Days off for exhaustion

norris9 · Post by **norris9** » 24 Jun 2020, 22:43

Is exhaustion a valid reason for being off work on sick pay?

Obviously a lot of posties will be tired and have aches and pains, but surely a lot of us hit points maybe once or twice a year where we are utterly knackered.

Have any of you posties taken time off on sick pay to recover from consistent aches/pains/exhaustion and is it an accepted reason to have time off from this job?

Post by **aiden01** » 24 Jun 2020, 23:15

norris9 wrote:Is exhaustion a valid reason for being off work on sick pay?

Obviously a lot of posties will be tired and have aches and pains, but surely a lot of us hit points maybe once or twice a year where we are utterly knackered.

Have any of you posties taken time off on sick pay to recover from consistent aches/pains/exhaustion and is it an accepted reason to have time off from this job?

Would you honestly phone in sick saying your exhausted because of work?? you will be laughed at i would imagine.just think how many people would love to be exhausted after a days work.

Dindin · Post by **Dindin** » 24 Jun 2020, 23:26

I suppose you could be feeling lethargic

Post by **wacko74** » 25 Jun 2020, 06:09

Exhaustion often seems to be a valid enough reason for many actors, singers and other general 'luvvies' to take time off from their punishing schedules, so I don't see why not for a postie.

On a more serious note if you are feeling worn out and just need a few days r&r and there's no underlying condition causing you to feel exhausted, it would probably be easier to just say you've twisted your knee or ankle.

norris9 · Post by **norris9** » 25 Jun 2020, 07:26

aiden01 wrote:Would you honestly phone in sick saying your exhausted because of work?? you will be laughed at i would imagine.just think how many people would love to be exhausted after a days work.

No I would not use the word exhausted as I understand it comes across a bit like 'I can't be bothered, I am too lazy'. But just wondered if anyone else has used this word when phoning up to say they can't come in. Obviously you can use better terminology like 'hit the wall' or say you have severe pain in your knees, legs, feet.

But as the guy above says, exhaustion can be serious, mental and physical....and going out on a round, especially the more physical rounds is not a good idea if you are not in a good mental/physical state.

cpsteve · Post by **cpsteve** » 25 Jun 2020, 11:52

Thats what holidays are for try and spread them out.

norris9 · Post by **norris9** » 25 Jun 2020, 15:17

cpsteve wrote:Thats what holidays are for try and spread them out.

I have heard about 'buying holiday', but never looked further into it....

I have always assumed that you effectively book days off on top of your holiday allowance, but these days you have off are obviously not paid. Is that how it works? and is 'buying holiday' a thing any postie has the opportunity of doing and is there a maximum amount of days per year you are entitled to book off unpaid? or is it just something you just ask for and a manager will say yes or no.

Basically....what the heck is it and how does it work?

grchpo · Post by **grchpo** » 25 Jun 2020, 19:26

POAL.... Purchase of Annual Leave

norris9 · Post by **norris9** » 25 Jun 2020, 19:30

grchpo wrote:POAL.... Purchase of Annual Leave

thanks - I will look this up.

glass joe · Post by **glass joe** » 25 Jun 2020, 20:32

Every office has staff who just play the system and take an extra 2 weeks off a year sick (just to relax or do some decorating) and fly under the radar, with the sick policies once you take one day off sick you may as well take the whole week off and it will count the same as taking just one day off.

paul1231 · Post by **paul1231** » 25 Jun 2020, 21:17

They'd probably just laugh and tell you you have to come in. I don't really ring in sick often but i know exactly how you feel sometimes a couple of months can fly by and i feel absolutely fine then all of a sudden can just have a week or two where i feel awful and lacking energy massively and it can happen at easier times of the year just as much. Id say if you had a good sickness record maybe think about taking a few days but id be hesitant to ring in and just say your exhausted to be honest

Janet Brum · Post by **Janet Brum** » 25 Jun 2020, 21:25

Norris, have you considered doing less overtime in order to not get that exhausted?

Try doing a 10 hours on top of your 25 for a week if you need the money, tell your manager you need to finish in time and can`t go over if you`re happy with your contracted hours wage and go home and rest half day, also don`t work your day off.

Just a thought.

cpsteve · Post by **cpsteve** » 26 Jun 2020, 11:07

glass joe wrote:Every office has staff who just play the system and take an extra 2 weeks off a year sick (just to relax or do some decorating) and fly under the radar, with the sick policies once you take one day off sick you may as well take the whole week off and it will count the same as taking just one day off.

And these people should be sacked they dont deserve a job.

HA1 · Post by **HA1** » 26 Jun 2020, 14:06

cpsteve wrote:
glass joe wrote:Every office has staff who just play the system and take an extra 2 weeks off a year sick (just to relax or do some decorating) and fly under the radar, with the sick policies once you take one day off sick you may as well take the whole week off and it will count the same as taking just one day off.
And these people should be sacked they dont deserve a job.

+1

Acca Dacca · Post by **Acca Dacca** » 26 Jun 2020, 16:19

cpsteve wrote:
glass joe wrote:Every office has staff who just play the system and take an extra 2 weeks off a year sick (just to relax or do some decorating) and fly under the radar, with the sick policies once you take one day off sick you may as well take the whole week off and it will count the same as taking just one day off.
And these people should be sacked they dont deserve a job.

I thought the same until I once was off sick on a Tuesday, was pressured into coming back Wednesday while not 100% but felt obliged to help out, felt terrible halfway round the walk but struggled on and completed albeit late, phoned back in on the Thursday because I wasnt making THAT mistake again and returned on the Friday

For my efforts in trying to return too soon I ended up getting a stage further down the line because that counted as two absences when if I just took the full week off and didnt bother trying to come in not fully fit i'd not have got the stage

So in essence - I dont blame the guys who play the system - the system is broke