‘Don’t Believe I’m Sick?’ People Are Applauding The Way This Employee Got Revenge On Her Manager
A good manager has your back when you need it. But when Sarah was sick, her boss made her come in regardless. Afraid of the possible consequences after being reminded of the company’s strict absence policy, she agreed. As soon as she arrived, her colleagues noticed something was wrong. And that was only the beginning of it. There was vomit, there was mopping, and even a written warning. However, not necessarily all of them were done by poor Sarah. Scroll down to check out how everything unfolded!
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So glad I work for school that I have 10 days I'm sick days and I can carry them over every year if I don't use them. We're born to stay home when we're sick! Nobody wants that s**t spreading around the school
I understand making a big deal about attendance in school, where you're dealing with joking and mischievous youth (and those who are really sick usually have protection from their parents anyway). But with adults at work? Responsible people who somewhat chose to work for you? The more of an a*****e you are about it, the more will people hate coming.
What does irritate me slightly (being a non-driver) is when people who drive say they cannot come to work - because oftemporary lack of a car, or being unable to drive, when there is public transport available. One lady who I covered for on a temporary contract took 3 months sick leave - because that was the amount of time she was told she shouldnt drive for following an operation. The bus I went to work on every morning to cover her job went right past her house - she wouldnt use it. In the meantime she was back to jogging and the gym but would not use public transport to go to work. Us non-drivers dont have that excuse to use.One lady I worked with lived in a very inaccessible Glen in Scotland - she took almost 50% of time off in winter due to "snow leave" when there was barely a sprinkling or none at all anywhere near work. Kind of feel you shouldnt take a reponsible job knowing full-well you are not going to be able to get there half the winter
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Some managers just do things by the book rather than consider each individual case on it's merits. I was in a position once where I had a badly broken elbow (3 hr operation to pin and plate my arm together 14" scar, 40 clips etc). I got called in for a meeting after 4 weeks to discuss my absence record, as earlier in the year I had been given 2 months compassionate leave to care for my terminally ill mother.I offered to return to work on limited hours - I could answer the phones, type a bit by then. They refused on safety grounds, made me stay off a further few weeks onlly to put me on disciplinary as soon as I returned.
Nintendo did the same thing with me. All because some dumb a*s social worker with no degree in psychiatry said I was fit to return to work even though I was suffering from depression and mood swings so badly I was having panic attacks. Yeah..that's a good thing to have when you are on the phone with a 10 year old.
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My old boss tried to make me come in when I had e coli. And I work with food. Big no-no. Anyway, she told me if I didn't come in, I could find another job. Luckily, she texted the threat so I had evidence and I told her "I'm sure the health department would love to read this". She did a complete 180.
All these stories of sick people around my food is extremely disturbing.
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Remember The Company is NEVER on your side. You are NEVER more than a tool for them to make money!!!!
True. But some companies/managers understand that treating people well gets you loyal employees who work hard.
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Did you read the comment about the woman who had to show up every day with the Chicken Pox! That is a very serious disease in adults and for people with poor immune systems!
One time I had 2 different viruses back to back. I was really unwell but as the only admin person for a whole department that was trying to organise a move of premises. I dragged myself in every morning cos felt I had responsibilities, kept getting sent home mid-day. Eventually had to take 2 weeks off to rest and fight it.
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I HATE that people act like they're a hero for coming in sick. Cool, now I'm sick, our customers are sick, and I'm leaving for an audition in 3 days. Ughhhhhhh
even worse are the ones that go on about it when you mention you're sick. my ex boss: oh you cant come in because youre sick? yeah well both of my kids had gastro and I had a fever of over 40 and didnt sleep all night, but I got here early"
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Being a manager, I am guessing if she was "in the red" she takes a lot of sick days. That being said, if you make someone come in when they say they are sick, that is the risk you take. Also they could get other people sick. So really, is it worth it?
