Phoning in sick on Christmas Day?

If you're easy to replace and you call in sick, I'd be shocked if they didn't sack you. If you're not easily replaced, you may get away with it.

If you're not easily replaced, then you will also get away with being very clear with your manager you're not coming in, or only for x hours and they need to just deal with it. If they'd sack you for that, they'll sack you for calling in sick.

Assuming you're prepared to lose your job over this, there's no way I'd call in sick because simply refusing (or refusing to work more than x hours) might ultimately be accepted. The only question I would be debating is how long I leave it to tell them I'm not coming in.

You have time, so I'd look for another job, and if you can't find one you can turn make the call over whether this is something you're willing to lose your job over (I wouldn't be because it sounds like you need the money - I'd celebrate Christmas on boxing day).

And if you are willing to lose your job, give them some notice (eg tell them the week/a couple of days before). Calling in sick on the day makes you an arsehole.

It's not greed. If you thought about it just a little bit you would understand that other people want to spend Christmas with their families. Which means getting a hotel room.
Cant you just get you and your dad a room for the day and even book Christmas dinner there.

Otherwise get a new job that doesnt do Christmas working. You have an age to find one now.

Go back to your manager and explain that as a carer, you need a shorter day. Would booking your Dad a room be feasible? I don't think that it's the job for you, you look down on it.

Look for another job now.

Don't ruin someone else's Christmas (because someone will get landed with a no-notice demand)

Others aren't falling over themselves to help because there's a well-established tradition of who gets it, it's not them (and they may have done it in previous years).

As you say the job doesn't pay particularly well, there are probably others you could try. The care sector seems to be permanently recruiting

Your dad is a member of your family, hence me calling him a family member.

You've already made your mind up that you're not going in, so why are you asking? Do you need permission from loads of anonymous people on a forum to lie? Why not just tell your employer to stick their job, or tell them you won't be working on Christmas day?

@themanors I doubt there’s anything you could use from that point of view then. Unfortunately it’s the reality of working in hospitality. I’m a retail manager and have to make the scheduling for over Christmas and New Year - it’s not easy!

If it’s really not something you are going to do/be able to do then I would tell them clearly now. Tell them what you are able to do. Dont make it about other staff and what is expected of them. I would avoid calling in sick at Christmas or walking out etc - especially after having made a fuss about working it. Keep in mind you may be needing a reference!

Do you want a bigger spoon op? Or a heavier chip?

😂

Also, literally all hotels are open Christmas day. Getting into that type of work you must understand working Christmas and unsociable hours is part of it. Well obviously not judging by all your replies here.

You are clearly going to do it whatever anyone else says. If you pick a job that has unsocial hours then you should accept you have to work unsocial hours that are sometimes inconvenient.

2x 12 hours shifts Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and not even being paid extra? Fuck that. I presume the hotel is charging inflated costs over Christmas so why aren’t the staffing seeing it? I’d tell them out right I’d not be doing those hours but you’re happy to do your part - if there’s no movement from them I’d just find another job.

What?? That's not sheer greed. They're open for people who want to stay away at Christmas.

Do you have young children? What is the difference between you working 12 hour shifts on the 25th or the 27th?
My job role involves me working 12 hour shifts over Xmas if I’ve not been lucky enough to get it off in the draw (very rare to get it).
I just plan my own Xmas on a day near to it instead. My teenagers understand that i work in the job that i do and it unfortunately means that involves Xmas too

🤣🤣have met. Hotel receptionist like this before 😂😂

Your Dad is 87, I also have a parent that age, at that age one day is very much like the next and if you celebrate before or after it would be better than losing your job.

You know the hotel doesn't pay wages out of each individual day's takings, right? Those higher Christmas rates probably allow them to continue to pay staff in February when they're taking fuck all.

Why take the job in the first place?
I was a nurse for years I have worked loads of Xmas days ,but when you do a job like that you expect to work unsocial hours
I'm sorry about your Dad but everybody has personal circumstances and yours are no more important than every one else's.

It’s easier to get a new job whilst you are already in a job. Just keep applying and hopefully you’ll get a new job well before Christmas.
if there’s an exit interview you could say that you are leaving because of the Christmas Day issue, but I doubt whether they would care much or change the way they allocate such shifts.

Stop whinging.

People who pull fake sick days aren't nice! You will ruin someone's planned christmas day.

Either quit your job in time for Christmas or celebrate Christmas with your dad on another day.

Find a new job. That’s it. Don’t look for strangers to justify your behaviour to make you feel better.

I do think you should be getting double time for Christmas day. However if you work in hospitality, emergency services, hospitals etc. unsociable shifts are one of the downsides.

Don’t phone in sick. EVERYONE will know it’s bullshit.

Even working in an office I’ve seen years of folk bleating about not wanting to take their turn (rota, ever year) to work the 3 days in between Christmas and New Year, or Christmas Eve, because “they have children” or some other special marker. Then one of the whiners calls in sick - everyone knows it’s a lie. There’s a skeleton staff as they’ve allowed 80% off so some poor bugger ends up overwhelmed.

Yeah, totally blackmail your colleagues so that three family christmases are buggered up instead of one.

Top idea 👏👏👏

Can you book your dad in so you can spend time with him and you legally have to have breaks to spend with him. Don't phone in sick you'll end up sacked then getting another job would be more difficult. Or have xmas dinner with him on26th and make and leave him food for the 25 Do you live with him and make his meals currently?

Who makes your Dad's dinner on a normal evening - or is it just a full Christmas dinner he can't make? I recommend either having Christmas with Dad on Boxing Day (you say he wouldn't understand this - does he have a condition which affects his mental health and, if so, does he have care at home (who are also working Christmas Day) and so he would see them on the day at least? Or as a PP suggested, book your Dad a room at the hotel and he can have a meal there and I'm sure there will be some "flexibility" where you can see him and aren't stuck on the desk 100% of the time when the desk is quiet. The colleagues you are asking to split shifts or swop will have their own reasons for needing the day, and they may have done previous years.

Op my mum and Aunty have both considered going to hotels before for Christmas dinner or to stay for a treat. It’s catering to people who want to make their own special Christmas and I’d assume they want to be welcomed on a day that they want to be as special as the ones they show on tv. They wouldn’t be open if they had no business