Employee Is Told To Reschedule Her Surgery Because Another Worker Will Be On Vacation That Day
Taking a sick day is never going to be fun, but sometimes they’re necessary. Contrary to what some bosses may believe, illnesses don’t actually vanish when employees drag themselves into the office and suffer through a work day.
But according to one supervisor, employees aren’t entitled to taking sick days if someone else will be on vacation during that time. Below, you’ll find a post that a frustrated employee recently shared on the Anti-work subreddit, detailing her supervisor’s unreasonable and cruel expectations.
This woman scheduled a necessary surgery months in advance and requested to take two sick days
Image credits: voronaman111 (not the actual photo)
But because another colleague would be away during that time, her supervisor denied her the days off
Image credits: nd3000 (not the actual photo)
Later, the woman shared additional details about the situation
Image credits: Yeayeayea8989
The average adult becomes ill several times a year, so sick days are a necessity
Ideally, none of us would ever have to use our sick days because we would all be in perfect health, but obviously, that’s just not realistic. The average adult becomes ill about three times a year. And while there are no federal mandates requiring companies to provide paid sick leave in the US, the average full-time worker is provided 8 sick days annually. However, we don’t always take advantage of these days.
According to Statista, approximately 80% of adults in the US who work or study didn’t take a single sick day between 2020-2021. And of those who did utilize some of their sick days, it was most common to take only two or three throughout the entire year.
So why aren’t Americans taking advantage of their sick days? Well, the BBC reports that almost a quarter of employees in the US have at one point or another been fired or threatened to be fired while taking time off to recover from an illness or to care for a sick loved one. And due to the toxic hustle culture that has permeated much of the American workforce, there’s often a stigma associated with taking sick days.
But due to toxic hustle culture and policies in the US, many workers feel guilty using them
Image credits: Marcus Aurelius (not the actual photo)
63% of workers admit that they feel guilty about taking sick days because it adds additional burdens onto their colleagues, and nearly 70% of employees who can work from home feel obligated to continue working through illness. 7 out of 10 workers also say that they’ve gone to work while ill, because they “can’t afford” to take a sick day, and over half worry about taking days off to recover because they fear it will upset their employers.
But do bosses actually have the power to deny their workers sick leave? According to Find Law, employers in the United States technically can ask their workers to come in at any time. And they may become upset if an employee calls in sick. But most companies have a policy in place that will allow workers to take sick days as long as they follow protocol.
For example, they may be required to provide several hours notice that they won’t be coming in, contact HR and/or their manager, find someone to cover their shift or use vacation days if they have no more sick days available. And when it comes to firing employees over taking sick days, it can be a complex issue. While most workers in the US are employed “at-will,” meaning they can be fired at any time, there are certain protections employees are entitled to to ensure they aren’t fired due to discrimination.
It’s important for employees to know their rights when it comes to sick leave
Image credits: Andrea Piacquadio (not the actual photo)
The Lacy Employment Law Firm explains on their site that there is no law that explicitly protects ill employees from being fired, but workers cannot be fired due to their sex, sexual orientation, national origin, gender identity, race, religion, ethnicity, age, disability, marital status, pregnancy, or genetic information. They also cannot be subjected to harassment or a hostile work environment, which is where the woman in this particular story may have some leverage.
Some readers also mentioned that it might be useful for the woman in this story to contact a lawyer and see if the federal Family and Medical Leave Act, or FMLA, can help her in this situation. This act entitles eligible employees to 12 workweeks of leave in a 12-month period for reasons including “the birth of a child and to care for the newborn child within one year of birth; the placement with the employee of a child for adoption or foster care and to care for the newly placed child within one year of placement; to care for the employee’s spouse, child, or parent who has a serious health condition; [and] a serious health condition that makes the employee unable to perform the essential functions of his or her job.”
We would love to hear your thoughts on this story in the comments below, pandas. Have you ever been denied sick days from your employer? Then, if you’re interested in reading another Bored Panda article, be sure to check out this one discussing canceled sick days!
Appalled readers were quick to call out the supervisor and share support for the employee
Some even had similar stories of their own to tell
!["Karen Complains To HR About My Body, I Uno-Reverse Her Complaint, [And Now] Everyone Hates Her"](https://www.boredpanda.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/coworker-complains-to-hr-about-womans-body-revenge-latest.jpg "\"Karen Complains To HR About My Body, I Uno-Reverse Her Complaint, [And Now] Everyone Hates Her\"")
I'm sorry for this, but my first impression was that this had to be in the USA. Don't get me wrong, I don't dislike the USA, but I do wonder how it is that employees can be forced to endanger their health just because their boss doesn't want to accomodate them. This situation could never, ever happened where I live and there are many more countries where this never could happen. I will, for the life of me, never understand why America's workforce puts up with this kind of thing, just as I will never understand why a Union is a dirty word in the USA. Unions are there to safeguard employees from the whims of employers and to ensure employees have at least a living wage. Why is that a bad thing?
