~Working with horses and Calling in sick

[NZJenny]

I don't have a helper. I look after four horses on my own, every day. Have done so with cracked ribs, arm in plaster, crook back, death in family etc etc ad nauseum.

A migrain would mean take a pill and get over it.

And if I'm too sick to go to work (not horse related) then I'm definatley too sick to ride. It's a powerful motivator!

 

[Darremi]

If you want your employees to promptly inform you when they are going to be taking a sick day you need to make that clear in their written contracts of employment or produce a sick leave policy.

 

[Abby-Lou]

We have a team motto "Unless you don't have a pulse - You are in !" just completed a first aid course so can sort that now also its bit of banter on my team but it works !

 

[Moomin1]

I don't have a helper. I look after four horses on my own, every day. Have done so with cracked ribs, arm in plaster, crook back, death in family etc etc ad nauseum.

A migrain would mean take a pill and get over it.

And if I'm too sick to go to work (not horse related) then I'm definatley too sick to ride. It's a powerful motivator!

If you want to put your life at risk that's up to you.


Quite frankly, anyone who seriously believes a true migraine sufferer can ' take a pill and get on with it' is very ignorant.

 

[twiggy2]

If you want to put your life at risk that's up to you.


Quite frankly, anyone who seriously believes a true migraine sufferer can ' take a pill and get on with it' is very ignorant.

this

 

[poiuytrewq]

Gosh, glad your not my boss op.
I called into my job sick for the first time ever on Thursday after falling from my horse the previous evening. I hurt my back and quite literally couldn't move. I spent the day in hospital getting checked out and hobbled back in the following day just doing the bare minimum but hopefully helping and showing my face.
My employers were fantastic. I had texts asking how I was feeling (out of concern not impatience!) and they are still carrying me a bit as I can't do everything, I can't carry bales or heavy wheelbarrows etc.
maybe because I've never called in sick before they realised I would be there if I could but even so they were brilliant.
In a way it's because they are so good to me that I try harder to never let them down which might be something for other employers to consider?

 

[smellsofhorse]

Some people are just pathetic when use sickness as an excuse.
Others like me, will carry on until you are totally unable.

Unfortunately working with animals and being the former can be very awkward and make life difficult.

If they are on a flexible or casual arrangement it can be difficult to inform but a "punishment" should be imposed if they don't turn up or tell you later than 30-60 mins late.

In work nights, and there needs to be two people at all times die to security. So if anyone is sick we let them know ASAP, as I said I very rarely go sick, but last time I did I had worked. Night and geld terrible so I informed by boss at the end of that shift that I wouldn't be on the next night so he had 12 hours to get it covered.

 

[Moomin1]

Some people are just pathetic when use sickness as an excuse.
Others like me, will carry on until you are totally unable.

Unfortunately working with animals and being the former can be very awkward and make life difficult.

If they are on a flexible or casual arrangement it can be difficult to inform but a "punishment" should be imposed if they don't turn up or tell you later than 30-60 mins late.

In work nights, and there needs to be two people at all times die to security. So if anyone is sick we let them know ASAP, as I said I very rarely go sick, but last time I did I had worked. Night and geld terrible so I informed by boss at the end of that shift that I wouldn't be on the next night so he had 12 hours to get it covered.

Are you suggesting that calling in sick with a migraine is 'pathetic'? Have you ever had one?

 

[touchstone]

I suffer from migraines, I have lost my sight completely in both eyes by them and unable to walk, pills don't help at all after a certain stage, or at all sometimes. They can come on within a matter of minutes so the groom could well have been on her way to work when it started. I daresay that the groom would have been to look after and escort home, as well as the horses to see to if she had managed to make it in to work.

 

[conniegirl]

I suffer migraines, horrid horrid things but I've always let my employer know BEFORE I was due in for work. I won't put my life or the life if anyone else at risk attempting to get in and think anyone who does is very foolish!

45 mins AFTER the start of your shift is just not acceptable!

 

[Flame_]

For me its a question of frequency. Everyone gets incapacitated from time to time with bugs, injuries and recurrent conditions, sometimes at short notice. This is life and an employer ought to expect to accommodate it. Employers should not be expected to accommodate an employee who is incapacitated once a month by periods. My mum suffers from terrible migraines but does find that the modern prescription pills usually stop them if taken in time.

