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A school employee is off sick but one of their colleagues has seen on social media that they have posted pictures of themselves at a party. It’s made me question whether they are genuinely off sick. What can I do?

A school employee is off sick but one of their colleagues has seen on social media that they have posted pictures of themselves at a party. It's made me question whether they are genuinely off sick. What can I do?

First, do not jump to a conclusion that being at a party means that their illness is not genuine. A person’s illness may not affect them at all times. Sometimes attending social events can be part of a person’s recovery. Of course this depends on the what the illness is.

Before dismissing someone’s illness as not being genuine, we would suggest making enquiries of the individual concerned and seeking advice from a medical expert (such as OHS) if you are not convinced by the response.