Dilemma. Warning! May be TMI!!!

sunflower8710

I am supposed to work today between 2:30-7pm. I am thinking of calling in, but don't want to because I just started working, BUT I have diarrhea. I called my OB and the nurse on call said not to be concerned, but watch for fever or contractions and to take it easy and drink lots of water.

Of course, I don't have to leave for leave for like 3 hrs, but I am wondering if I should go? I am still "in training," but that just entails me looking over someone's  shoulder and I've already done that for like 30 hrs. I don't think I'd be missed today and today is the last day of my initial training period (its 3 weeks, period regardless of if I were to miss today).

We're allowed like 3 absences in a 90 day period before they even TALK to you about it. So I am thinking I should just stay home?

Pina

Go to work.  You can not afford to use up only 3 days that are not even looked well upon using.  There may be a day in the next three months when this pregnancy is really kicking your arse that you need a day.  You are in training.  Is the kind of precedent you want to set for yourself?  If you are that sick and can't stay out of the bathroom, talk to them once at work and let them send you home. You were very upset when you were looking for work and already you want to call in?  Go.

Not to sound harsh, just keeping it real.  Sorry you are not feeling so hot.

Phoebe623

You can take some anti-diahreal medicine while pregnant-  you would have to call and ask what is acceptable, because my approved list is at home.

If you are going to the bathroom like once every 20 minutes and still have that frequency in 3 hours, you can't do your job.

But if you are going to the bathroom like every 2 hours, I would go.  No doubt about it... I would go!

womancake

Eeek...I can tell you as someone who used to be a manager in a retail setting, it wouldn't look really good to call in this early on the job.  I mean, obviously things happen, and you've gotta do what you've gotta do.  If you really don't feel like you can make it through your shift, then you should call in.  But just looking at it from the other side of things, it's not so much about whether they need you there or not (because you're right--they probably don't).  It's more about whether you're dependable.  And if you call in when you haven't been there very long, it may make you seem not as dependable, and could come back to bite you in the butt later on. 

So my advice would be to only call in if you truly believe you can't make it through your shift.  And I'd do so sooner rather than later.  HTH.

kleu9

Here's my schpeel on that:

First and foremost, your health comes first so if you truly feel that it's not in the best interest for you to work, then don't.

However, having been a large retail manager (and if I recall you're working for a large retail store), it is always highly frowned upon when a new employee calls in while in training or within their first 90 days (no matter what the "policy" is). So if you think you could make it thorugh those 4 and half hours, I say do your best to suck it up and go in.

Again - your health comes first so I'm definitely not trying to make you feel guilty about it by ANY means...I'm just thinking more along the lines of later if you were to be having any other serious health related issues or truly be sick and you would have wished you had "saved" those sick days essentially.

Good luck and hope you feel better!

exoh

Good luck in whatever you choose!  I hope you feel better.

jaime0317

 I agree with go to work. It's still to new not to go. It looks better if you go to work and try. It's not like you have something you could pass to someone else at work. Just rest and drink lots a fluids until you have to leave. Good luck!!

sunflower8710

Okay thanks! I just wanted to be sure that the d-word wasn't something to totally be up in arms about. IDK if it matters but its like a major 360 from what I've been dealing with thus far.

Anywho! Off to work I go! (in 3 hrs) Thanks

lmjt

As a former hiring manager, I always used to frown upon  new employees who called in sick or with excuses in their first 90 days. I wanted people to prove to me that they were dependable and that I made a good choice in hiring them. I would go, and if you must, let them send you home. It makes you look better IMHO. Feel better!

juwee

This sounds so familiar! I have to be at work at 6 AM, and am NOT a morning person. I will seriously wake up at 5:10 and give myself EXACTLY enough time to get ready and go to work. I must say, atLEAST 4 times I have called in "late" (as in 5-10 ,minutes) because I had to poop!!! Of course, I work with all men and they find it hilarious that I am able to talk so freely about poop.

I hope you feel better OP. Nothing worse than a bad case of the "d" word!!! Makes my bootie hurt just thinking about it!!

mollybloom

First off, I hope you feel better soon.

Second, you need to go to work. You just started this job and it looks bad to call out when you are still a trainee. Regardless of whether it is a legitimate illness or not, you manager will start to question his/ her deicsion in hiring you. This is harsh, but I have experience as a retail manager and as a hiring manager for an international company. The first 90 days, you do whatver it takes to make it into to work.

Hope you can muddle through the day.

sunflower8710

Okay! Just an update: I am definitely going to work, I haven't had an issue for a while and I feel like my tummy is calming down. I don't have a fever, I don't have contractions, and baby is kicking normal amounts. I am going to attribute it to my weird sleeping schedule. I can pull all nighters like nobody's business (pre-pregnancy), but the next day I almost always have the d-word. IDK why, but it just happens. And the past few nights I've only gotten like 4-5 hrs of sleep compared to my usual solid 8- so maybe? Thats what DH seems to think anyway.