Phoning in sick on Christmas Day?

You’re off Boxing Day?

For years we did Christmas Day on Boxing Day if working Christmas. Then with children just did things around them eg Christmas morning together then go to work.

This is literally how a vast number of essential services and various businesses are staffed over holidays. Many many many people are missing time with family and making it up in other ways.

Have Christmas breakfast with your dad on Christmas Day and have full Christmas dinner on Boxing Day.

Can you ask if you can bring your dad in for a meal at the restaurant? Maybe at a staff discount?

She doesn't have to use them as a reference. Whoever she used before as a reference she can use them again. It's not the end of the world.

Come Boxing Day you won’t have a job!

@Cosyblankets well I was trying to think outside the box and put forward another option other than pulling a sickie and ruining someone else's Christmas.

OP could try and barter that she gets a discounted room for dad if any are spare or even just a Christmas dinner and depending on his mobility etc he could join her at reception most have a nice foyer. The atmosphere might be quite nice and he might enjoy being surrounded by other people, and having some Christmas carols

If you phone in sick you will totally ruin another family's Christmas when someone else is called-in with no notice to cover for you. Most companies that have to be open over Christmas rotate who has to be on, so the person who covers for you might even have had to work last Christmas themselves. It's really not an OK thing to do.
If it's a deal-breaker for you not to work Christmas, then you need to start looking for a different role, in a sector that doesn't open on public holidays, and check with the recruiter.

I get the impression it's less about Christmas and more about your dislike of this job in particular. I'm guessing there are other things that frustrate you about it day to day.

I've had to work Xmas before when I did care work and we shifted our Christmas to Boxing Day so that was our relaxing day instead. It is just as tricky when you have young children or elderly parents. We all took turns though and the childless or those without other commitments would often volunteer to do the earlier Christmas day shifts so parents could be home to see young ones open gifts or choose to have Boxing day off so parents could be home Xmas day. The reverse applied to New Year eve. Many of those with commitments would work NYE or early on NYD so the youngsters could go out partying.

You will get rumbled and paid off if they extend probation.

Yes.
Yes.

They can also perfectly legally sack you for asking your colleagues to share a Christmas Day shift, posting on the internet about it, using 'your' when it should be 'you're' or for looking at them a bit funny.

And if you get sacked, it's perfectly legal for your benefits to be subject to a sanction.

I hear you but OP's father is unwell and possibly his last xmas,
FYI, I have worked several xmas' when my son was little also

I totally understand where you are coming from OP and you have been very reasonable in suggesting shorter shifts etc. Is there anyway you could speak/contact management/HR and explain your situation?
You are clearly not workshy, having never called in sick previously. That is not representative of the working population!
I hope you can come to a decision. As you said, this could be your Dad's last Xmas

I absolutely wouldn’t phone in sick. It means someone else will have to come in at the last minute, who might have an equal reason to need to be off.

You could start looking for another job and be clear before you start that you can’t work those two days.

Or you could just tell them you won’t do it and hope they don’t sack you.

I’m sorry to hear your dad is so sick. But it doesn’t trump other people’s personal lives. You would be able to spend the days you are off with him.

It isn't the responsibility of the OPs employers if her dad is on his own for 12 hours. She's chosen to work a job which entails shift work including Christmas day. If her dad can't manage on his own for 12 hours then I'm assuming there must already be some sort of care arrangements in place as Christmas is no different to the other days he'll be on his own.

And I laugh that people use the threat of telling employers to stick their job up their arse. Making yourself unemployed this way when you'll need to rely on your employer as a future reference is hardly going to do the OP any favours.

As an ex-hospitality worker who worked Christmas for about 20 odd years, please do not call in sick a) it is not fair on the rest of the team b) they will remember you making a fuss about this and at some point soon after I have no doubt you will be leaving anyway. It has been explained to you that as the newest member of the team it unfortunately falls to you to cover the shifts. So, either, cover the shifts and have Christmas on Boxing Day as lots of people do…. Or leave and find another job outside of the hospitality (shift work) business.

Nope I'm sorry but various jobs have to work Christmas and this is one of them- DH is working this Christmas and will miss it with our kids.. hopefully he'll get it off next year

On a minimum wage job? Two rooms at Christmas?

If she can work a 12 hour shift any other day, there no extra care needed for Christmas Day.

Honestly, some people will use any excuse under the sun.

Just look for something else OP, there's bound to be something else, and if you're only on minimum wage anyway, it's not like you're risking losing a big bonus or anything, is it?

Find another job that fits in with your life. You could try warehouse work they should be closed Christmas day.

YABVU, it's part of your job. I've had to work Christmas day before and I'm a single parent.

I really wouldn’t unless you can prove it with a proper medical certificate. It’s not fair on your colleagues.

He will be on his own for 12 hours on Christmas day from 11am to 11pm. I would be upset if no one was bending and willing to share the hours with me. It sounds like a toxic environment to work in. I would call in sick if it was me or tell them to stick their job up their arse.

I can understand your concerns about your dad but I'm going to be blunt and say this is a dick move and your being very unreasonable. You took on a job knowing where working Christmas day would happen. People with families all over the world have to work Christmas day and celebrate on another day and you're no different. All you phoning in sick means is someone else has to cover your shift, it's an incredibly selfish thing to do.

If you don't want to work Christmas then find a new job. Your family situation isn't the responsibility of your employers to facilitate and phoning in sick shows a lack of respect to your colleagues and immaturity on your part.

It’s rubbish OP, I really do think that any business that doesn’t HAVE to be open over Xmas shouldnt be. I used to work in hospitality and because I didn’t have kids I always had to work Christmas Day. It made me sick knowing every member of staff there was wasting the day just to make money for someone else. Lets be honest, most of the general staff in hospitality are there because it’s the only job they can get at that time not because its a ‘career choice’. Ive never gone out for a meal on Xmas day just because it’s not something I want to support.

You signed your contract in hospitality - that involves working Christmas day sometimes, that's what you signed up for. If you can't do it then find another job that isn't in hospitality (or healthcare).