For big orange that means you've been off at ill at least twice in that year, these could be multiple days even week long absences howevern you can be carded for half days upto leaving 10min before end of your shift. Its a silly system, that in if you are ill you might aswell take a week off. I was red carded once as i took a day off due to illness, came in the following day but have to leave as was still unwell so it counted as two incidents. My mentality was to at least try and goto work as i knew my department was sort handed. The system is too strict on some and not on others, as a past employer myself i know absence should always be treated on a individuals case and not a punch card
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I'm lucky my workplace is pretty good about sick leave. The boss at another job was pretty strict to the point of being an a-hole about it. One employee was out for two days because he was trying to save his house that was damaged in a flood. He was threatened with firing (he had not slept in two days). He had no choice but to return (and deal with the house after work), as he had a family to support.
When I worked at a fine jewelry counter inside a department store chain, I had gotten the flu within the first month. Fast forward 3 weeks later and I get a call from State Patrol at 6am that my sister was in a roll over accident on the mountain pass. This was before the age of cell phones and the main switchboard for the department store didn't open until 8am. I asked a friend to call in and speak directly to my manager to tell her what was happening. I pick up my sister and hour later, she's complaining of headaches..so I know she needs to go to the ER. When I get back home, my friend says she spoke to the switchboard..c**p!. I call the manager and she's threatening me with being fired if I don't come in. I'm forced to drive to the store with my sister..walk in..hear the manager on the phone "I know she's lying". I slap down the accident report in front of her and say "I'm taking my sister to the ER now for a possible concussion" and walked out. They fired me anyway.
It depends how nice the company is to their employees. If it's a bad unkind employer, I can sympathize with employees exhausting all of their sick time possible. If it's a good company and they abuse it, these are bad employees. That's the difference.
I had this happen to me ,I went down with double pneumonia and my manager kept phoning me and HR kept phoning me badgering me when was I coming back in and not a nice way ,my doctor was going mad in the end after two weeks of bulling I ended up having a mini stroke aswell and they still bulled me to go back which I did after two weeks I could barely stand y doctor wrote a letter and he wanted me to take legal action but I was to beaten down I was ill for months after but also had children on my own I just kept going best I could until I got a better job .
they were badgering me when I was actually in the hospice with my mum - didnt know if she would last the week
Load More Replies... I remember one girl applied for and accepted a job, knowing full well she was pregnant at the time.. Announced it to management a few days after her 3 month probationary period was up - made out she hadnt known. Got the all the full paid maternity leave and all the workplace benefits out of it - never came back. Struck me as ever so slightly dishonest. Was only there less than 3 months - got an extra year's full pay out of it.
problem with sick leave is when you have to use it for regular doctor visits, dental visits there is little left for just being sick. And the creditors don't care how sick you are. they want their money on time. A flu can take you out for up to a week or a surgery can be a month or more. too many employers don't consider sickness/injuries to be a reason not to work and will use it to get rid of you. Laws may help but are easily skirted.
I was ill for almost 6 weeks once - 2 consecutive viruses according to the doctor - I kept trying to go into work as I was the only admin person - but kept getting sent home
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Honestly, we have a really s****y law and regulations system here, but this part of it is way better than a lot of other countries. If a doctor gave you sick days, you can stay at home and your employer can't legally do anything about it. There are s****y employers who can try to threaten you, but they know they can't really fire you for calling sick when you have a note from the doctor - it's a special kind of note, it goes through the national insurance system and can't be faked easily. I had a heart condition (I still do, but it's fine now, seems the problem then was due to stress), I was feeling really bad and was working a s****y job in stressful environment then, so when my cardiologist told me they can give 40 days sick leave (it's paid by the way, we pay insurance for this), so I took it all. I had a colleague with serious eye problem and we work office job on computer all day, so she was out for 4-5 months and there was no problem with this.
Here (UK) they can actually begin disciplinary procedures even if your absences are covered by Dr's notes depending on how many seperate periods there are. They have a hard time firing you though, unless they claim you are unable to do the job because of health reasons. I was told I was only permitted a total of 5 days sick spread over no more than 2 seperate incidences over the following 12 months, or I would get the next stage of disciplinary. I was terrified the whole year that something would happen to make me exceed this. I ended up going in on several occasion when I was completely unfit to be there.
