‘It's messed up': Employee gets pressured by family to call in sick instead of working on Christmas Eve, she refuses to risk her job in favor of a family dinner

Author image for Bar Mor Hazut
Bar Mor Hazut • Senior Editor
Dec 17, 2024 10:00 AM EST

Although nobody likes to work on Christmas, some of us find ourselves landing jobs that require us to work during the holidays. It's not fun, but that's having a job in a nutshell, and there is not much we can do about it. If we value our job, we have to accept that sometimes we make sacrifices for it, including working on Christmas.

The employee in this Reddit story (OP, original poster) was hired as a seasonal worker, so she knew from the start she would be required to work during the holidays. Even so, her mother was not pleased to learn that her daughter was scheduled to work on Christmas Eve, and would inevitably miss the family dinner. Mom then starts to pressure OP to call in sick on Christmas Eve, so she would not have to work during the dinner. OP, on the other hand, knows that if she does that, she will not keep her job for long…

Keep scrolling to read what happened next on this family dispute between a mother who wanted her daughter for Christmas, and a daughter who wanted to keep her job. After you are done reading this story, check out another about a mom who refused to host some family members on Christmas.

Advertisement
  • 01
    "I'm trying to keep this job"
    via Tanja Ristic

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 02
    WIBTA if I don't call out of work on Christmas Eve to go to family dinner?
    via Junelady04
  • 03
    So 3 weeks ago, I (20F) started working at Target and on my 2nd day of work, I had to call out because I woke up throwing up. A team lead talked to me about my call out the next day I came to
    via Junelady04
  • 04
    work. I'm scheduled to work from 2-9:30pm on Christmas Eve and my mom isn't happy about that because we are supposed to go to my Grandparents house for dinner like we usually do every
    via Junelady04
  • 05
    year. She told me that I'm going. to have to call out but I don't want to risk getting in trouble since I recently already had a call out. I was also hired as a seasonal worker since that's what they had
    via Junelady04
  • 06
    available and I'm trying to have them keep me permanently and if I call out again, especially on a holiday, that will affect my chances of them keeping me.
    via Junelady04
  • 07
    My mom got mad because I said I didn't want to call out and she started guilt tripping me and saying "it's messed up that you won't be at family dinner" "I can't believe your going to go to work
    via Junelady04
  • 08
    on Christmas Eve" "I don't understand why you can't just call out so you can have dinner with the family”. This would only be my first time not going to dinner
    via Junelady04
  • 09
    and a few of my older cousins won't even be there because they are busy with stuff. WIBTA if I don't call out of work?
    via Junelady04
  • 10
    Junelady04 OP • 1d ago. Part ipant [1] Target isn't my long term plan but I want to upgrade from seasonal and get a permanent spot here until I graduate college and I'm able to get the career I'm planning on pursuing. There aren't many jobs in my area that pay $17 like. Target does so I don't want to risk losing this job.
    via Junelady04
  • 11
    SacklersNext • 1d ago If you call out you absolutely will lose the job. I've work a service job where they're open 365. Any one who's seasonal and calls out is a goner.
    via SacklersNext
  • 12
    writierthanyou ⚫ 11h ago • • You've got the right perspective. Don't call out. You'll need the money to remain independent.
    via writierthanyou
  • 13
    TrustMelaLawyer • 1d ago You are seasonal. Call out and spend time with family. You won't have a job in a month anyway. ΝΤΑ
    via TrustMelaLawyer
  • 14
    Junelady04 OP • 1d ago • Part ipant [1] There's a possibility I could be kept permanent though and Target is one of the best jobs in my area right now so I'm trying to keep this job.
    via Junelady04
  • 15
    TrustMelaLawyer • 1d ago. There are so many other similar businesses that could use you. Family first is my motto.
    via TrustMelaLawyer
  • 16
    Junelady04 OP • 1d ago Part ipant [1]] In my area there isn't
    via Junelady04
  • 17
    DapperExplanation77 • 1d ago • Right. OP, how long does dinner usually happen? Are your grandparents far away? Can you go after work, even if just for dessert and catching up? Or can they move dinner to a later hour?
    via DapperExplanation77
  • 18
    Junelady04 OP • 19h ago • Part ipant [1] My grandparents parents only live 15 minutes away from me and we are usually over there for like 2-3 hours. We don't even have dinner sitting down at the
    via Junelady04
  • 19
    table together like we do on thanksgiving, we just grab a plate and we sit wherever. My grandparents will most likely be getting ready to go to sleep by 10pm so they aren't going to change the time.
    via Junelady04
  • 20
    Clamato Diver • 1d ago • Surprised Pikachu Takes a seasonal job at a retail store, acts surprised they have to work the holidays. ΥΤΑ
    via ClamatoDiver
  • 21
    Junelady04 OP • 15h ago Part ipant [1] I'm not the one that's surprised about working on the holidays, my mom is lol.
    via Junelady04
  • 22
    Forward-Dingo1431 A hole A... 15h ago • Top 1% Comme... I'm shocked that your mom wants you to call out. That's sending a terrible message to you. Is that the kind of work ethic she has? You have a
    via Forward-Dingo1431
  • 23
    responsibility to your job and you need to learn that now. Good for you that you're taking it seriously. I hope you get hired permanently! NTA
    via Forward-Dingo1431
  • 24
    MedicinalWalnuts • 15h ago • Part ipant [4] NTA. If you call out, you won't get hired permanently. This is your chance to prove you are reliable. You can also compromise by stopping by to see your relatives on your way home. It isn't ideal, but this is life when you have a job in retail.
    via MedicinalWalnuts
  • 25
    Aggressive_Cattle320 P❤perint... • 15h ago • Top 1% Comme... NTA Your job is on the line, and your mother seems oblivious to that fact. Especially, since you are hoping to be taken on as a full time employee in the future, you must put yourself first.
    via Aggressive_Cattle320
  • 26
    Your mother is wrong in not supporting you in this effort. My son works in a grocery store, so he rarely gets holiday time, either. It's not always convenient, but it's life.
    via Aggressive_Cattle320
  • 27
    elsie78 14h ago Professor Emeritass [83] NTA. Let her know you're open to Christmas Eve breakfast but you're not calling out sick. You work retail, hired as holiday help. Of course you're working Christmas Eve!
    via elsie78

Want More? Follow Us and Add Us as a Preferred Source on Google.

Tags

christmas boss workplace-stories employee fired job tales-from-the-workplace reddit story dinner workplace family family dinner Reddit mom christmas eve
Scroll Down For The Next Article