Phoning in sick on Christmas Day?

I regularly have to work Xmas day. Just push celebrations back to Boxing Day. It’s only a day with a label. If your dad is happy to do this-celebrate the birthday 23rd Dec, and Xmas day 26th Dec.

Its a minimum wage job, start looking for another job now.

You may as well look elsewhere now, phoning in sick last minute will probably mean no job in the New Year.

Easiest shift ever then...

You work in hospitality. Why would they close for Christmas, presumably they have Christmas packages / events etc.

Find another job. Don't shaft a colleague who thinks they have it off to ruin their plans and get dragged in.

I don't understand what this has to do with Op's situation.

You are using emotional blackmail - for every single person on the planet, 'today' may be the last day they have with a loved one. Is he 'upset alone' on any other day you work?

Christmas Day is ONE day and why are you so fixated on it? You can have a 'special day' with your dad on ANY day - have your own celebration with him on the Thursday, Friday, Saturday of that week, or, if you think he may die sooner, have your one celebratory day sooner - pull a cracker, stick on a stupid paper hat and do whatever else you like to do on that one day of the year. Re your OP, yes, I think you are being very unreasonable to both your employer and to your colleagues. You have had fair warning and have time to make any arrangements you need to make.

@themanors What is your actual contract? How many hours? Are you contracted for specific days etc?

Another poster who could have saved themselves the bother of posting unless their aim was to cause plenty of froth

Lol the hotel is a business that operates 24/7 365!

All of your comments.... but my dad is old, but it's a long shift, but... but... but.... can equally apply to other staff members. I agree giving you Christmas Eve and Christmas Day shifts is mean - so I would challenge that. But if you call in sick literally NO-ONE will believe you, and I imagine you will lose your job. So if you're determined not to do the Christmas Day shift then leave before then.

YABU.
Someone has to work that shift. They've given you months of notice so that means you can arrange a different day to celebrate with your Dad.
Or you could find another job where you don't have to work on Christmas Day.
Do not phone in sick. Someone else will have to cover for you and it would be incredibly selfish of you to do that when you weren't sick.

It's not a ward for sick children she works in. It's a hotel reception with a very low wage, no enhancements 🤔

It’s far enough away that you can get yourself another job by then, and you should. Some things are more important. At your next job, make absolutely clear when you join that there are some days, such as Christmas Day, on which you cannot work.

If you were genuinely sick, you'd be off sick from work and you would not be celebrating Christmas, so your question is pretty ridiculous.

It would be very unreasonable to call in sick just so you can spend time with a family member. You can do Christmas on another day. Loads of people have to do this ones who are committed to their job/career and not taking the piss by pulling a sickie. Alternatively, you have ample time to look for another job.

Hang on - does your dad have dementia or similar? Is that why he wouldn't be able to understand Christmas Day not being quite the same?

If that's the case...just tell him Boxing Day is Christmas Day.

Honestly I get why you don't want to do it, but you sound quite stroppy and unpleasant about it.

Go sick.

They are being completely unreasonable by asking u to do a 12 hour shift on Xmas. It should be split between colleagues.

You are no more selfish for calling in sick than they are for refusing to split the shift.

It’s not greed for a hotel to be open over Christmas.

Your colleagues, who have been there longer, don’t owe you this day. They may have their own ailing 87yo dads and they’ve done their time.

Your employer is out of order expecting a 12hr shift on Christmas Day from someone who doesn’t want to do it, especially for no extra pay.

BUT, this is an entry-level minimum wage job. There are plenty of those around, Get one that suits you better. Let someone else who doesn’t care about Christmas have this one.

You seem to feel owed Christmas Day off because of your personal circumstances. Many many jobs and professions make employees work Christmas Day, and everyone has special personal circumstances. If you don’t want to work it, find a job where this isn’t a requirement.

Is this the bed making poster? Thought I recognised the oh dear poor little me, they are all out to get me when all I want to do is an honest days work tone!

If you’ve been there less than 2 years they can sack you for any (non-discriminatory) reason.

I suspect if someone was genuinely sick after creating a fuss about their shift patterns some employers may insist on seeing a sick note.

I would try to find another job before Christmas as you're clearly working for a company that doesn't care abouts it's staff in any way.

If your dad has no one else, absolutely ring in sick, there's more to life than work.
You would never forgive yourself if it was your dad's last Christmas and he spent it alone.

I think her attitude might be a fairly big clue as to why other employers aren't falling over themselves to hire her.