Thomas Skinner didn’t see an issue with an employee going to the pub while off sick (Picture: ITV)
The Apprentice star Thomas Skinner has defended people who go the pub when they are off work sick after a judge declared that it is not a sackable offence.
It came after a man was fired when he was spotted by a colleague at a social club the same day he called in to Debmat Surfacing in Newcastle, saying he was too unwell to work on March 9 last year.
Judge Andrea Pitt found that he had been unfairly sacked because the company’s rules did not specifically ban workers from socialising while off sick.
Businessman Thomas, who appeared on The Apprentice in 2019, said he had a similar experience when one of his employees, who was a driver, was unable to work after injuring their ankle.
The 30-year-old said it ‘depends why the person is ill’ and said that being understanding is part of being a good boss.
He told presenters Susanna Reid and Ben Shephard: ‘I’ve got eight drivers as we deliver mattresses. One of my drivers jumped out the van, he fell on his ankle, twisted his ankle, carried on the day like normal.
‘In the morning I’m on the way to the warehouse, he’s rung me up he’s like, “Tom I’ve gotta have a day off sick, my ankle, I can’t lift nothing up.” I’m like, “Fair enough – go down to A&E, have an X-ray done, let me know how you get on”.
‘In the evening about half six when I was finishing, I rung him up and actually said how did you get on? He said, “It’s not broken but what they’ve said is you’ve got to rest it for three or four days.” I went “What are you doing now?” he went, “I’m actually down the pub” I went “Alright lovely I’ll come and join ya”.’