To tell dd to just lie and call in sick over Xmas ?

[JustCallinSick]

Dd (26). AuDHD and MH struggles including ongoing eating disorder ,anxiety and OCD has been working for 5 years now.

She has never taken a day off sick. She has struggled in with viruses , on bad days , with severe period pain. She loves routine. Every year she has had to work Xmas. 6 hours xmas eve, all day Xmas day and 6 hours Boxing Day. She has never complained (but her boss is really not very nice).

This year (ages ago too!) she requested Xmas period off. This has been rejected and she’s so so upset. She has been feeling worse lately and has had to take more medication for MH and we paid for private therapy so she could go outside of work. We have family visiting this year from abroad and have a lot of plans she is looking forward to.

Her boss has told her that the priority is those with children not her.

Dd is so upset. I’ve calmed her down and told her to just call in sick. There’s nothing they can do and she’s never had a day off before so they can’t say a word. The alternative is battling it out with them . She has also started to look for a new job but she won’t just quit.

AIBU to have suggested this ? It just seems like the easiest option.

She is ill though - it's all there in OP'S first paragraph. She would be completely justified in getting a doctor's sick note for stress induced acute & debilitating anxiety. The consequences vary according to what kind of contract she is on.

FWIW I'm ano0ther who wouldn't encourage lying, but the colleagues who've enjoyed their own leave while she's worked all these years won't care

They never do, and while they'll pretend to be ever-so-grateful at the time, the real entitlement comes out the instant anyone suggests they too might take a turn

It's not a battle between employees. It's greedy employers. It's not essential to be open on Christmas Day. No-one needs to eat out. And if you really don't want to make your own lunch one day a year, there are plenty of Chinese/Indian places which will be open because the staff aren't celebrating Christmas anyway.

Resign on 23rd November with last day on 23rd December and offer to withdraw it if she can have the time off.

It's usually only very trivial issues - and even then only to spare feelings ("sorry my dc is busy that day of your dc's party that he doesn't want to come to"/ "no your bum looks great in that pair of trousers two sizes too small") - that make a lie the right course imo. Beyond that you start to move into "oh what a tangled web we weave" territory,

I think it will ruin your DD's Christmas. I'd find a more direct way of dealing with this OP.

Good luck if you start a business,you are in Cloud Cuckoo Land,enjoy.

THIS!