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My sister has migraines and sometimes she goes to work anyway. Once her boss walked by her office and saw her. He told her to go home because she looked awful. Migraines are not contagious, but they still affect performance. Showing up for work when you're sick is called presentism, and some people would do everybody else a favor by staying home.
When I had worked for the USPS about 3 yrs I came down with a very bad case of the flu, I had already taken about 6 days sick leave & told that I had to come in to work...I worked my entire day for the public, it came back ( or never left) worse then before & ended up with 2 more wks off...Thank goodness I have been retired for the past 13 yes & I hope things have improved for my fellow postal workers since then ( I worked there for 34 yrs total because I was a single parent...I had hoped that my kids would never work there)
All too common. Once while working as a cook I was so sick I was puking every half hour and had to go to the hospital. They still made me come in to try and cook less than a day out of the hospital. I was still puking, and being around food was the last thing I needed. Think I made it 15 minutes into that shift before they indeed realized I needed someone to cover for me. That I wasn't just making it up. You'd think the food industry is the last place they want sick people, but they really don't give a c**p.
I worked for big orange too, and i have a lifelong illness that causes similar effects to food poisoning when it flares. Needless to say thier attendance system is unsympathetic and obsolete especially when many of my colleagues were elderly / retired. This is why good staff don't stay, fortunately my current company understands that working with us employees is better than against them. I got very ill a few years ago and my company helped me out, needless to say i work harder now out of respect for that
If I am sick I get my normal pay for six weeks, after this I get money from my health insurance (a bit less money). I am so happy I never was sick for such a long time but job security and secure money sure is nice.
After a serious car wreck, I informed my boss that the doctor had put me on a week of bed rest. I was also on prescription pain meds, and wouldn't have been able to work anyway. So, after 5 days, she called and was hounding me to come back to work. So I had to remind her that a week still has 7 days in it.
The HR at my work doesn't make anyone come in. Instead they give you ultimatums that pretty much screw you no matter what you "choose" to do. I've been hit with a few respiratory illnesses in the past 2 years. One sent me to the hospital. The lady HR tried gaslighting me, trying to lecture me about getting sick in the first place and to somehow prevent these airborne illnesses. When I got back I was hit with reliability warnings and the last time, she forced me to reduce my hours, even though I needed more hours than ever. She didn't even let me make up any shifts I missed. And then she lectured me some more about being sick, as if that's gonna prevent me from "deciding" to get sick again, and it was months before I was able to get my hours back and I added more on top of those. I've just barely caught up financially now. It was punishment on me financially and mentally. When you prevent a mother from working, your taking the income away from her to help her support her kids, too.
I worked for a company with an "occurrence" system. You were allowed three occurrences in a year. An occurrence was one instance of being absent. So, if you were out one day, it was one occurrence, and if you were out on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, that was one occurrence, too. This ostensibly discouraged people from taking off Friday or Monday to make long weekends. Employees could not apply for promotions if they had three occurrences in one year. You were verbally warned after the second occurrence, and then written up and risked losing your job after the third. Some European friends told me that this sort of system is illegal in their countries, as is the U.S. practice of asking past employers about prospective applicants' attendance records. People are not machines. They have years when they go through poor health. This system is also unfair to women who have to use their sick days to stay home to take care of their sick kids.
I work for my local council, if I am off 5 days or more in any 12 moth period I get a written warning. I have COPD, and work outside, so sick days are unfortunately part of my life. They know I have this and I am also type 1 diabetic.
As horrible as this sounds, once when I had diarrhoea I came into work as I had easier access to a loo then I did if I’d stayed home with my three very young kids (if I’d stayed home I had to also keep my kids home as their crèche was attached to work, over an hours drive from home) ( yes my commute is insane)
When I worked for Vertex Outsourcing, they had an attendance policy like this. I went to work with effing Mono one time because I was afraid of getting fired. They didn't care. Thank god I have a nice union job now.
