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Someone off sick getting drunk.

(22 Posts)
Nanawind Sun 13-May-18 09:38:49

I work in a social club there are 4 part time staff plus the full time club steward. Any sickness or holidays are expected to be covered by the staff.
On Friday evening my DH, me and 2 mates went to a local pub and saw the club steward in there he was steaming drunk. As he was leaving he shouted to his mates I'll see you tomorrow.
On Saturday I got a phone call to ask to cover this stewards hours for today Sunday as on Friday morning he had handed in a self certificate note. I wasn't told the reason.
Now do I say something about him being drunk in the pub to the management committee or keep my mouth shut, he would be paid sick pay for 4 weeks. I know the barmaids in this local so I could ask if he did go in on Saturday. This is not fair on the rest of us.
My DH and mates think I should say something.

Teetime Sun 13-May-18 09:42:12

I would!

Blinko Sun 13-May-18 09:59:16

And me. Disgraceful! If he thinks he can get away with it, he'll do it again. Hardly the team spirit, lumbering his colleagues, is it?

Nanawind Sun 13-May-18 10:11:44

I have just phoned one of the barmaids and yes he was in again yesterday. It now seems as though there was a photo of him on Facebook from Friday evening. Surely he could be sacked for this as he's claiming wages. Alot of the members would like that as he is not popular.

Nanabilly Sun 13-May-18 10:15:35

I would tell them too .
He could be off with mental illness of some sort but if the management are armed with the knowledge of him being out then he can be invited in for a discussion about him being out and drinking. Then possibly some sort of plan made for getting him back to work .

glammanana Sun 13-May-18 10:19:59

I do think it is underhanded what he has done but I personally would not report him let Facebook be his fall down as surely other members of the staff and Committee will see his postings and catch him out on his lies.

Oldwoman70 Sun 13-May-18 10:27:59

If he was only off "sick" for one day I wouldn't report him, but the next time I saw him I would say I didn't appreciate having to change my plans to cover for him because he had a hangover. If he makes this a regular thing then surely the committee will realise what he is doing.

Nanawind Sun 13-May-18 10:36:55

The self certificate is for 7 days that's what all the staff are being asked to cover at the moment. It seems the photos were on someone else's FB account and yes a lot of people have seen them.

petra Sun 13-May-18 18:49:21

I would have informed the person who phoned and asked you to cover his shift.

SpanielNanny Sun 13-May-18 19:02:18

I suppose the only thing to consider is, how will you feel if it turns out his sickness was legitimate & he finds out that you reported him. Would you be comfortable facing him at work.

Is there a possibility he’s taking time off to deal with a family/personal crisis? A death or possibly a mental health issue?

I am not saying for a second you are wrong to say something, I’d be very tempted to myself! But I would just urge you to think about the potential ‘consequences’ if you are wrong.

OldMeg Sun 13-May-18 19:18:41

Oh for heavens sake Spaniel take a reality check, please!

Jalima1108 Sun 13-May-18 19:52:19

Can you 'share' the FB posts and photos with someone on the committee? If not, can someone else do that?

callgirl1 Sun 13-May-18 20:57:08

I used to work with someone who regularly called in sick, most of the times we all knew that she wasn`t ill. Then one week there was a photo in the local paper of a pub darts team that had won a tournament, whilst she was off work "ill", and there she was, right in the front row! Someone reported it to the management, she didn`t lose her job, but got a severe warning.

Dontaskme Sun 13-May-18 21:39:45

I'm confused as to why they would hand in a self certificate at the start of a period of sickness? Self certificates are for after 7 days and they are usually filled in on your return to work. Or am I missing something?

LynneB59 Sun 13-May-18 21:43:11

Tell the management. The bloke shouldn't get away with getting sick pay when he was just a lazy, hungover, selfish git

Nanawind Sun 13-May-18 22:10:23

Dontaskme I also thought self certificates were only handed in at the end of sickness but this is what I was told. He has done this before I started working at the club.
I have just seen the photos as the person who put them on is not on my friends list on FB, others have shared around lots of club members including me so I'm sure by now someone from the management committee will have seen them. Hopefully this solves my delema.

SpanielNanny Sun 13-May-18 22:22:05

When you ‘self certify’ you don’t actually get given a certificate, you don’t even need to see your doctor. It allows for people to take time off for illnesses (sickness & diaorea, flu etc) where you wouldn’t usually see a doctor, but would need to be off. Legally you don’t need an actual sick note certificate until the period of absence extends to over 7 days. Many doctors won’t give sick notes for the first 7 days as they are legally unnecessary, and so a waste of money. Whilst the system is beneficial, (can you imagine how much harder it would be to get a drs appointment if everytime somebody need a few days off work for a tummy bug they had to see a doctor!) it is also open to abuse.

I’m very much in touch with reality oldmeg I was also very much in touch with reality when I was forced to discipline an employee for bullying, because the member of staff whom she was telling people was ‘skiving’ was actually on compassionate leave following news that her nephew was terminally ill.

I made very clear in my post that I understood the ops frustration, and in her position would feel similar. However I also know first hand that these things aren’t always as they seem.

annep Wed 06-Jun-18 17:32:53

I agree Spaniel. I would be very reluctant to tell. Its not your place. Also you wouldn't like it if he found out. We all do things we shouldnt. Life is full of annoyances

BlueBelle Wed 06-Jun-18 19:30:05

I m not sure I d report either but to be honest it’s a big leap from being off for a loved ones terminal illness to being steaming drunk in a local pub
If you’re grieving or mentally ill you are not going to be socialising in your local you might drown your grief in a drink at hom3 bu5 you wouldn’t be out socialising
If people are having to cover a weeks shifts while he’s paid to get steaming it’s a bit more than an annoyance Annep

annep Wed 06-Jun-18 22:17:32

Hig anoyance. small annoyance ...To me it's no different to sitting in an office every day where one young guy spent hours playing about on the computer while I worked and the typist refused to answer the telephone while she and I were the only people in the office. I would never dream of reporting them You just get on with it. You only stress yourself if you dont. Part of life. I assume when people cover they get paid.

Bluegal Thu 07-Jun-18 22:32:51

I’m with Spaniel on this. Unless you know the full facts, stay out of it. You could end up with egg on your face. I am sure he will be sussed in time especially if he makes a habit of it. You could always ask him if he is better when he returns and add he didn’t look so good in the pub ?. He may offer an explanation?

Nanawind Fri 08-Jun-18 08:57:39

Thanks for all your comments. He has been to the doctors and has been given a note for 3 weeks the reason stated on sick note is neck pain he is now in the pub every night telling everyone that he's on holiday (saying this because he's drunk). The committee have all seen the photos on FB so I didn't need to say anything.