Taking sick days when you're not sick?

My job is really stressing me out, especially since I'm not getting much time off for Christmas. Even though I'm part-time, I've been working six days a week, and it's a high-stress job that leaves me in tears nearly every day. I'm supposed to be working extra hours this weekend, but I'm considering calling in sick for a day or two just so that I can get a break and relax a little bit.

I'm worried about the consequences though. I'm supposed to be getting a raise next month, and I'm scared that missing work is going to jeopardize that. Or even that I'll be fired if they find out I lied about being sick.

Has anyone else done this, and what consequences did you face? Do you think I'm freaking out over nothing or am I going to get into trouble?

I call that a mental health day. They can't ask you why you are sick. You can say its personal if they ask. Your freaking over nothing

I work with people who lie about being sick. Sometimes they are already in work, seem fine then go home ill. My manager told me theres nothing you can do about it. There is in the UK a maximum time you can be off even with a sick note, I think 6 months. Odd days wont help you reputation wise but as I completely understand your problem and sympathise, just do it anyway. They are not allowed to sack you for being randomly sick but check your contract for their terms and conds about it. You may only be allowed so many non doctor authorised days off per year. Or coud you arrange holiday time?Im sorry you feel so bad, theres alot of posts lately on the same lines, me included. Im at the end of my rope with my employers and Im consdiering using all my excess holiday up working half weeks and taking holiday for the other half of each week to give me a break. I can do this for 6 weeks as I have a lot of hol time...good idea for you?

Being stressed and having tovtake care of yourself counts as being sick. Just because it isnt a physical illness doesnt matter. You have to take care of your mental health as well. Take care

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Exactly. If I haven't slept,feel an episode coming on and feel as though I can't focus,I take a mental health day to take care of me mentally. Its all physical,whether its in the brain or the stomach. A personal day is important. And in America they can't ask why.

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Being one who struggles with guilt enough already, I have never done this. Though I did call in LATE one morning.

I think everyone should be entitled to a mental health day every six months or so-especially is you almost never take time off. Just having that day is usually enough to get you through.

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I worked at a place where abuse of sick leave was a huge problem. We were protected by a union though. When I needed stress time I took it and told them I had a migraine.

Previously, I'd never missed a day of work and they noticed my increased use of sick time. I was counseled on it once. Then I went into my first psychotic episode and ended up on disability. They don't question my use of it anymore.

IMHO, if you need breathing room to take care of yourself, and it won't affect your work environment, I think you should take it. The only person who takes care of you is you. Only you know how much you can take.

My workplace, each grouped together time off, is considered an 'occurance', 7+ occurrences from one review to the other(my calendar goes May to May), is considered as a reason for a write up. I also, work under a contract. Better to check your employee handbook, to ensure that you aren't going to jeopardize your job. I, personally, save my mental health days, due to kids, winding up sick. I have called out, a couple times, over the past three years, because I just couldn't bring myself to work.

There are definitely some really inflexible companies. This thread is somebody that rarely does it if ever. I feel for parents with small kids because they do tend to get sick. If you have two or more kids and are single you are really screwed.

This year I had a contract where for the first time ever I was really irresponsible with time off. I felt bad for my bosses because they were really good to me but the team s_cked. I have always been a really ethical worker even in not so great places but man... It was so hard at this job. I just couldn't care about these people. I left the job as soon as I was able because I just hated feeling that way.

A friend of mine works for a really nice company with no set pto limit. You can take as much as you need based on reason. After some number of years you can take a month sabbatical and the CEO does this which is a really great example. Statistically employees in companies like this do not take anymore time then other companies. I'd be willing to bet they are a little more lenient with parents. Some people don't like taking off so if you have a mix (which most do) like that it is really a smarter way to manage time off.

I called in sick on Saturday and was told I'd have to make up the hours by working late by the end of the month. Ironically, now I actually am sick with a cold but I don't want to take more time off and have even more hours to make up.

Do you not have sick time or pto?

Well, at least now you know :-) Colds are no fun, hope yours is a "light" one and hurries on its way.

No paid time off. It sucks because it's a minimum wage job with no benefits at all, so financially I'm really not much better off than when I was unemployed. And starting in the new year, they're cutting hours, so that'll mean even less pay. I've been looking for a new job pretty much ever since I started here, but I haven't even heard back from any of my applications.