Sick leave is a strange one, there are people that call in as soon as they have a tickly throat and others that have hideous colds but still turn up. It's hard to know what's acceptable and what's not, and often varies depending on your job. Having said that there's also a 'luck' element. I've had two/three sick days in three years, then last year in space on a few months I've had four D&V bugs
I'm fortunate to work for an organization that allows 18 PTO days each year, no questions for why you take them. I did help run a restaurant as an assistant general manager though, and that was hell because of the way the general manager conducted her sick day policy. If anyone called in sick they were required to go to the doctor. Period. You know, sometimes people are too ill to come work at a restaurant (where they could spread a bug to not only their coworkers, but the restaurant guests as well) but not sick enough to have to shell out $$ for a doctor visit. I got in trouble on several occasions for letting people stay home. The truth of it is, if you are a good manager and know your staff, you know who the b******t artists are and you deal with them accordingly. Needless to say, I no longer work for that bonehead.
Omg I too work for this big orange diy company and had a very similar situation only my so called red (after only 2 days previous sick in 17months) was me telling them I’d be signed off for 2 weeks as I had suddenly lost my nephew and wasn’t coping well after seeing his body absolute joke they don’t care !! And yet other staff have had 3-4 days sickness And got away with an amber ?!
I can beat this. I have a number of serious illnesses, my manager doesn't believe there's anything wrong with me - even though he witnessed me have a heart attack in front of him and another time visited me in hospital while recovering from sepsis. I also have to have time off every few weeks for treatment - which he doesn't believe. And the best part? I work in a hospital.
I was out with stomach flu for 4 days straight (Tues - Fri). Come Monday morning, I was pretty much out of the woods. I get to work and my boss (4 person office) tells me I need to bring in a Dr.'s note that confirms I had stomach flu. I didn't go to the doctor, I know what stomach flu is. He insists that he won't pay me without a doctor's note. I am an independent contractor with no health insurance & reminded him of this. Still insists. I asked him to show me an employee manual where this is stated. He sputtered and tried to backtrack. I threatened to sue him & call every one of his clients with this story. As soon as he paid me (in full) I quit. Without notice. Basically, F**K YOU I'm out. D***s like that don't deserve any loyalty.
In high school, my mom took me to a allergy & asthma specialist who, within 10 minites of meeting me insisted I needed a pneumonia shot even though my allergies were well controlled at that time. Having a history of medicinal allergies I had come across through treatment throught my life in my paperwork, he still didn't bother to test me for allergies to the shot. Nope. He stuck a needle in my arm that very day. The next day, my arm was swollen to twice it's normal size, there is a ring of hot redness arou d the injection site larger than my palm, I am having trouble breathing & I am running a temp of 104°F. My mom took me to the ER. For the next two weeks, I am in and out of the hospital 3 different times before finally going back to school, not fully mended but willing to push through so I can graduate come spring. What happens? After I have missed 10 day of classes, with doctor & hospital notes to excuse my absences, I get pulled out in the class again to sign anattendance contract.
She means B&Q everyone, they are a bunch of c*nts, my mate worked for them years ago.
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You poor dear. I'm glad that a*s hat got what was coming to her. Yea, these work mills as I call them, have no humanity. It's about the dollar. BUT in your case, I know the feeling of food poisoning. It's no fun. Hope your well again!
I was sick from being overly dehydrated, worked 14 hours the day before helping out with the bakery, stock take, clothing department and my regular checkout job. The "acting manager" already had it in for me for some reason. In between throwing up in a bucket I ask my dad to ring up and let them know I won't be coming in. I'm a casual so I was worried for my job all the time. Acting manager asks to speak to me, she says im really letting down the whole store and I shouldn't even bother coming in the next day then. The call ends. I ring back a few hours later and talk to the actual manager and he says what she said was not called for, he knows how hard I work, helping out all the departments when its not my job and how much ive been wanting to go full or even part time. But...in the end....she got her wish....she "let me go" while I was off getting a cortisone shot in my wrist because it had swollen up to the point that customers even were worried.