 

[sport horse]

I am an employer. I expect employees to phone asap if they are going to be off sick. Of course migraine can floor people but not many people live totally alone so hopefully they can get help to let employers know they will not be arriving.

Yes I have an emergency plan, utilising free lance staff, however I cannot implement that plan if I do not know someone is off sick!

99% of my employees have been fantastic - either struggling to work when they are not well enough and we do the minimum and send them home asap, or letting me know as early as possible that they will not be in or even arranging their own cover.

Just the odd 1% let them down and strangely it is always the same ones - they are off sick more often than the others, they never let you know and are often seen out shopping when they are off sick!! They let themselves down and the workmates who have to pick up the slack. I have tried talking this through with one young girl who continually failed to turn up but sadly in the end there is only one answer - please shut the gate as you leave!

I think it is called respect for each other and is basic good manners. Rarely is it impossible to let someone know with modern phones, e mails and texts.

 

[Wagtail]

A migrain would mean take a pill and get over it.

What a totally ignorant remark.

 

[Sandstone1]

What a totally ignorant remark.

Exactly, clearly someone who has never had a true migraine.

 

[Wagtail]

There are far too many people who say they have a migraine when really they just have a headache. You can only fully appreciate how totally incapacitating a migraine is if you either suffer from them yourself or know someone who does. Personally, I have had every treatment going, but none of the medication agreed with me. I had serious reactions such as heartbeat slowing to less than 40 bpm.

However, there ARE employees who ring in sick at the drop of a hat and will fabricate excuses, including migraines. If the OP is right and the employee in question is doing this, then I have every sympathy with the OP. However, if the employee is genuinely ill with a migraine, then the OP should be totally understanding.

 

[Wagtail]

Exactly, clearly someone who has never had a true migraine.

Reminds me of when I was in labour with my first child and a male nurse offered me two paracetamol :rolleyes3:

 

[Claire-R]

If I was ever Ill When I worked with horses, I used to go in anyway because there was no one there available to feed and look after the horses so I had no choice!

 

[Tinypony]

I think you need to asses the person based on how they are normally. I'm a migraine sufferer and oh boy does it throw me off. If I have to take drugs in the night I rely on my partner to wake me when needed because an alarm won't do it! I try to manage this but I can easily imagine a situation where someone n the throes of a bad attack might miss the time they need to phone in sick.
For those who don't understand migraine here's just one example of what a menstrual migraine might involve - Start to feel a thick head, neck agony, piercing pain coming on up one side of the head and into the eye socket. Take an assortment of pills. Try to doze sitting up with soothing music in the background because laying down hurts SO MUCH. Pills don't do much. Start to feel nauseous. Pain increasing. Stagger to loo to be sick. Now it's too late to take any more pills, the system won't absorb them. Fall into horrible cycle of staggering from armchair to loo to be sick. Bending over the loo brings about stabbing, sickening pain and dizziness. Helpful partner provides water, but you can only sip it because take too much and you'll be sick. Repeat this for the best part of 3 days until the Doc will come out and give you a jab. That's just one form that migraine can take, it's debilitating.

 

[shadeofshyness]

Another thing to consider is that driving with a migraine is potentially very dangerous and could get someone killed.

Hilarious how people think you can work with a migraine or take a pill for it!

 

[Tinypony]

If I was ever Ill When I worked with horses, I used to go in anyway because there was no one there available to feed and look after the horses so I had no choice!

Sometimes with migraine you just can't. The disorientation they can cause makes you dangerous on the road and definitely dangerous around horses. Not to mention the drugs you might be taking, all with severe warnings about driving if "drowsy". Forget drowsy, try smacked on the head with a heavy object!

I'm lucky because mine are decreasing now, but I went through years of monthly hell and drugs could only ease it a bit, not get me to the point of being useful.

 

[ester]

As they are a 'stand in' worker - probably without contract etc I imagine they perhaps don't feel too much loyalty so even if they are only a bit rough, not full on migraine perhaps more inclined not to come in. They are quite possibly floored though and if they live on their own contact might be difficult.

 

[Claire-R]

Sometimes with migraine you just can't. The disorientation they can cause makes you dangerous on the road and definitely dangerous around horses. Not to mention the drugs you might be taking, all with severe warnings about driving if "drowsy". Forget drowsy, try smacked on the head with a heavy object!

I'm lucky because mine are decreasing now, but I went through years of monthly hell and drugs could only ease it a bit, not get me to the point of being useful.

