How to Handle Calling Out of a Gig Job

So you’ve just applied for a new gig? It’s never too early to start planning out what you’ll do as soon as you get a new gig. One step you should always take is making a plan for calling out in case you unexpectedly can’t work. The threat of COVID-19 has illuminated many aspects of the gig economy, including making the health of everyone come to the forefront. It is important to remember that there is always the possibility that you may suddenly find yourself having to cancel work. And with a gig job, calling out may not be quite as simple a process as when calling out from a traditional job. 

How to Make Calling Out Work Successfully on a Gig Job

Step One: When Hired: Ask

As soon as you are hired, be certain to ask who is the right person to contact if you are late or unable to make a shift. Find out what the policy is, do you need to have approval for an absence or is just notification enough.

Step Two: Before Your Absence: Communicate

It’s important to communicate as early as possible that you are unable to make it to your shift. At minimum, you should do everything in your power to give 24 hours notice.

Step Three: During Absence, Acknowledge

Don’t consider your absence as excused until you have been told that it is ok. Don’t simply leave a message and then give up. Try calling, texting, sending an email or even letting another worker know. Until you have reached your manager and had the absence acknowledged, you have not completed calling out.

Step Four: Before Returning to Work, Confirm

Once you have spoken to your manager, find out about coming in for your next scheduled shift. It is important of find out if you’ll need to bring any paperwork with you in order to return to work, such as a doctor’s note or test. This will allow you to come to your first day back fully prepared. 

It’s important to remember that gig work is different from other types of work in that you’re always striving to make a good impression. Sometimes we fall flat on our first impression, and sometimes we unexpectedly have to cancel work. In those instances when you suddenly can’t work, it’s important to follow the proper procedure so that you don’t jeopardize your reputation, and can go back to providing your excellent work once recovered.

About the Author: Alexandra Mendez-Diez has worked as a freelance writer and editor for the past decade. She loves that the job entails writing about such a wide variety of topics, ranging from cattle-handling best practices to how-to guides for tracing ancestry through cookbooks, with all kinds of exciting stops along the way.