Can I be fired for calling in sick on a busy day?

[KevinTheKoala]

I feel genuinley rotten and just seem to be getting worse, what started as a high temperature and severe body aches has turned into a throat so sore I can't swallow, painful ears and one perforated ear drum that is now leaking fluid, coupled with dizziness, nausea, shortness of breath and a bit of chest pain. In short ok really not in a good way and the doctors won't open till Tuesday, out of hours is too far away for me to get to I have no money and can't drive and have 2 children and nobody to look after them. I'm supposed to be in work tomorrow and I really don't see how i will magically be OK by then but obviously it is Easter Sunday - am I likely to lose my job? I can't afford to take sick days, I struggle through as much as possible but I can't remember feeling this ill before.

If you are ill you are ill. I would think having staff looking visibly unwell to customers would not give a good impression and I'm not sure why on earth they would want that. I have never heard of anybody actually being sacked after being sick twice in a year, you normally have to be a repeat offender surely? Twice in a year isn't actually a massive amount. Call them now so they are forewarned and can get cover.

Is your manager normally unreasonable? Is this why you are worried?

Tell them first thing today that you’re poorly and have a temperature. You hope to be better tomorrow but don’t know if you will be

You don’t sound well enough. Call now so they have warning and time to find someone.

Have you seen their sickness policy?

If they fire you, they fire you. In hospitality you will have no problems finding another job.

You can call 111 and have a gp call back or there may be ooh nearby. Or try your local chemist. Call in sick today so they can arrange cover if needs be.

I think it's awful that we live in a world where you could potentially be sacked for being ill. It is a disgrace that employees have no rights under 2 years...why is no-one fuming about this?
I am probably missing the point here but there is nothing wrong with calling in sick if you are. In your case I would phone in, say you are feeling ill but offer to go in if they are desperate.

I work for the police and they have a really tight sickness policy - even getting covid would now count towards unacceptable attendance triggers.

I had hoped the pandemic would bring an end to this but sadly no. This is a disgrace for the police. I know itbis the reality but it's so wrong.

@refraction

I work for the police and they have a really tight sickness policy - even getting covid would now count towards unacceptable attendance triggers.

I had hoped the pandemic would bring an end to this but sadly no. This is a disgrace for the police. I know itbis the reality but it's so wrong.

Lots of sickness policies are designed to deal with extremes and normal absence gets swept up in it.

But ultimately the police are publicly funded and they have a duty to make sure police staff aren’t fraudulently claiming public money.

I would probably take some ibuprofen and paracetamol and see how I felt at lunchtime today. If still rough then let your employer know so they have notice. And go to out of hours/call 111 - they’re more likely to be sympathetic if you’ve sought medical advice.

You don't need a doctor's appointment. You are ill but you don't need medical attention unless this persists longer than normal for an ordinary viral bug or gets so much worse that self care can't help.

In your op you said you have 2 kids and no one to look adter them but in your followup post you said they were supposed to be with their dad. Obviously to keep your job you need a childcare setup that works, but that seems irrelevant here.

I think you should say to your boss that you are willing to dose up with paracetamol and cone in to work but (a) you will certainly spread this bug among staff and guests and (b) you'll probably make lots of mistakes and more than likely faint half way through the shift as you're really not well enough.

If your boss says anything other than "stay in bed, get well soon" tgey are a shit boss and you need a different job.

@refraction

I work for the police and they have a really tight sickness policy - even getting covid would now count towards unacceptable attendance triggers.

I had hoped the pandemic would bring an end to this but sadly no. This is a disgrace for the police. I know itbis the reality but it's so wrong.

The police have a very generous sickness policy

Full pay from day 1 (for up to a maximum of 6 months in a year and then half pay for final 6months)
No need to provide a GP until 7 consecutive working days

I have done a lateral flow it was negative but I'm never sure if I've done it correctly,

I had similar symptoms to yours and had a negative lateral flow, so thought it was a cold/flu. A friend advised me to do another a couple of days later and it was positive. I’d advise taking a test daily or going for a PCR. Ring 111 for advice but you probably don’t really need a doctor unless things get worse.

In your situation I'd probably drag myself in so they can see how ill I am then hope they send me home.

Please don’t do that. Ring them today to give them a heads up to arrange cover.

Can they afford to sack you? Where I work (retail) we are massively understaffed. Hospitality and carer agencies where I live are having the same problem. Basically all minimum wage jobs. I’m confident I wouldn’t be sacked for taking a day off sick at a busy time. My managers aren’t morons though. Mostly. They can’t afford to sack anyone right now. I imagine other businesses have the same dilemma.

I honestly can't believe what I'm reading here. Why she should go to work if she is sick?I am almost 12 years in hospitality and yes,shit happens, you CAN be sick on Christmas, Easter, New Year,etc. Would you like to be infected on your lovely"weekend break" because waitress or room attendant was forced to work while sick?
I have only one advice-call your manager today so they will have a time to look for replacement. Otherwise no one will even reply or pick up the call on Easter Sunday.

Two sickness and two lates in 12 months - I see why you say you are only fairly reliable. What was the reason for the lateness?

If you’re ill, you’re ill. You wouldn’t be asking the question.

It's a really difficult time for employers to recruit OP. If they sack a good reliable employee, in the current environment, they may well struggle to replace you, whereas you may pick up another job relatively easily.

It happened at my workplace- short of staff and one lady called sick (feeling nauseous), boss kept calling her and she was basically forced to come later the same day.
Day 2- five team members sick
Day 3- they had to close the business because all team was sick
Business was closed for nearly 3 weeks because stupid boss called her back.

Of course you can’t be fired for being ill.

Ring today to give notice, hopefully someone else can cover the shift.

@Benjispruce4

Of course you can’t be fired for being ill.

Of course you can. If you have under two years' service and you are not being fired due to a disability.

I would go in, then at least it proves how sick you are.

Hospitality is an industry where nobody believes you if you are ill, worked in it for years and an employee who had been off twice already, and late twice with kids would be immediately be treated with suspicion for phoning in sick on Easter Sunday. Not saying that's what I think, but that's how it would have been treated in most of the places I worked in. It's not a great industry a lot of the time. I personally would go in briefly to get sent home or at least let them see how unwell you are

You can’t be fired for being sick, that’s unfair dismissal.

Call your boss now and let them know.

Call 111 and explain you can’t get there but would like to speak to a doctor.

You cant go in when that ill.
What they do about it is up to them