Crying wolf and paying for it
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (325584)
Rockingham, Australia
February 6, 2023 7:15am CST
MyLotter nuttybooklady (@lazydaizee) wrote about February 6th being National Sickie Day. You can catch up here: https//:www.mylot.com/post/3542800/national-sickie-day. She wrote that more workers call in sick on the first Monday in February than on any other day. Hopefully their reasons are always legitimate, but it reminded me of an incident at my husband’s workplace some years ago.
Vince worked at the Esperance Port Authority in Western Australia. There were a number of men employed as workers. They were entitled to a number of days’ sick leave each year and these would accrue from year to year. It was well known that the men would accrue a week or two of sick leave then feign an illness and have some time off work.
This practice came to an abrupt halt, however, when one of the men had a bad car accident and was laid off for some months. He had no sick leave due and soon used up any holiday and/or long service leave to which he was entitled. The other men on the team got the message and stopped taking sick leave when they weren’t actually sick.
The collage is mine of a young King Charles visiting the port.
25 people like this
22 responses
@JamesHxstatic (29242)
• Eugene, Oregon
6 Feb 23
That was a good game until they saw what could happen.
Hard to believe that Charles was ever that young.
3 people like this
@JudyEv (325584)
• Rockingham, Australia
8 Feb 23
@JamesHxstatic It would be tough growing up as a young Royal. I have a lot of sympathy for them really.
1 person likes this
@shaggin (71663)
• United States
6 Feb 23
That had to be so hard for the man who was in the accident 
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I had no idea so many people take off the first Monday in February. I wonder why that is. My husband is working and so is my daughter. I’ll go check out the post the myLot member you mentioned wrote… updated the link isn’t working when I copy and paste it in my browser but I can do a user search on here and find it. Just a heads up.
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I had no idea so many people take off the first Monday in February. I wonder why that is. My husband is working and so is my daughter. I’ll go check out the post the myLot member you mentioned wrote… updated the link isn’t working when I copy and paste it in my browser but I can do a user search on here and find it. Just a heads up.2 people like this
@shaggin (71663)
• United States
7 Feb 23
@JudyEv the admin messaged you about this post? Gosh I love when people write a link to another’s post when they are talking shot it. Helps me see something interesting that I have missed. I wonder if it’s the . On the end of the link causing it to not work.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325584)
• Rockingham, Australia
8 Feb 23
@shaggin I'm sure they have their reasons. I thought it was the polite thing to do if I'd bounced off someone else's discussion and I also thought it would drive some 'business' to that person. But it's all okay. I'm sure they have their reasons.
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (95015)
• Marion, Ohio
6 Feb 23
It can be a bad thing to use the days all up
2 people like this
@wolfgirl569 (95015)
• Marion, Ohio
7 Feb 23
@JudyEv I have seen people do that. I always tried to have a few days. But most places here have a use them or lose them policy. So towards the end of the year I would use
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325584)
• Rockingham, Australia
8 Feb 23
@wolfgirl569 That's a bit different scenario. I wouldn't want to lose days either.
1 person likes this
@BarBaraPrz (45472)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
6 Feb 23
Thought he looked familiar.
2 people like this
@snowy22315 (169828)
• United States
6 Feb 23
Yes, that is a problem if you use up your sick days when not sick, and then have to really use them.
2 people like this
@allknowing (130066)
• India
6 Feb 23
I liked my job and rarely took leave.
This thing about staying away on the first Monday in Feb is crazy. What next I say!!
2 people like this
@FourWalls (62063)
• United States
6 Feb 23
It’s sad that so many people abuse sick leave and it hurts the people who really need it.
2 people like this
@RasmaSandra (73326)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
6 Feb 23
When I worked in NYC the only time I was off for sick leave was when I had flu or virus. I was always careful in case anything bigger came around,
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (157546)
• United States
7 Feb 23
We have both sick leave and personal leave. If we have not used it up by the end of the year, our personal leave rolls into sick leave. Mostly people do not take advantage and abuse the system.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325584)
• Rockingham, Australia
8 Feb 23
I've been out of the workforce for a long time now but I think maybe most have a certain amount of personal leave too. Wharfies (labourers at ports) aren't generally known for a good work ethic.
@RebeccasFarm (86730)
• United States
6 Feb 23
Yes waste using sick days when you dont need them. Hope that man recovered.
Yes Charles as I remember him.
2 people like this
@Juliaacv (48369)
• Canada
6 Feb 23
Being able to take a sick day is a privilege and not a right and should never be abused.
If not taken, then obviously not needed.
I get a certain amount annually also, but never take them unless I need them.
That has only happened a few times during my working career overall.
2 people like this
@LindaOHio (155845)
• United States
7 Feb 23
As Anna said, abusing the system will catch up with you.
1 person likes this
@dgobucks226 (34343)
•
11 Feb 23
I'm sure those employees were not the first to try and find a loophole in a system. As long as they were not going to lose those days or not be paid for them if fired or let go then using them for a fake illness was deceitful.
1 person likes this
@Beestring (13298)
• Hong Kong
6 Feb 23
Companies here usually require employees taking more than 1 day sick leave to provide a doctor's letter as evidence. Is this a requirement in your place?
2 people like this
