Paying another postie to do your shift? Allowed? Going rate?

[cheerful]

My back got screwed last week and it doesn't seem to be getting better, I'd like a day or two off, and know a postie who knows the walk well, is friends with my partner, and is on annual leave and would probably want the hours.

I should probably tell a manager and book it as sick leave, I'm very rarely off sick, I've had 1 day in the past year (and 2 weeks covid isolation after the Mrs got it, but I don't think Covid counted). A few days off wouldn't put me on a Stage 1, but I can just about work with my bad back (slowly and moderately painfully). We've also just got a genuinely good manager and I'd rather him not think I'm someone often taking sickies.

What's the going rate for paying someone to cover your shift? I'm meeting the van on delivery (waysider, not going to the depot), on a 5 hour/day contract. The walk takes about 4.5 hours.

Is paying a postie to cover your shift allowed by management? Do they care? Is it something considered seriously wrong?

[andybfc]

Wtf. You are sick. Ring in sick. Relax.

[matthew68]

My back got screwed last week and it doesn't seem to be getting better, I'd like a day or two off, and know a postie who knows the walk well, is friends with my partner, and is on annual leave and would probably want the hours.

I should probably tell a manager and book it as sick leave, I'm very rarely off sick, I've had 1 day in the past year (and 2 weeks covid isolation after the Mrs got it, but I don't think Covid counted). A few days off wouldn't put me on a Stage 1, but I can just about work with my bad back (slowly and moderately painfully). We've also just got a genuinely good manager and I'd rather him not think I'm someone often taking sickies.

What's the going rate for paying someone to cover your shift? I'm meeting the van on delivery (waysider, not going to the depot), on a 5 hour/day contract. The walk takes about 4.5 hours.

Is paying a postie to cover your shift allowed by management? Do they care? Is it something considered seriously wrong?

What! Is this for real? If you’ve done your back in and are hardly sick why the hell would you pay someone to do your round? If your back is too bad to work go sick! We had a guy off for 3 months with bad back recently and he got full pay so why are you prepared to pay someone else out of your money, also how is that person on annual leave I thought it was banned in December?

[Ali831]

Of course it wouldn't be permitted to pay someone to cover your shift. What about the tax implications for a start? Call in sick and let them worry about covering your duty.

[Yamr1]

Not aloud it's in the way forward agreement

[Creditshampoo]

Don’t care about the company, they don’t care about yoy

[Celtic warrior]

Go sick my friend.
Why put yourself in financial hardship for a genuine injury / sickness.
As you say that you are very rarely off on sick leave, no manager in their right mind would think bad of someone who has to take some time off on the sick to get well.
Worst case scenario is that if you have to take longer off than a few days you won't be worried as the process is in place for proper rest and recuperation to get fit to carry out a strenuous job.

[Shirtbuttons]

Oh my god! I’ve heard it all now. The future is bleak.

[Kooyong]

Who cares what this so called 'genuinely good manager' thinks. Do it by the book like the managers do when it comes to sick leave. You won't be any better thought of for carrying on when you're injured

[Bahia Feliz]

People used to pay people to do their walk on an easy Saturday in the good old days,finish your walk at 10 and do your pals walk till about 2 for cash in hand

[cheerful]

Thanks for the responses.

If my back was worse then I'd take sick leave, but it's just on the side of being able to work.

I do some stretches in the morning, take some ibuprofen and use a TENS machine, and I'm OK for a couple of hours, then it starts getting painful and slows me down.

I've had a day off before with a bad back, could barely get out of bed then, but this time I can work with it, just would much prefer a couple of days rest to see if it'll heal without using a physio.

[Creditshampoo]

You get sick pay dude, use it. Rest up and don’t feel guilty

[Postie45]

There really is no telling some people is there?... Soldier on then, the shareholders will appreciate it (or not)

[sfxdby]

Everybody is so disappointed that you won't go sick that none of them have answered your question.

I should think £10 an hour cash in hand would be more than enough, not that it's allowed.
That's what I have paid in the past - £80 to have a Saturday covered (7.5 hours)

[claretandblue]

Goes on all the time in our office if you can't get a day off, £70 is the going rate.