I now live in the UK (emigrated in '97) and I would NEVER move back! The US is so messed up when it comes to education, health care and employment rights. The American "dream" that is pushed so heavily only applies to a very few fortunate ones. IMHO, the sooner capitalism dies out, the better.
Amen to that
Some unions are great and do it right. Some are as corrupt as the companies, they'll charge high fees and block you from working a field of you don't pay. I'd say most I've seen at least are trying on behalf of the workers at least.
Well unny thing I both true capitalism and socialism have never existed. Both do and have since forever. However let's say ypu get your wish. Why work at all? Why try harder than anyone else? Why str8vefor a better education or createa side hustle or even a business? I don't world because I love it, I workbenches i like my money . I world in my field because of that same money. If I got the same money as a person who merely checks emails wfh part time i wouldn't have gone to tafe (College) and gotten a trade and work 12 hour days earning well over 100grand a year while basically getting most of the year off if I choose (I can ear double if I worked what others do). So yeah stuff your erosion of socialism. But I will say is I did before socialism and capitalism have existed side by side for thousands of years so no it not dying unless socialism dies as well (then we can all have anarchy and we'll I'm sure you'll have all the sick days you want (assuming you lived past birth)
Most of us Americans would agree with you too
Well said.
It's not that we choose to put up with it, it's that in the US whomever can afford more lawyers and more billable hours wins. We are in a much more corrupt society than most of Europe.We don't choose a president, we vote between to corrupt idiots chosen for us. If the fees were affordable, I'd have emigrated to Europe a long time ago.
I looked into emigrating to Canada a few years ago, and couldn't afford it. It's sad but we're just stuck in the USA.
Most of us Americans want the same things that Europeans have actually. Although it is funny you assume its the US when there will be crappy employers in any country.
Yes, I made the same assumption. In most civilised countries you have usually a couple of weeks paid sick leave (which accumulates if unised) and you just phone in and that's that. Maybe require a certificate if longer than a couple of days, but you never get hassled about it. And that's as well as mandated paid holiday leave, and unpaid leave.
It always puzzles many of us when people are so against unions (its people that have never had those protections).
I wish we had better employment protection here but the unions are not the way to go. I've worked for a few unions over my life and they're greedy, corrupt organizations that take your money and give little back most of the time. They don't safeguard employees the way they used to. All they do is demand more, give less and drive prices up! However, I agree that employees have very little power over their lives here.
Hi there, bitter American here: your assumption is correct I'm sure. No other country has this disgusting disregard for it's citizens causing this whole mindset of money means more than someone's health or life. We suck. Hard. Our workforce has been so battered and abused by the 1% running everything that it's like Stockholm syndrome at this point.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
You only understand half of it. We're all well aware. You pointing things out does no good. If you truly care and want to help, support companies who treat employees well. Don't patronize the ones that don't. Most of those companies have locations overseas.
« My supervisor denied me two sick days » Sorry to point out, again, the nightmarish dystopia that is the US but this is absolutely inconceivable in pretty much all the other (wealthy) countries in the world. You don’t need to request approval for sick days, you just use them (as many as needed) if you have a doctor’s note. The only one who decides is your MD/physician. Your boss, supervisor or HR have nothing to say, nothing to object, they just acknowledge your absence. Having to ask approval for surgery from a d******d at work is completely crazy. It pairs well with the lack of universal healthcare, another exemple of the hustle culture.
Don't forget though, in USA they have freedom! As far as I can see, that's the freedom to have no employment rights and no guaranteed access to basic healthcare. But its still freedom...
It's corrupt politicians paid off by wealthy corporations that are making Americans suffer. Cronies like Trump who are supported by idiots, and fellow wealthy scammers have destroyed the USA. If I were younger and my husband was not disabled, I would leave.
You allow yourself to be subjected to this. Collectively drop work when stuff like this happens. Companies fear the moment employees realize that THEY have the power and not the employer.
I've seen the other side of "free" Healthcare, it isn't all that.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
You really have zero clue. Your hyperbole is weak and dumb.
No, you labor laws are weak and dumb.
Hey monkey. It's like that with a lot of companies in the US too. Don't assume it's every company that has those types of practices just because your a sheep and follow the herd when it tells "US bad". All the companies I have worked at all you had to do was call in saying you weren't gonna be in and you were using a sick day. Anything more then three and you would need a doctors note since anything more then three usually means it's serious. Don't go talking about s**t you have no experience with.
Aha, ok, and how many sick days are you allowed to take per year?
I got written up and counseled for "absenteeism" when I had major planned surgery that I'd informed them of months in advance and saved up sick days to use. I was placed on probation when I returned to work. I never signed the form they wanted me to sign showing I'd had "been counseled" by my supervisor and that I acknowledged that I was on probation (to be placed in my file in case I did something similar in the future). I quit that job.
I'm sorry for this, but my first impression was that this had to be in the USA. Don't get me wrong, I don't dislike the USA, but I do wonder how it is that employees can be forced to endanger their health just because their boss doesn't want to accomodate them. This situation could never, ever happened where I live and there are many more countries where this never could happen. I will, for the life of me, never understand why America's workforce puts up with this kind of thing, just as I will never understand why a Union is a dirty word in the USA. Unions are there to safeguard employees from the whims of employers and to ensure employees have at least a living wage. Why is that a bad thing?
