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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Phoning in sick on Christmas Day?

343 replies

themanors · 15/08/2024 13:06

I work as a receptionist in a hotel
I have been told as the newest member of the team I will be working Christmas Day months in advance.
It's 11am -11 pm shift and the same Christmas Eve (my birthday)
It's minimum wage and we won't get paid extra.
My dad is 87 and isn't in the best health and I'm his only family
I'm really scared that this might be his last Christmas and I'm wasting it at work for a company who doesn't care
I asked to swap and was told no
I asked if anyone else wanted to work was told no

Aibu to phone in sick?
Il just add I'm not workshy
I never ring in sick

OP posts:
JMSA · 17/08/2024 06:16

I would be honest with your employer now. "Working Christmas Day is a dealbreaker for me, and I feel I owe it to you to let you know that I am not going to do it. Should I start looking for another job?"
Just be matter-of-fact and honest about it.
It's shit that you would have to work for your normal rate of pay. But it's also shit to land someone else in it by calling in sick.

Loveandhatred · 17/08/2024 06:17

themanors · 15/08/2024 13:38

Also the hotel isn't opening out of charity
It's x4 the normal price of a room
Charging £130 pp for a glorified Sunday dinner
Let's not pretend the hotel is opening out of the goodness of their heart
They up the prices yet don't up the staffs wages for this day

It's a business and is there to make money and profit. If it doesn't or doesn't make enough to keep up with repairs etc, it closes and you're out of a job.

You would be 100% wrong to call in sick but I understand how important a parent is. You need to put everything into finding a new job. You can't just call in sick on a day where replacing you will be next to impossible. I can just imagine a little kid opening presents and then mum/dad gets a call to say you've called in sick and they need to go in instead of you. Awful! Everyone would know you're lying.

Thevelvelletes · 17/08/2024 06:23

And if you're stuck in that job and do the Xmas sicky.. your actions are likely to go down like a lead balloon with colleagues.
You'll end up a pariah and be more miserable.

Arrivapercy · 17/08/2024 06:26

Honestly? Get a different job. Be honest with them that if christmas day is required you will be leaving.

Don't leave them having booked a hotel full of guests forced to call another member of staff & drag them in in the middle of cooking their turkey, with zero notice & their kids in tears because its unexpected.

3tumsnot1 · 17/08/2024 06:56

TokyoSushi · 15/08/2024 13:10

Just look for another job, it's only August.

This. The job sounds crap anyway. I even got time and a half at Christmas 20 years ago in a pub. I would recommend getting a job in a restaurant, I used to make a killing at Christmas in tips ! Don’t listen to anyone on here. You’ll regret it for the rest of your life if you don’t spend Christmas with your dad.

Also if they didn’t make you aware of the requirement to work Christmas Day when you interviewed, I would suggest your employer is being unreasonable, not you….. it would be easy to make a number of smaller shifts, so the day can be shared between multiple people. This will always destroy Christmas for whoever has to do it…. Then everyone could get some time off…

Stressedoutforever · 17/08/2024 09:39

GivingitToGod · 16/08/2024 18:00

I hear you but OP's father is unwell and possibly his last xmas,
FYI, I have worked several xmas' when my son was little also

Show quote history

Surely it could be anyone last Christmas though- that's the thing we don't know..
It's a shame, but various jobs have it as part of a package and I don't think it's fair OP would call in sick, surely you need to just look for a new job

JenniferBooth · 17/08/2024 17:54

hoarahloux · 15/08/2024 13:25

Wow. Merry Christmas Dad, hope you like sitting around for 12 hours in a hotel lobby! You can watch the hotel adverts on their TVs!

Show quote history

Yep No way would this have been suggested if @themanors was a single mum

JenniferBooth · 17/08/2024 17:58

Matrons · 15/08/2024 13:30

Go sick.

They are being completely unreasonable by asking u to do a 12 hour shift on Xmas. It should be split between colleagues.

