she felt hard done by, or whether she ultimately felt it was her just desserts ...

I would be so embarrassed there's no way I could feel hard done by

But then I guess that's the difference between even being able to do it in the first place. Now I know everyone at some point chucks a sickie, but a whole week and for going interstate for a pretty public and active event is just a bit beyond it, specially to then keep playing on it.

I am going to find it very hard not to say anything to her if she pulls the "Oh my back" excuse to me this week. I have to give her a lift to the fire training this Tuesday, so I'm hoping she doesn't play on it to get out of using an extinguisher or anything

I have killer PMS I doubt I'd be able to control myself.

Thanks again everyone for your replies and listening to me vent