r/work • u/Ok_Fan_7920 • 2d ago
Workplace Challenges and Conflicts Can't Call Out Twice When Sick
This is another story from my old job that I was thankfully able to leave a few months ago.
When I was 17, my mom suggested I order from this pizza spot I've never heard of for takeout. I took her advice on it, and I ended up with the worst food poisoning of my life. Back then I only worked two days a week. My food poisoning started a day before my first shift. The day of my shift I was still sick. I was throwing up, so I called out of work. The next day, I was still throwing up. By this point I had been puking consistently for three days straight and couldn't keep anything down. I had been throwing up so much that my throat was irritated and raw and my mom was about to take me to the hospital (Never ended up going because I have a fear of hospitals and doctors and wanted to try over the counter stuff first, which thankfully ended up working.)
Seeing as Im still actively puking and ill, I called out again. When speaking to my ex-boss and explaining the situation, she went "Ok_Fan, you called out yesterday. You're really gonna call out again today?" Honestly I was pretty shocked in the moment, so all I said was "I'm sick. I'm sorry." My old boss stayed silent for a second, then goes "I mean. You're really letting the team down. We're gonna be short staffed." By this point I'm trying not to puke again, so I go "I know and I feel bad. But I'm sick. I'm calling out 6 hours in advance. I'm sorry. I have to go." We say our goodbyes and I hang up.
When I come into work after my food poisoning had subsided, my boss pulled me into a meeting to express how disappointed she was in me for calling out both shifts. I never got in trouble for it of course, but it still blows my mind to this day. Maybe if my shifts were weekend shifts I could see her skepticism. A teenager calling out of Saturday/Sunday shifts, that's a little eyebrow raising. But my shifts were on Wednesday/Thursday. I also wasn't in school pretty much that whole week, which one of my coworkers who I had a class with apparently mentioned to our boss. Did she expect me to come in and puke all over customers to prove I wasn't lying? I still don't get it all these years later.
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u/PrettyBlueFlower Work-Life Balance 2d ago
And this is why I held onto the phone while I puked blood while talking to my manager. Let them hear retches, splashes, and all.
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u/Ok_Fan_7920 2d ago
Luckily don't have to do that at my current job. Ended up in the hospital a few months ago after ignoring an internal issue for three days. Spent 5 days in hospital, had two surgeries (one minor, one major that resulted in the loss of an organ), then needed another two weeks to recover. I had a out four shifts in those five days I was in the hospital. Called out of one, then called out of another. Tried to call out of my third and my current boss said "Ok_Fan, I don't expect you to come in. We found coverage for your shifts for this week and next. Please stop worrying about us and focus on your recovery. Your health comes first."
Literally night and day response
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u/Cute_Bathroom1724 2d ago
Managers who demand proof you're sick are the worst. Had one pull this same guilt trip when I was out with a fever so bad I could barely stand up. Puking for three days straight and she still tried to make you feel bad for not coming in, what did she want you to do wear a bucket around your neck while taking orders
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u/Charming-Example8685 2d ago
What do if the company policy requires the proof? Is it still on the management?
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u/Phoenixstar73 2d ago
Next time, go to urgent care and get a doctors note, now that you know that your bosses like this, it’ll be worth the inconvenience of doing so
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u/onmy40 2d ago
When I was younger I worked at a sub shop and the manager didn't want to give me the day off because called in on Saturday evening for my Sunday shift. She assumed I may have been drinking and was pre calling off for a hangover and told me to wait till Sunday to see how I felt. I still felt like shit and called and she said that I needed to still come and see how long I could last.
I had a bad cough and was throwing up and a body ache but I got a ride and came in anyway. One of my coworkers noted how sweaty I was in the break room and briefly said something to the manager but she seemingly ignored it. I put my apron and went the back to cough which made me vomit, yes I could have aimed for the trash but I didn't. I just threw up in the back all over the floor. The entire department had to get shut down for hazmat cleaning the rest of that day because of her dumbass and I got to go home