If you're sick stay at home rather than coming into work and infecting other people. If you're not sick GO TO WORK!
And these people don’t have any idea, or maybe pretend not to, as to why they’re disliked. Fully 50% of all college degree holders are in the bottom half of the class. Although for all I know there’s a “bell curve” of some sort making everybody “above average. wtf
I didn't know it, but I was slowly working my way towards Congestive Heart Failure. There were times I only (literally) crawled out of bed to the bathroom. Every time I called in, maybe once every 2 weeks or a month, I would get the inquisition, then the sigh on the phone, then asking me if I knew how many sick days/vacation days left. Finally got so sick I went to the ER and on follow up visit with Dr. he put men on 3 months disability.
I would update my resume and leave Scrooge and company. Before I retired we got 7 paid sick days a year plus unlimited if signed by a Dr.
I don't understand the story. So the deputy manager does what is required of her by her superiors / company policy and she calls somebody claiming being sick in. But since the employee happens to actually be sick visibly and manager feels like being the good guy she gets the hate? And she has to do something disgusting that's not her job in a department that's not her concern while being laughed at? How the hell is she the villain?
Used to work in a Public Health office. One of the nurses - who worked with PREGNANT TEENS - would never take a sick day. Claimed she wasn't contagious. The head administrator would have to order her to go home and stay home. A RN - who used to work in hospitals - my mind boggled.
I thought the UK had better labour laws than this. How is a traffic light system even legal?
I work in a warehouse which is basically a breeding ground for germs so the agency is super understanding if we get sick I mean there are 60+ people at work so it's inevitable really
Wow... When I call in sick at my student job three seperate times in a year's time, I get an appointment to have a talk with the boss. No problem, just a talk about how you can (try to) stay healthy throughout the year, take your vitamins, do some excersize etc. Not that that helps against (real) flu or food poisening, but well, at least it's a positive look on having a conversation like that. As long as I'm doing my job really well (and I do), they really just don't want me to stay home sick, so they try and prevent. Now that I'm (almost) a teacher in high school, same story. They don't want you to be sick, because there's a shortage in teachers anyway, but they also really don't want you to carry your flu over to your collegues and the students. That'd be dumb.
getting 'bollocked' and cleaning up puke still let that boss off easy! might've been able to call it even if the girl had drenched her in vomit
People who act like that are making themselves and the company responsible for what happens when they force people to come in when they are ill. If something happened to her while she was there complying with their arsey-ness, they could be held legally liable for that demand. As well they should. Besides, do you really need all of your staff out at once? This is how you get everybody sick.
Yeah, she could do that because she had a physical sickness. Try "proving" you're to sick to come in from crippling anxiety. You think not believing you have a physical illness is bad, imagine how pissed off they are if someone calls in with terrible anxiety. If you aren't on instagram showing off your mental illness constantly, most managers are not understanding, especially my ex boss with the "well MY life is 100 more stressful than yours because I've got 2 kids and a business and etc etc etc" shtick.
Well, these stories are supposed to be what we call ''developed countries''? Horror. I live in a former socialistic country which had a war 25 years ago and I never, ever had a problem with sick leave although I have autoimmune illness and call in sick very often. Sometimes I work from home when possible, but no one ever tried to make me come to work if I said I am not well (I work for almost 20 years).
Horrible supervisor. I was only hoping she had been the one to drive the OP home, and had a car filled with vomit.
I feel really sorry for all people with that experience. In my country if you are sick, go to doctor and he gives you the note for your employer. This note is also submitted to national health insurance, so everything is by the law. Nobody can call you back to work. Of course, your pay for the period of absence due to the sickness is covered from insurance that we pay. But we do not have "sick day's". If you are sick and unable to work , go to doctor. If you don't go to doctor, you have to work.