You are no more selfish for calling in sick than they are for refusing to split the shift.

And does OP drive? Taxi drivers charge double time on Christmas Day so how much of your wage will go on getting to and from work @themanors

Bumblebeestiltskin · 17/08/2024 18:11

themanors · 15/08/2024 13:10

Also I took the hotel job because I needed a job and money
It wasn't my first choice
What about if I was sick ?

And you've got months to find another job.

JenniferBooth · 17/08/2024 18:19

needapokerface · 15/08/2024 15:14

I worked in a hotel that had to have cover from 7am to midnight, we had 3 receptionists, on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day etc we choose to split the day into 3 and each had a shift per day. We put the days and times into a hat and took one each in turn.

I was allocated the midnight finish on Christmas Eve and the 7am start on Christmas day, only the other two didn't turn in, didn't answer calls and the duty manager was rushed off her feet with guests demands, guess who worked from 7am till midnight on Christmas day and had to go in for 7am boxing day just incase the receptionist who should have been on didn't come in.

That was the first and last time I worked hotel reception.

illegal There is supposed to be an 11 hour break between shifts

JenniferBooth · 17/08/2024 18:35

Tumbleweed101 · 16/08/2024 18:12

I get the impression it's less about Christmas and more about your dislike of this job in particular. I'm guessing there are other things that frustrate you about it day to day.

I've had to work Xmas before when I did care work and we shifted our Christmas to Boxing Day so that was our relaxing day instead. It is just as tricky when you have young children or elderly parents. We all took turns though and the childless or those without other commitments would often volunteer to do the earlier Christmas day shifts so parents could be home to see young ones open gifts or choose to have Boxing day off so parents could be home Xmas day. The reverse applied to New Year eve. Many of those with commitments would work NYE or early on NYD so the youngsters could go out partying.

Im child free by choice and teetotal Not all childless people like going out on the piss I much prefer Christmas to New Year. Ive always found NY depressing.

Romeiswheretheheartis · 17/08/2024 18:38

BibbleandSqwauk · 15/08/2024 19:33

You and your dad are both grown ups. It's an arbitrary date. Do Christmas on Boxing Day or look for another job. You've had 12 pages of people basically telling you that.

This. I don't get why adults get so hung up on Christmas day. Children, yes, as it's all hyped up for them with Santa coming, but for adults surely it's just an arbitrary day.

Stoptherideiwanttogetoff24 · 17/08/2024 18:42

You need to quit your job

JenniferBooth · 17/08/2024 18:49

@themanors have you tried retail They usually start recruiting for Christmas in early October and no Christmas Day working

ToWonderWhyIBother · 17/08/2024 19:45

JenniferBooth · 17/08/2024 18:19

illegal There is supposed to be an 11 hour break between shifts

Show quote history

I know that, but we repeatdly finished work at 11pm and started at 7am the next day. Taking it to management was not an option as they knew fine well it was illegal.

When you need the money to pay bills you do what needs to be done, as I said I was only there till I was able to get a better job with better hours.

lonelynfrustrated · 17/08/2024 20:19

I don't think anyone would believe you were actually sick (even if you were!) so you'd be putting your job at risk.

My spouse was in the military when my kids were little and often worked Christmas. We just moved 'Christmas Day' and celebrated a day or two early or late. Would that be an option for you and your Dad?

MayonnaiseOnMyChips · 17/08/2024 20:31

I would lie and tell them now,so they have plenty of notice to get cover,that you're going away for Xmas and won't be around. See how they take that but don't do a last min sicky as that's not fair

StormingNorman · 17/08/2024 20:34

MayonnaiseOnMyChips · 17/08/2024 20:31

I would lie and tell them now,so they have plenty of notice to get cover,that you're going away for Xmas and won't be around. See how they take that but don't do a last min sicky as that's not fair

Well, she won’t get leave approved so…

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