I now live in the UK (emigrated in '97) and I would NEVER move back! The US is so messed up when it comes to education, health care and employment rights. The American "dream" that is pushed so heavily only applies to a very few fortunate ones. IMHO, the sooner capitalism dies out, the better.
Amen to that
Some unions are great and do it right. Some are as corrupt as the companies, they'll charge high fees and block you from working a field of you don't pay. I'd say most I've seen at least are trying on behalf of the workers at least.
Well unny thing I both true capitalism and socialism have never existed. Both do and have since forever. However let's say ypu get your wish. Why work at all? Why try harder than anyone else? Why str8vefor a better education or createa side hustle or even a business? I don't world because I love it, I workbenches i like my money . I world in my field because of that same money. If I got the same money as a person who merely checks emails wfh part time i wouldn't have gone to tafe (College) and gotten a trade and work 12 hour days earning well over 100grand a year while basically getting most of the year off if I choose (I can ear double if I worked what others do). So yeah stuff your erosion of socialism. But I will say is I did before socialism and capitalism have existed side by side for thousands of years so no it not dying unless socialism dies as well (then we can all have anarchy and we'll I'm sure you'll have all the sick days you want (assuming you lived past birth)
Most of us Americans would agree with you too
Well said.
It's not that we choose to put up with it, it's that in the US whomever can afford more lawyers and more billable hours wins. We are in a much more corrupt society than most of Europe.We don't choose a president, we vote between to corrupt idiots chosen for us. If the fees were affordable, I'd have emigrated to Europe a long time ago.
I looked into emigrating to Canada a few years ago, and couldn't afford it. It's sad but we're just stuck in the USA.
Most of us Americans want the same things that Europeans have actually. Although it is funny you assume its the US when there will be crappy employers in any country.
Yes, I made the same assumption. In most civilised countries you have usually a couple of weeks paid sick leave (which accumulates if unised) and you just phone in and that's that. Maybe require a certificate if longer than a couple of days, but you never get hassled about it. And that's as well as mandated paid holiday leave, and unpaid leave.
It always puzzles many of us when people are so against unions (its people that have never had those protections).
I wish we had better employment protection here but the unions are not the way to go. I've worked for a few unions over my life and they're greedy, corrupt organizations that take your money and give little back most of the time. They don't safeguard employees the way they used to. All they do is demand more, give less and drive prices up! However, I agree that employees have very little power over their lives here.
Hi there, bitter American here: your assumption is correct I'm sure. No other country has this disgusting disregard for it's citizens causing this whole mindset of money means more than someone's health or life. We suck. Hard. Our workforce has been so battered and abused by the 1% running everything that it's like Stockholm syndrome at this point.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
You only understand half of it. We're all well aware. You pointing things out does no good. If you truly care and want to help, support companies who treat employees well. Don't patronize the ones that don't. Most of those companies have locations overseas.
« My supervisor denied me two sick days » Sorry to point out, again, the nightmarish dystopia that is the US but this is absolutely inconceivable in pretty much all the other (wealthy) countries in the world. You don’t need to request approval for sick days, you just use them (as many as needed) if you have a doctor’s note. The only one who decides is your MD/physician. Your boss, supervisor or HR have nothing to say, nothing to object, they just acknowledge your absence. Having to ask approval for surgery from a d******d at work is completely crazy. It pairs well with the lack of universal healthcare, another exemple of the hustle culture.
Don't forget though, in USA they have freedom! As far as I can see, that's the freedom to have no employment rights and no guaranteed access to basic healthcare. But its still freedom...
It's corrupt politicians paid off by wealthy corporations that are making Americans suffer. Cronies like Trump who are supported by idiots, and fellow wealthy scammers have destroyed the USA. If I were younger and my husband was not disabled, I would leave.
You allow yourself to be subjected to this. Collectively drop work when stuff like this happens. Companies fear the moment employees realize that THEY have the power and not the employer.
I've seen the other side of "free" Healthcare, it isn't all that.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
You really have zero clue. Your hyperbole is weak and dumb.
No, you labor laws are weak and dumb.
Hey monkey. It's like that with a lot of companies in the US too. Don't assume it's every company that has those types of practices just because your a sheep and follow the herd when it tells "US bad". All the companies I have worked at all you had to do was call in saying you weren't gonna be in and you were using a sick day. Anything more then three and you would need a doctors note since anything more then three usually means it's serious. Don't go talking about s**t you have no experience with.
Aha, ok, and how many sick days are you allowed to take per year?
I got written up and counseled for "absenteeism" when I had major planned surgery that I'd informed them of months in advance and saved up sick days to use. I was placed on probation when I returned to work. I never signed the form they wanted me to sign showing I'd had "been counseled" by my supervisor and that I acknowledged that I was on probation (to be placed in my file in case I did something similar in the future). I quit that job.