Tips for Overcoming Sick Leave Guilt
Learn how to overcome sick leave guilt and prioritize your health. Tips from career coach Lara Nercessian.
Many workers feel guilty when they call in sick, even when they genuinely need time off. This feeling is more common than most people realize, and it can prevent employees from using leave they’re entitled to take.
Why Guilt Creeps In
Careers coach Lara Nercessian says the roots of sick leave guilt often run deeper than simple workplace culture. “For many people, their sense of self-worth and identity is tied to their job and taking any time away from it makes them feel uncomfortable or uneasy,” she explains. This can spiral into worries about how managers perceive them.
Employees commonly worry their bosses will think they’re not hardworking, not committed, or not team players. In small teams or shift-based roles, the stakes feel even higher. A single absence might mean jobs go undone or appointments get rescheduled, creating a ripple effect colleagues will notice.
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The Case for Actually Using Your Days
In Australia, full-time employees receive 10 days of personal leave annually, which accumulates if unused. Part-time workers get a proportional amount. Unlike annual leave, unused sick leave typically has no cash value when you leave a job.
Nercessian suggests a straightforward test when guilt starts creeping in: “The biggest way you can overcome sick leave guilt is to ask yourself, ‘Am I genuinely unwell?’ If the answer is yes, you can put the guilt down.”
She also recommends introspection for those who tend to overthink. “Consider your character and the essence of who you are. If you are, by nature, an honest, hardworking, committed person, then taking genuine time off from work does not change that.”
Mental Health Counts Too
The definition of being unable to work has broadened over time. “There’s a better understanding that health and wellness encompasses more than just physical health,” Nercessian notes. Anxiety, depression, burnout, insomnia, and panic attacks can be just as debilitating as a fever or broken bone.
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Pre-planned mental health days are a different matter. If you know weeks in advance that you need a break, annual leave exists for that purpose. Calling in sick for a social event you already scheduled, however, risks damaging the trust between you and your employer.
Most workplaces prefer employees err on the side of caution. Staying home when you’re run down prevents spreading illness and may stop a minor problem from becoming a major one down the road.
Unused sick leave won’t pay out when you leave, and no employer awards a medal for perfect attendance. The leave exists precisely for the moments when you genuinely cannot work.