Really doest work that well - if you have too much sick time off - even if covered - they start querying if you are fit to do your job - thats when they can get rid of you eventually
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My "Forman" thinks he can't do wrong. Comes in sick an leaves early instead of taking the day off. If I'm sick in this night or morning I have to call before 7 am and leave a message. Which is fine. But if I get sick at work and have to leave he throws a fit. It's ok for him to leave early because he has the poops but also eats oily foods and tons of milk an stuff that adds to it. But if I'm literally puking on the counter am running to the potty then he's like "oh someone doesn't want to work. She wants to go home." So now I just tell his boss an leave. Screw it. Not worth drama. Besides I'm the only reason he's not in jail right now. So he had better reel in the sarcasm. Lol
Managers do realize that making a sick person come in may in fact get other employees sick in some cases? Companies grant sick days, allow employees to utilize them.
soooo, you cannot show a paper or whatever from your doctor informing everybody you REALLY ARE sick? like in a normal country I mean. You'd get a warning anyways?
Going to be honest, don't know there system but it sounds like if you are what they called red you have a habit of calling in sick or not showing up. If that is the case then you can't blame a person for not believing you when you do call in actually sick one day. Personally I look at it like this, once a person reaches a point of me not believing them anymore because of a pattern of calling in they need to bring in a doctors note showing they were sick the next time they work or you fire them point blank no questions asked. Worked with to many people in my life that called in just because, not even sick, an everyone else had to pick up the slack. In reality if I had been the assistant manager in this case I would have called corporate and complained about the store managers actions because this employee had already shown issues with showing up. It's called personal responsibility and to many people today do not have it.
If you don't like them don't read them. Some of us enjoy these.
Load More Replies... So glad I work for school that I have 10 days I'm sick days and I can carry them over every year if I don't use them. We're born to stay home when we're sick! Nobody wants that s**t spreading around the school
I understand making a big deal about attendance in school, where you're dealing with joking and mischievous youth (and those who are really sick usually have protection from their parents anyway). But with adults at work? Responsible people who somewhat chose to work for you? The more of an a*****e you are about it, the more will people hate coming.
What does irritate me slightly (being a non-driver) is when people who drive say they cannot come to work - because oftemporary lack of a car, or being unable to drive, when there is public transport available. One lady who I covered for on a temporary contract took 3 months sick leave - because that was the amount of time she was told she shouldnt drive for following an operation. The bus I went to work on every morning to cover her job went right past her house - she wouldnt use it. In the meantime she was back to jogging and the gym but would not use public transport to go to work. Us non-drivers dont have that excuse to use.One lady I worked with lived in a very inaccessible Glen in Scotland - she took almost 50% of time off in winter due to "snow leave" when there was barely a sprinkling or none at all anywhere near work. Kind of feel you shouldnt take a reponsible job knowing full-well you are not going to be able to get there half the winter
Load More Replies... Some managers just do things by the book rather than consider each individual case on it's merits. I was in a position once where I had a badly broken elbow (3 hr operation to pin and plate my arm together 14" scar, 40 clips etc). I got called in for a meeting after 4 weeks to discuss my absence record, as earlier in the year I had been given 2 months compassionate leave to care for my terminally ill mother.I offered to return to work on limited hours - I could answer the phones, type a bit by then. They refused on safety grounds, made me stay off a further few weeks onlly to put me on disciplinary as soon as I returned.
Nintendo did the same thing with me. All because some dumb a*s social worker with no degree in psychiatry said I was fit to return to work even though I was suffering from depression and mood swings so badly I was having panic attacks. Yeah..that's a good thing to have when you are on the phone with a 10 year old.
Load More Replies... My old boss tried to make me come in when I had e coli. And I work with food. Big no-no. Anyway, she told me if I didn't come in, I could find another job. Luckily, she texted the threat so I had evidence and I told her "I'm sure the health department would love to read this". She did a complete 180.
All these stories of sick people around my food is extremely disturbing.