I haven't really suffered with migraines luckily but Mother has them constantly and she comes home when she gets them so I understand that they must be awful to work with especially when you're running around after horses and can't get away from the bright light!

My boss was ill constantly (stress related) so it was pretty much just me by myself running a riding school! So If I ever got ill I'd text her and get no reply so I'd have to go in anyway because there was no one else to take rides out and feed the horses, or to meet customers etc :\ Kind of glad I left that place to be honest!

 

[MotherOfChickens]

Not saying anything at all about this particular case, but I do think it can be difficult for employers. A true migraine is totally debilitating and can easily mean you cannot stand up, phone, see, drive or lots of other things. Horrid. BUT, I do think there are people who say they have a migraine when they haven't, to get off work. As I said, not necessarily in this case but it does happen. Must make it even worse for true migraine sufferers - you all have my sympathy.

exactly, having worked with horses and being a migraine suffer, a true migraine is far worse and debilitating than a very bad cold or stomach upset which you can work through. Noone should be driving with one for a start, let alone handling horses and even if the drugs do help, they can give you horrid side effects. I generally know a bit in advance when I will get one but when I first started having them in my mid 20s, I could literally go down in a couple of minutes. I went from not having them to having three or four a week.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

There are far too many people who say they have a migraine when really they just have a headache. You can only fully appreciate how totally incapacitating a migraine is if you either suffer from them yourself or know someone who does. Personally, I have had every treatment going, but none of the medication agreed with me. I had serious reactions such as heartbeat slowing to less than 40 bpm.

I have awful side effects including slowed heartbeat, numbness and pins and needles and still incapable of standing up on them so they cure the pain but leave me floored. Really the only thing I can do is get myself to bed and try and sleep it off, I am lucky in that they rarely last longer than a day although I did have a three day one once.

I once had a GP suggest I take some nurofen for them-brilliant, like I had never thought of that. The one thing that has really helped me is cutting out wheat-I've not had one this year and only had two last year.

I think if employees are fairly regularly having days off then it might they generally aren't that happy and it needs investigating, migraine is a hard thing to disprove or prove though.

 

[Orangehorse]

Migraine can be completely disabling, also an employee is never going to be as dedicated as the owner. If they are really ill, then it could be dangerous to be out driving to work.

I have never had a day when I haven't been able to do the ponies/horses (touching wood frantically) through flu (could hardley see/walk, torn muscles, broken ribs (could stand up, lying and sitting down were worse!). Sometimes it has been a VERY quick stagger down to field/stable, but I don't have to drive.

 

[FionaM12]

A migrain would mean take a pill and get over it.

Quite frankly, anyone who seriously believes a true migraine sufferer can ' take a pill and get on with it' is very ignorant.

Absolutely Moomin. Sorry NZJenny's but that's an incredibly ignorant and silly comment.

 

[Wagtail]

I finally found what triggers mine after years and years of problems with migraine. With me it is the weather. If a big low front is coming over then that was virtually guaranteed to bring one on. So it was the change from high to low pressure. I am on daily medication now which pretty much has rid me of them but I still occasionally get a run of them. At least it is only once every three months or so now rather than every single time there was a weather change.

 

[FionaM12]

If I was ever Ill When I worked with horses, I used to go in anyway because there was no one there available to feed and look after the horses so I had no choice!

I don't think you understand what migraine can be like then. My ex husband has migraine attacks where he coundn't move AT ALL without being violently sick and collapsing. He couldn't stand, he could barely see, couldn't speak... Just lying in a darkened room, and the slightest sound or movement would start the agonised retching again.

People with severe migraine have "no choice" about going in sick either. They just can't.

Those who say they always go into work when they're ill have clearly never been debilitatingly ill.

 

[conniegirl]

Sleep it off? Not a chance with mine! I normaly wake up screaming in agony. I have yet to be sick with one though.
I can't take any codiene or similar drugs for mine as I have bad reactions to them, they suppress my autonamus reflexes, so everything from bladder control to breathing! It is utterly terrifying when you have to consciously force yourself to breathe whilst waiting for an ambulance!
I've also had anouther type of migraine which was easentialy a headache that would not respond to anything for nearly 3weeks. Doctors were extremely worried with that one an I had all sorts of brain scans

 

[Spudlet]

A migrain would mean take a pill and get over it.

I hope you suffer from migraine one day.