Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Flip

Original poster

Illness, first day at work

25 replies

Elmo230885 · 20/03/2022 17:40

I start a new job tomorrow. The problem is my DD has chicken pox and DS & DH have a stomach bug. I thought I felt OK but I'm not sure if worrying about getting the bug is making me feel ill IYSWIM. DH started throwing up out of nowhere yesterday evening and DD was sick in the night.

I'm exhausted (DS has been ill all week and I've had broken sleep) and don't feel great at the moment. I've not eaten today as I'm scared ill be ill!

DH had already spoken to his work to day he'll be off with DD, before he was ill.

What do I do? Should I call the employer ASAP tomorrow and explain so they have the option of telling me to stay away? What if I am sick in the night? How the hell do you call in sick on your first day?

OP posts:

Kitkat151 · 20/03/2022 17:43

Eat your tea....early night...if you are I’ll tomorrow you phone in sick...if not you go to work...you don’t stay off work because people you live with are sick🙄

Ejk1990 · 20/03/2022 17:45

I wouldn't phone in sick unless I was actually sick. You might still avoid it.

But I did end up sick 3 days into my job. Starting vomiting at work and my boss had to take me home. Unavoidable and I'm still there now after many years.

Rrrob · 20/03/2022 17:47

See how you feel tomorrow morning. I wouldn’t call in sick on your first day unless you really have to.

CremeEggThief · 20/03/2022 17:48

Unless you vomit more than once or twice, go in.

EezyOozy · 20/03/2022 17:50

Unless you vomit more than once or twice, go in.

You can't go into work if you vomited twice during the night, and pass on your vomiting bug to everybody else.

Op- you can't stay off just because other people are ill…… Wait till the morning and if you aren't ill, even if you are tired and the others are ill, you will have to go in. If you are ill you will have to phone in sick.

Herald44 · 20/03/2022 17:50

I'm in a similar dilemma OP. Start a new job on Tuesday and everyone in my house tested positive for covid on Friday. DH and 3 kids. They're all quite ill so will all be at home but DH is so unwell that unless he picks up significantly I'm not sure he's going to be well enough to look after them. So I'm in a pickle even if I avoid testing positive myself! I really hope you avoid the illness and are able to go in tomorrow. I would put the problem out of your head until it actually happens - that's what I'm trying to do!

Papayamya · 20/03/2022 17:55

I'd wait and see and phone them in the morning if you feel unable to work or have been sick in the night etc. Not ideal but it happens, I had to do the same on my first day as I had a stomach bug, but it worked out fine, not much you can do about it really.

Original poster

Elmo230885 · 20/03/2022 17:59

I obviously don't want to phone in sick but I also don't want to be responsible for spreading sickness. I think I'm just panicking as DH was sick so suddenly.

OP posts:

CremeEggThief · 20/03/2022 18:06

Of course you can, hassletassle, if it's the 1st day of a new job and she wants to keep it! 🙄It's one of those situations where she has to put herself first.

But anyway, we are jumping the gun here, and the OP may just be very nervous...

Roundeartheratchriatmas · 20/03/2022 18:35

I can’t imagine her employer would be very happy if she knowing comes to work ill and the passes it to other staff.

PotteringAlong · 20/03/2022 18:38

I would take as many drugs as I could to stop as much stuff as I could and I would go into work come hell or high water.

If you want to keep your job you need to go in on the first day.

PAFMO · 20/03/2022 18:43

Wait and see. If you get the bug, then you ring in sick.

The bottom line, unfortunately, is they won't be impressed if you ring in sick on your first day. Anybody saying they wouldn't mind has never had it happen to them. I had a teacher ring in sick on her second day and I'll be perfectly honest, the entire staffroom rolled its eyes. She came in on the third day and was fine ever since. But, it does start you off badly. It's just the way of the world. Of course I said to her "don't you worry, these things happen" Because they do. But it's not a good look.

Have an early night and keep your fingers crossed. Good luck

EinsteinaGogo · 20/03/2022 18:45

Working when you've got a young family is soooooo stressful at times, OP.

In my experience, the early years are the worst and things begin to calm down as they get older. It's good that your DH was already planning to stay off before he got ill though, good to see you're sharing the struggles.

Go in if you're not vomiting. If you are vomiting then you can't.

If you can't go in, make up for it by being extra brilliant when you are well.

These things happen, it's how you handle it that matters.

LightSpeeds · 20/03/2022 18:45

@CremeEggThief

Unless you vomit more than once or twice, go in.

Ignore this 'advice'!

What's your new job?

kimberleyjess · 20/03/2022 18:48

@Kitkat151

Eat your tea....early night...if you are I’ll tomorrow you phone in sick...if not you go to work...you don’t stay off work because people you live with are sick🙄

This.

Nothappyatwork · 20/03/2022 18:52

It’s such a British phenomena and that you go into work if you’re not well every European employer I’ve ever had recommend that the first sign of a sniffle you work from home because nobody else wants to catch it from you

fairylightsandwaxmelts · 20/03/2022 18:53

Just see how you feel in the morning.

I've shared homes with people who are sick and have been absolutely fine.

EinsteinaGogo · 21/03/2022 20:06

How did it go, OP?

MacaroniBaloney · 21/03/2022 20:14

@Nothappyatwork

But not everyone has a job that can be WFH?

fairylightsandwaxmelts · 22/03/2022 10:41

@Nothappyatwork

But millions of us can't work from home

Original poster

Elmo230885 · 29/03/2022 21:06

I've ignored this post as I already felt bad enough and expected it to be full of people telling me I'm being stupid.

I'm a community nurse and was starting an induction with lots of shadowing so I wasn't sure who I would come into contact with. I was ill but managed to take antiemetics to stop myself being sick. I declined any patient contact, didn't go in the kitchen area and didn't make anyone a drink. I didn't make the greatest impression!
It was a bug. Both kids and my DH were ill, it also ended up paying to my parents when they stepped in to help with childcare.

As a PP said, it's such a British thing to encourage sick people in to work.

OP posts:

FitAt50 · 29/03/2022 21:30

It will look very bad if you call in sick on your first day, its not something that they will quickly forget. A few years ago I came back from holiday in Indian and started my brand new job the next day. I woke up feeling really lousy, but still dragged myself into work. I explained to them I wasn't my usual self as was feeling bit under the weather but though through. Next day I had to call in sick as was violently sick and 3 days later was diagnosed with amoebic dysentary. I was off work for the next 7 days but they were lovely and praised me for coming into work despite feeling ill.

Nothappyatwork · 30/03/2022 15:16

@FitAt50 and that is everything that is wrong with the British work culture right there my organisation does not praise people who power through coming into work despite feeling ill. Dysentery for fucks sake you could’ve shat on my carpet at which point I have had to pay to get it cleaned up not to mention the inconvenience of having you shipped off to hospital, it’s just inconsiderate.

FitAt50 · 30/03/2022 15:19

[quote Nothappyatwork]@FitAt50 and that is everything that is wrong with the British work culture right there my organisation does not praise people who power through coming into work despite feeling ill. Dysentery for fucks sake you could’ve shat on my carpet at which point I have had to pay to get it cleaned up not to mention the inconvenience of having you shipped off to hospital, it’s just inconsiderate.[/quote]
It was my first day in a brand new job. I did not know how ill I was and I then went off sick. All was good in the end.

hidethetoaster · 30/03/2022 15:29

Someone in our team rang in sick on their first day. She was ace and stayed years.
It happens.
There's a nasty tummy bug going round, your new team won't thank you for spreading it around.
Get better

Flip