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?

It will be based on old fashioned thinking

There is a strong generational gap on AIBU which usually leads to this kind of posting

As a line manager, I'd be less impressed if they showed up with an illness bug that could make me / others in the team unwell.

I wouldn’t have thought that many people would phone in sick on their first day in a new job unless they were actually sick?
I would message early this afternoon, explain you’re not well, ask what office etiquette is and take it from there.

I’d go in and then if you are obviously unwell, get them to send you home,

1 for sure. Colds often have a bad day, perhaps this is your bad day

Option 1 I’m afraid

I would take another covid test - I had it recently and nausea was a big symptom .. I was also negative one day and positive the next

I think since covid people will find it rude and disgusting for a colleague to come in obviously ill. The advice above to do so is awful. Do not go in, tell your manager, and if you are able to WFH explain that you think it would be irresponsible to be around people when you could infect them.

I love the fact that the only other thread you previously started was 8 months ago about being in a new job and wanting to call in sick!

www.mumsnet.com/talk/employment_issues/4398891-should-i-tell-work-how-sick-i-am

I missed my first three days in a new job as I had the flu. I thought I couldn’t possibly phone in sick and got as far as having a shower but ended up sitting on the landing wrapped in a towel. Dh had to help me back to bed. Everyone was fine about it when I eventually got started. I worked there for the next ten years so I think I made up for it.

Your message is fine. The boss can decide if he wants your germs. I had symptoms for two days before I tested positive for Covid and my neighbour had symptoms but never tested positive despite his wife having it at the time.

It would be option 3 for my place (esp if they've already sent a laptop). Our policy post Covid has been very strict. If you already have a laptop do you have access to policies to see if your place has an infectious illness policy?

If not think your message is perfect

Try and make contact today and ask what they would prefer you to do.

Option 1

Me too, last month. I had 2 negative tests before testing positive on Day 4. If you've only taken one test, it might well be Covid.

Lemsip and go in . Not going in on first day is the worst thing you can do

Sleuthing 😂

Ha! I couldn't be bothered with another name change.

Previous issue turned out to be h pylori infection, sorted with a course of antibiotics.

I'm usually fairly healthy.

What bad luck you have OP. What happened to the last job?

I’m not in the UK and I always find it so odd when people write that they are really ill and get told that they should just go in anyway because it shows willingness. That would be totally unacceptable here, how rude and selfish to show up and give your bugs to other people! Here people would be seriously pissed off.

The commute was a bit much so I found a new role closer to home.

I do feel pretty unlucky tbh. Trying not to feel sorry for myself.

Contact your line manager and ask what they would prefer you to do.

I have just had 4 staff start, and if one turned up obviously ill on the first day, I would just send them home - I wouldn't want them infecting the others and they arent going to be concentrating on the training either.

It's a cold - of course you go to work, just like the rest of us do and have always done!

I think we have this cold. It is bloody awful.

Just call in and talk to them in person. They almost certainly won't care, but won't miss how poorly you look and you've plenty of time to make it up to them.

Since Covid my work has a strict WFH policy if you're unwell with a cold etc. So agree with PPs that you should definitely check your work's policy. (Obviously that's assuming you are well enough to work).

If I went to work with a cold my boss would immediately tell me to go home.