Phoning in sick on Christmas Day?

[themanors]

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

This.

I'm not saying just phone in sick on the day, but equally like you yes, I would very much in those circumstances prioritise spending time with family. So I would say I won't be doing it (and looking for another job). You never know calling their bluff may work anyway but be prepared to find another role elsewhere.

Good luck!

sorry but youve put yourself in it now

youve been asking for it off now are just not going to turn up

probably gross misconduct

But it's ok for Op to have her Christmas ruined? And her birthday? And leave her 87yr old father on his own?

There's a huge difference between being given nearly 5 months notice and having time to make alternate plans, and getting a call on Christmas morning telling you that you gave to get into work!

Ilovelurchers · Today 13:18
Everyone on here is obsessed with employer's rights, and also playing by "the rules" - it's a very right wing website in the main. Very little compassion or interest in the well-being of employees.

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Not a single post so far has mentioned employers’ rights or expressed any concern for the corporation.

Everyone has said that it wouldn’t be fair on fellow workers. You know - other working people. The consensus on the thread is ‘you don’t fuck over the equally-oppressed.’

The attitude you are recommending - which amounts to ‘just do what’s best for you and fuck everyone else’ - is just about as neo-con rightwing as you can get

Sorry OP but your dad isn't your company's problem. Other employees also have families.
If you call in sick, someone else may have to miss out on some time with a family member just to cover you. And last minute.

You have ages to prepare, why not celebrating christmas the day before or after? What's the big deal?

OP does not mind doing her turn, she minds a 12 hour shift on Christmas day which is unreasonable. She has the same on Christmas eve. (and you can guarantee that if someone goes sick on Boxing day, she will be called upon!)
It should never have been presented like this - it should have been split between at least 2 of them, and better 3 of them.
I would find another job, because this one is not good, and make it clear in advance that Christmas day is not available.

OP what is your area like for work?

Her employer doesn't need to prove gross misconduct. She can just be sacked.

I find this odd.
My parents have always worked shifts as nurses/care workers so we often had Christmas where either one was working or asleep in the middle of night shifts. It was a shame but we just had our main Christmas celebration on a day that worked for us.
Just before my daughter was born my partner took a new role involving shifts- one of the things we discussed first is he would have to work Christmas sometimes- sure enough he has been working my daughters first 2 Xmas days- we work round it. Your dad is an adult who can understand that your doing Christmas on Boxing Day surely?
I would object to being asked to work Christmas Day and Boxing Day yes but even so would accept it's a possibility when I took the job. But Christmas Eve is a normal working day.

@themanors also you really do have to think about the effect on your ability to get another job when you've been sacked. They will sack you, or fail probation. So hand in your notice if you can't negotiate a shorter working day. Your last day of working to be Christmas Eve.

I think the point is that the Op is no more special than any other employee and somebody has to work the shift
I have worked loads of Xmas days and yes it sucks ,but when you work in an industry that require, s you to work unsocial hours, you just have to get on with it .

Why will her Christmas be ruined? Or her birthday? There have been plenty of suggestions of ways around this. And as for leaving her dad on his own, unless she has him tucked up under the reception desk * when she is working, he is left on his own when she is working normal shifts.

• there was a sitcom many years ago when a receptionist did this with her children!

If you’re not intending to cover your shifts (of which you’ve been given 4 months notice) then you should quit your job now.

No one is forcing you to work there.

You would be wrong to phone in sick.

The Brittas Empire?

Plenty of people work Christmas Day. My own parents are in hospitality related jobs and we managed fine my whole life.

If you don't want to do it, change jobs. But working Christmas Day is really not the end of the world.

The hotel is a business. A lot of hospitality businesses need the money they make in December to sustain the business in the quieter months.

Get another job .I worked in NHS dh in social care our ds opened some presents at his grans one Yr as we were both working a night shift Christmas eve .He was 5 it was horrible but santa left some there for him and some at home as it was a special arrangement for workers 😉. The whole world can't stop for Christmas sadly . Celebrate before or after with your dad

Bloody Hell calm down.

Her elderly father comes before any corporation.

@Krumblina the bosses have probably spent time working their way up in the sector and have likely more than done their time at the shitty end of the rota.

Also - the OP is a receptionist, they are not receptionists. Obviously the person who actually holds the job should do the job before anyone else has to cover.

But you can have Christmas Day any day, it is only a sacrifice on paper. If we have a boxing day Christmas we do it the same as we would Christmas Day- mum puts on Christmas music, we have the full turkey dinner, presents after lunch, games etc. The only thing you might be missing is the Christmas church services if they were important to you. Kings speech and Christmas telly could even be watched on catch up if you wanted to stick to traditions.

I actually really like having our Christmas a day or two after now we are used to the idea- sometimes family or friends who had their Christmas day with others can join us for our Christmas too and we get a larger celebration than we would otherwise have done.

Only to the Op ,
All the other Employess will have family and friends too ,.

Also sometimes working Christmas Day can be fun- I have worked a few myself. People tipped great and were often in great spirits, other staff brought in treats to share etc.

I really think you are making a mountain out of a mole hill. It's just a day,

My family are big on Christmas and in the past I've had to work so we've celebrated on a different day. Your dad isn't a child he'll understand the need to work.

Calling in sick is such a shitty thing to do to colleagues, you don't know their family circumstances and just shows you care about no one but yourself

That was it! Couldn’t remember the title.

If OP resigns late, one of the others will be stuck with the 12 hour shift on Christmas day and Christmas eve.
Or will that miraculously morph into 2 more reasonable shifts?

None of your replies change the fact that you need to either work Christmas Day or find a new job. Whether it’s fair, whether they make a lot of profit, whether it’s one person or multiple working that day is irrelevant. Either work it, or find a new job, no amount of crying about it is going to change that.

Calling in sick means your colleague, who might have an 88 year old dying parent, may be called in. It would be worse for them as they weren’t expecting it. If they couldn’t get cover and they had to cancel people’s bookings then it’s ruining however many customers it affects Christmas, some of which may be their last ones.

Work it or find a new job.

Nope, YANBU. I think doing two 12 hour shifts on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day is a totally unreasonable ask, particularly when there’s no extra pay! Why would anyone give up their entire Christmas (and birthday) to cover all of the shifts with no incentive at all just because nobody else wants to do them? You asked to split the shifts 50:50 which is totally fair and would mean you could at least have a Christmas morning or evening with family. Nobody wants to, so you have to do those 4 shifts. How can that possibly be fair?

i wouldn’t call in sick because quite frankly they won’t believe you and you may find your employer makes life very difficult for you. Instead, I’d also look for another job. They sound like pisstakers.