AIBU to think about calling in sick to work with red weather warning?!

[WhoSaidWhat123]

I work the night shift in a care home that is a half hour drive away, rural location so lots of woods to drive through. There is a rare red weather warning for wind tonight, 90mph winds. There are members of staff who live close by to the home. AIU for thinking of saying I can’t (won’t) make it to work tonight because I don’t fancy driving through the woods in a red weather warning?!

The wooded area I have to pass (no other route) has the occasional fallen trees in an amber warning.

Rather than call in sick I would be honest with them and take leave or offer to work another shift to cover

I'd call, explain the situation, and see if you can swap with someone.

It won't be sick, it would be unpaid and depending on your policy, not authorised.

Be honest. Employers have a duty of care to their employees as well, and many have a weather policy. Check what your policy is.

I'd call and give them plenty of warning to rearrange, or if I didn't have anything pressing I needed to do I might go in early, sit and read a book, take my laptop with me and have tea until my shift started

No, don't go sick.

Be honest and tell them immediately so they can arrange cover.

That's the responsible thing to do.

I'd be honest to give them time to arrange something else. Red weather warnings are very unusual and should be taken seriously. What time's your shift start though? The red warning starts at 3am, the orange warning at 1am. Potentially it'll be getting home rather than getting in which will be the issue.

Your tile and post don't match up.

I would also be honest and ask for a swap

YANBU for not wanting to travel when there's a red weather warning but honesty is probably better, or take leave.
Had a red weather warning recently and I did not want to drive half an hour through country roads in that weather (snow storm) but I managed to sort out lifts for the two days it was bad, if I couldn't I would have explained why I couldn't make it in and make up the hours later.

Just checked the warning times for my area. So it’s amber at the time when I’ll be making my way in to work, which is 8pm. Tree’s have fallen in the wooded area I pass in amber warning so I’ll just set off early enough just in case the road is closed and that gives them time to call someone local.

and the red warning will be in place when I need to drive home so might have to wait until 11am when the warning ends to go home to sleep!

@Oreyt in what way?

Let them know, so they have chance to jiggle shift patterns. Maybe you could change the timings of your shift - get there a bit earlier for a bit of extra time or something?

Is there another longer route you can take not involving the areas you are concerned about? I know the options are limited in the red warning area.

People are saying not to call in sick but in your post you put you would tell them the reason.

Maybe it's my autistic brain reading into it. I thought people were advising you based on your title.

@oreyt the way I worded it in the post of not fancying driving through the woods in the wind I would never actually say that, my boss would laugh at me and not be a big fan of mine after, but if I were to phone in that would actually be the real reason (but not say it out loud!).

There is a longer route but again there is a section that’s about a mile all under woods. Again really bad in wind, I actually have a fear of falling trees from this part of the road since the storm in 2013 where a tree had fallen, blocking the road and as I was standing outside talking to someone else another tree fell in front of us. The same night I got stranded in another village (home carer at the time), and my husband took several hours to find a route that was clear to come get me!

Since that night I have a fear of driving during strong winds (I really should move away!!) 🫣

Of course YABU. There will be people depending on you there. Can you not just stay there overnight? (If you're too scared to drive home!)

You should avoid driving when there is a red warning - they are rare and mean the weather is likely to be severe. More people out on the roads means more accidents and more for emergency services to deal with.

I would ask the boss if there is somewhere you can sleep after your shift so you can drive home when it is safe.

Speak to a colleague if they cam swap with you then let work know

I'm in the same situation, amber warning turning to red but I looked more carefully and the higher winds should only be over the water it seems. The Met office put the warning over the whole county though

Please don't go sick because they are counting on you. Call them and either swop a shift or go in earlier before the winds pick up

I'm wondering op if you live where I live and work where I work (lots of care homes there) as every possible route I can take in under trees!!!

I think you should contact your workplace and ask what their extreme weather policy is and if staff who live further out or who have concerns about travelling will be expected to make it in?

Any workplace I've been in before has closed or put a skeleton staff on in extreme weather conditions to avoid the risks to any staff travelling into work.

I'd not call in sick but raise this with them now so they have a chance to review the rota. I'd ask your boss to help you swap shift with someone more local.

I will be there overnight. It’s the night shift I’m doing. I will be there from 8pm until 8am.

@mitogoshigg I live on the coast of North Wales, I live in a small village and where I work is in the closest town, which is also a coastal location. Very beautiful but brutal in winter!