Aibu to ring in sick today

[Krisjongun1]

I haven’t had a full day off in 3 weeks. Have had insomnia for the past 3 nights too and it’s a physical job, I barely have the strength to get out of bed.
It’s a person-facing role so they really need a staff member there in order to carry out the job but I just feel like death.
The last time I was off sick they told me I still had to come in as they were short-staffed. So I went in, but other employees have all been off of late.
They know I’ve worked 3 weeks straight and clearly aren’t bothered, I need to look after myself sometimes. Shall I phone in? I bet they’ll still tell me I have to come in. I’m not off sick very often

YANBU to be off today, but do remember this day for the next time they ask you to work on your day off. It's vital you take your days off, they can only guilt you into coming in, they can't force you.

You don’t need our permission to call in sick or to even Jack your job in completely. It sounds like it’s taking a massive toll on your mental health - it’s ok to leave. It’s ok to call in sick. It’s not ok that you’ve worked three weeks straight without a day off.

Maybe if they treated their staff a bit better they wouldn’t be so short staffed.

Do it.

You probably will end up sick if you don’t get a break!
You’re important too.

OP you need to be more assertive, no days off in 3 weeks is ridiculous, they don't care about you so you will have to take care of yourself. 48 hours for 12 days work is also unsustainable in my view, are you able to look for other work?

Sorry I haven’t read everything but how old are you? Insomnia is a key symptom of peri menopause. If you’re in that age bracket it might be worth investigating.

Regardless of today. You need to turn your phone off on your days off. Get another phone if you need to for family and friends but you need to prioritise yourself as they clearly won’t.

No more coming in on your days off at all and I would also keep an eye out for other jobs

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/4393053-Anyone-else-work-7-days-a-week-Can-t-take-anymore

You seriously need to start being more assertive and say no.

@Krisjongun1

My next scheduled day off is next Saturday, I was meant to work 7 hours today, I just don’t even get adequate time to do anything. I can guarantee they’ll ring me next Saturday and say ‘but you’re our only hope’

I am going to be have to be firm today

What happened to having Tuesday off?

I believe you are the poster on a zero hours contract and has posted before, apologies if not. While I am pleased you are getting a break today, calling in sick doesn't address the underlying issue which is you need to tell them that they are breaching working time regulations, as ppl have previously advised and that you will only work 5 days per week.

If they refuse, you have the ability to report them to ACAS.

If you continue to mask the issue by ringing up sick you may well find yourself terminated because your absence isn't linked to any health conditions and you've only been there a few months so it would be easy to get rid of you, less so if they did in response to you asserting your rights under Working Time Regulations.

Now obviously they are unlikely to terminate you if they are desperate for staff, and you may not care anyway as you don't like the place, but worth knowing. There's only so many times you'll be able to ring in sick before they'll take action. Much better to have the courage to have the difficult conversation that they are breaking the law (presuming you haven't signed a WTR opt out) plus as a zero hour worker you can decline shifts anyway.. there is no mutuality of obligation. At thr very least if you're going to burn yourself into the ground at least get an employment contract that reflects your hours
Enjoy your day off

Carer? Say no and switch your phone off. They won't sack you - they can't afford to. They won't stop taking the piss and trying to emotionally blackmail you, so stop expecting them to change - instead you need to put some firm boundaries in place and stick to them.

You need to stop posting about this and take the advice offered in your other threads - the advice is not going to change.

Stand your ground, they won’t sack you as they can’t afford too. I’m guessing you work in hospitality or retail? Hoping you don’t work in care if they are allowing sick people to come in?

Lots of places are short staffed at the moment but that doesn’t give employers the right to treat staff like crap. Take a day off, have a rest and go back tomorrow.

I’d suggest you get a cheap/old phone with a PAYG sim. Tell work you’ve got a new number. Turn that phone off on your days off.

I worked somewhere that was short staffed. Got asked to do extra shifts a lot, I did for months then I burnt out. When I went off sick j went on to an informal warning even though it was because I was shattered. I stopped saying yes to the extra shifts after that. Make it easier to say no by not being contactable on your days off and long term, find a new job’

Take a couple if days off and get the rota changed. It sounds like your employer needs more staff!

You should not be working this many days without a break it's unethical, possibly modern day slavery even.

Op I am so sorry you are feeling lousy.
Work stress most likely contributing
Yes, take the day off
Do some stretches, have a hot bath, put a candle on, drink lots tea and pamper yourself.
Can you see your GP and produce med cert for some time off - you
probably need more than one day!
Look for another job.
Don’t answer work calls on your day off - you have to learn to say no and really mean it!

You don't need their permission to be ill.

What type of job is this?

Quite apart from the way they are illegally exploiting you, this

They had somebody come in during her 10 day isolation period after she had tested positive, again because they needed staff.

needs to be reported to the authorities.

Zero-contract works both ways. If they call you and you don't want to / can't work, you just say no. The reason your colleagues have been off when they needed to be is because they know that No! means No! and work respects that. You, on the other hand are a soft touch and they know they can badger you into going in. Practice saying: "No, I can't work today, bye." And hang up. Or if you feel a bit bad being blunt, you could try "No, sorry, can't work today, I have plans. Hope you get sorted, bye!" and hang up. Or just don't answer your phone on your day off....

Any which way you do it, do it!

What sector are you in?

If they are genuinely that short of staff that they are coercing potentially contagious people to work they either they are not paying enough or people are not unionised enough or its something like care and emotional blackmail is used to coerce people into work.

Which issue is it for you and can you change jobs?

You're killing yourself for someone else's profit. Literally.

Stand firm. You've said no, you're not well, you need to be at home getting some rest.

And I'd suggest you start looking for another job.

On your day's off, don't answer your phone to them. Them being short staffed is not your problem.
If they challenge you, say "I was on my day off." Practice saying that.
If you're not comfortable with that say "I was up a hill/down the pub/watching a movie with my headphones in/asleep"

I bet they’ll still tell me I have to come in.

They can't tell you you have to come in. You just say no I can't, I am ill and am turning my phone off and going to sleep.

If they are that short staffed then there is even less chance they will take any action against you. They need to start recruiting urgently.