To call in sick for my first day of work?

[SicklyWorker]

Starting a new job tomorrow but I have an awful cold. It's not Covid.

Nose streaming, sore throat, sinuses hurting, headache, feel dizzy and sick.

I'm meant to be going to the office for 9am tomorrow.

I do already have my laptop here as it was couriered to me.

Options are:

1. Dose up on Lemsip and hope for the best

1. Call in sick

1. See if I can can WFH on my first day and try and do the inductions over Teams

None of these options seem like a great first impression.

WWYD?

Absolutely AMAZED at the number of people saying to go in, when there’s the option to WFH. has the last 2 years taught people nothing?

What is the last 2 years supposed to have taught us about having a cold, in your opinion? We weren't all in lockdown, working from home, closing the schools and standing 2m apart because of the threat of the common cold.

I would send a really apologetic text today asking the protocol for going into the office with a cold .

I think your message is perfect, OP. Strikes just the right tone. We do now ask people with heavy colds to WFH, so if your workplace is the same then great - no-one will give it a second thought. If not, then the tone of your message makes it easy for them to say: "If you're up to it we'd like to see you in", then you've got the green flag for option 1.

Hope you feel better soon, and sorry about the poor timing.

I’m surprised by these responses. It didn’t take long for things to go back to ‘get into the office no matter what you slacker’

No one is saying you should have to go into work "no matter what", they're saying you can work with a cold. Colds are just a normal part of life and if everyone took time off work for every cold the entire country would grind to a halt.

I had a similar experience years ago with a very sore tooth after a procedure. I was in so much pain and left side of face was swollen. Had got the job through an agency and didn't feel I could say I was too unwell to go in as thought they'd give the position to another person waiting in line. I went in with a disfigured face and plenty of pain killers. The whole week was awful and as much as they sympathised, nobody ever suggested I stay home. I learned that it was up to me to look after no.1.

Another time, I had an interview, this time with bad eye. Still went in and had a terrible time. I explained it and probably scared them away coz I didn't get the job and the effort came to nothing.

If any of the above happened today, I wouldn't even think twice. Would just call, explain situation and hope they are gracious enough to cut me some slack. Put your health - and in the case of a contagion - other people's health first ALWAYS!!

You’re quite correct, but having worked with someone who always came into the office minging with a cold, then ending up with horrifically painful sinusitis (to the point where I couldn’t wear my glasses due to facial swelling) from being passed that cold, when there’s the option to WFH, then take it!

i would dose up and go in. Hopefully, you’ll feel a lot better in 24 hours. I certainly wouldn’t text your manager on a Sunday, unless this is an actual working day for them.

I had appendicitis in week one of a new job and had to have a month off! Sometimes shit happens.

I agree with those saying that you should offer your manager the choice. That's what I would prefer, as an employer.

You have 24 hours so could feel dramatically better by then.

I'd dose myself up, drink lots of water, get some fresh air and reassess this evening.

The message is nice but doesn't convey an accurate picture IMO: it doesn't include the fact that you are feeling bad. If I received that I'd possibly think "Why did she need to ask that, it sounds like she only has a sniffle?"

This. I know everyone is more worried about minor colds but I'd be so unimpressed if you took a day off on the first day it would really colour my view when it came to deciding on your probation decision.

Option 1 and wear a face mask.

I’m torn between texting and explaining and letting them make the decision or dosing yourself up and going in.

DH had this first day of a new job. Temperature through the roof, sweated through the bed covers, went in anyway (commute to London via train and tube). Suffered but made it through and was glad he did.

That was January 2020. Could well have been covid, in hindsight, but that was at the point before any cases were detected here and there were no restrictions.

For those saying 1, you’re ignoring the fact that some businesses now have HR policies that state you must work from home if you have Covid symptoms (even if you’ve not tested positive). OP therefore needs to check with her manager whether she’s permitted to come into the office.

If younare still streaming tomorrow I think I would call them and apologise profusely. Offer for your contract to start when you actually start so they aren't paying you to be sick (it makes clear you are ill as you are prepared to take a hit). Hope you feel better soon.

My covid started as a bad cold.

I do as you’ve done and would speak to the manager and say you have a bad cold and covid symptoms but you’ve tested negative so you’re just checking what the policy is.

I do think it looks bad missing the first day but sometimes it cannot be helped.

I know someone who had almost a month off as genuine things kept coming up.
Once they came back and started properly it was soon forgotten and didn’t affect her working relationships in the long run.

You will create a terrible impression if you call in sick on your first day of a new job. You probably won't be entitled to sick pay either as you have no length of service to have earned it. Dose up and push through. It's just a cold.

Definitely message manager today. I’d tweak yours to

Apologies to message on a Sunday but wanted to check something with you before starting tomorrow. I’ve had flu-like symptoms since Friday - have tested and negative Covid results so it is a heavy cold and I am wondering what the office etiquette is? Happy to come in but don't want to spread my germs around the office so equally happy to do the inductions over Teams. Let me know what you would prefer?

I'd dose up on cold remedies, wear a mask and go in. If it wasn't your first day I'd stay at home, but I think you have to at least try.

I also think messaging a manager that you don't know on a Sunday is a terrible idea. Just go in.

I would contact company and ask what they would prefer.

@neverbeenskiing the OP has made it clear she is feeling really rubbish though. It’s not just a runny nose type cold, she’s feeling dizzy and sick. I’m not saying she’ll still feel that way tomorrow but I suppose we need to acknowledge there are different levels of colds and it sounds like the OPs is pretty nasty.

I can’t think of any being worse than being at work and feeling dizzy and sick tbh.

I’m a manager and I’d suggest you calling in and asking if the company has a preference for contagious illness. I would always prefer someone stay at home rather than 1) be feeling rotten themselves which is no fun 2) getting others (including me!) sick when WFH is an option. Trust me, introductions with a stinking cold is not going to be fun for anyone. If you can, drop them a message or call as soon as you can (if you have a mobile number) and ask. Explain that you realise it’s not ideal on the first day but want to be courteous to the new team you’ll be meeting (who will likely thank you for staying remote whilst sick!)

as a last note, I’d always advise people not to work through illness. Just take the time to rest. I know some managers don’t feel the same but they can feck off x