The England v Wales game kicks off at 2pm today, so it seemed an apt time to mention a recent case about 'pulling a sickie'.
In Metroline West Ltd v Mr Ajaj, the Employment Appeal Tribunal ruled that:
"... an employee [who] “pulls a sickie” is representing that he is unable to attend work by reason of sickness. If that person is not sick, that seems to me to amount to dishonesty and to a fundamental breach of the trust and confidence that is at the heart of the employer/employee relationship."
The facts in that case were a little more convoluted than a one-off absence on the day of a football game, but it serves as a useful reminder to anyone thinking of suddenly coming down with a mysterious flu this afternoon!
Almost three quarters of the UK HR directors surveyed believe employees are likely to call in sick or make an excuse for skipping work the day after a major sporting event such as the Euro matches. More than a fifth consider it “very likely”.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/england-v-wales-euro-2016-sickie-most-expensive-day-of-the-year-for-business-a7083891.html
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