Had a job when I was in my early 20s which I hated and took a couple of sick days when I wasn't. Now, as I look back, I regret doing so, even if I wasn't with the company for a long term stint. Should have quit sooner or just bit the bullet and went to work. Now, the office job I have today, we have personal days, floating holidays and vacation days. We schedule vacation days or floating holidays with the supervisors, but personal days are what replaced sick days. You can take them when you wish by calling in, for either illness or for personal reasons, like a family emergency. I've heard a lot of companies in the US are going towards this format of personal days, as it might allow for flexibility for employees. And by the way, the office job I hold today is much better than the job I hated as a younger man.

I get occurrences from my company every time I miss work unless the reason is covered by FMLA. Three occurrences are a write up and the 5th is a review of employment status. They have currently quit approving PTO so I will be "going home to care for my sick kid" on Tuesday as I have a job interview. I have never lied to get out of work before and it kills me, but I feel I have no choice. I'm salaried and putting in 54-58 hours a week and management is still complaining that I'm behind (because we are running at half staff due to poor management) and they want more out of me. In addition they are starting disciplinary measures as a result of my leaving work undone. I guess they're trying to scare me into putting in more work, but I refuse. I couldn't if I wanted to, I have kids to care for and a brain that is mush.

It was never worth the consequences to me; one is that much behind (not like anyone else does one's work when one is not there) and know one took a day off when not sick and I would get paranoid that everyone knew and thought about me differently, etc. When I realized I was that desperate, I came up with a plan to either make the job more interesting/challenging or enjoyable or to change jobs.

I done it all the time at school, could not face it, still no harm in it.

I am already planning calling off tomorrow. I had a terrible weekend with no relief. No peace and hardly any sleep. I called off last the day after christmas because there was no care for my child. I can't face working tomorrow so I am already planning on calling early and letting them know I finally got that stomach bug floating around. Then I shall sleep all day. I will probably leave them in the lurch and have some bad feelings about that but I just need a day to get on track.

I have not gone into work several times in the past because of having emotional or anxiety issues. Sometimes I would think my boss or co-workers hated me and I would panic and feel afraid to go in. Sometimes I also just could not put on the face that I always show to others, especially since I interact with people face to face each day. Sometimes it is really hard. I have been fortunate enough to work somewhere (although not for long since my time there is soon up) that they do not demand doctor notes or to know why I was out sick. And when I come back I feel super guilty and shameful for being out of work, despite it being a "mental health issue" -- I suppose it is not the same as being sick to your stomach or having the flu, but in ways it can be. I suppose as long as it does not risk your chance of losing your job or financially impact you too much it is okay to sort of take a "mental health day" as long as your employers don't know.

Sometimes it is very hard pretending you are okay each day at work, I know I struggle with that. For me, it is just best to keep my "issues" to myself and try to hang in there as much as possible.

I've actually rang in sick to work the last 3 days. I just couldn't face the thought of going in. I know its time to find something else, A combination of early morning starts after hardly any sleep, Long shifts and bullying colleagues just got on top of me all of a sudden. I could do with not working at all for a while I think, Or getting something else part time but I know we would struggle too much financially.
The guilt I feel when I go back in and knowing that they have all been talking about me behind my back makes me feel sick.

At 61, I don't thing I ever called in to work for Other than a 'mental health' day (not that that is what I said calling in...)---had many jobs, rarely spoken to about my time, I try to spread it out; but there are some days the dread is too much. I suspect this quite common. Don't beat yourself up if you can help it----mental health is just as important as physical health to being able to function at work.

This is quite common I am sure. At 61, I don't know that I have ever called out for physical illness----very rarely spoken to about time, never a big issue----remember that mental health is just as important as physical health to being able to work/function. (of course when I called out I had 'gi issues', etc....or was fortunate enough to work in a place that did not ask) Just try to spread it out. (I actually have know people to call out with "panic attack", I thought that brave)---Have also been in the position of the one who had to be called by the call-outers---I always just said "Thank you for calling, get well."---I believe staffing is the facility/workplace responsibility; I never wanted anyone to feel bad calling in. If it became too often, I would talk with the person, see if there was some way to help or not. (I came to dislike schedulers who were judgmental, questioning...blaming) We each have our jobs. And, at least in the US, I don't think any of us get enough time off.

Sometimes you need to take a day to just walk away from everything. If you don't take a day when you are feeling stressed out, you may have to take many days!

I have actually taken a couple days off last year using my sick days just because my stress level at work have been going over the roof. Taking a day off really helped me de-stressify, so to speak!