Load More Replies... Remember The Company is NEVER on your side. You are NEVER more than a tool for them to make money!!!!
True. But some companies/managers understand that treating people well gets you loyal employees who work hard.
Load More Replies... Did you read the comment about the woman who had to show up every day with the Chicken Pox! That is a very serious disease in adults and for people with poor immune systems!
One time I had 2 different viruses back to back. I was really unwell but as the only admin person for a whole department that was trying to organise a move of premises. I dragged myself in every morning cos felt I had responsibilities, kept getting sent home mid-day. Eventually had to take 2 weeks off to rest and fight it.
Load More Replies... I HATE that people act like they're a hero for coming in sick. Cool, now I'm sick, our customers are sick, and I'm leaving for an audition in 3 days. Ughhhhhhh
even worse are the ones that go on about it when you mention you're sick. my ex boss: oh you cant come in because youre sick? yeah well both of my kids had gastro and I had a fever of over 40 and didnt sleep all night, but I got here early"
Load More Replies... Being a manager, I am guessing if she was "in the red" she takes a lot of sick days. That being said, if you make someone come in when they say they are sick, that is the risk you take. Also they could get other people sick. So really, is it worth it?
For big orange that means you've been off at ill at least twice in that year, these could be multiple days even week long absences howevern you can be carded for half days upto leaving 10min before end of your shift. Its a silly system, that in if you are ill you might aswell take a week off. I was red carded once as i took a day off due to illness, came in the following day but have to leave as was still unwell so it counted as two incidents. My mentality was to at least try and goto work as i knew my department was sort handed. The system is too strict on some and not on others, as a past employer myself i know absence should always be treated on a individuals case and not a punch card
Load More Replies... I'm lucky my workplace is pretty good about sick leave. The boss at another job was pretty strict to the point of being an a-hole about it. One employee was out for two days because he was trying to save his house that was damaged in a flood. He was threatened with firing (he had not slept in two days). He had no choice but to return (and deal with the house after work), as he had a family to support.
When I worked at a fine jewelry counter inside a department store chain, I had gotten the flu within the first month. Fast forward 3 weeks later and I get a call from State Patrol at 6am that my sister was in a roll over accident on the mountain pass. This was before the age of cell phones and the main switchboard for the department store didn't open until 8am. I asked a friend to call in and speak directly to my manager to tell her what was happening. I pick up my sister and hour later, she's complaining of headaches..so I know she needs to go to the ER. When I get back home, my friend says she spoke to the switchboard..c**p!. I call the manager and she's threatening me with being fired if I don't come in. I'm forced to drive to the store with my sister..walk in..hear the manager on the phone "I know she's lying". I slap down the accident report in front of her and say "I'm taking my sister to the ER now for a possible concussion" and walked out. They fired me anyway.
It depends how nice the company is to their employees. If it's a bad unkind employer, I can sympathize with employees exhausting all of their sick time possible. If it's a good company and they abuse it, these are bad employees. That's the difference.
I had this happen to me ,I went down with double pneumonia and my manager kept phoning me and HR kept phoning me badgering me when was I coming back in and not a nice way ,my doctor was going mad in the end after two weeks of bulling I ended up having a mini stroke aswell and they still bulled me to go back which I did after two weeks I could barely stand y doctor wrote a letter and he wanted me to take legal action but I was to beaten down I was ill for months after but also had children on my own I just kept going best I could until I got a better job .
they were badgering me when I was actually in the hospice with my mum - didnt know if she would last the week
Load More Replies... I remember one girl applied for and accepted a job, knowing full well she was pregnant at the time.. Announced it to management a few days after her 3 month probationary period was up - made out she hadnt known. Got the all the full paid maternity leave and all the workplace benefits out of it - never came back. Struck me as ever so slightly dishonest. Was only there less than 3 months - got an extra year's full pay out of it.
problem with sick leave is when you have to use it for regular doctor visits, dental visits there is little left for just being sick. And the creditors don't care how sick you are. they want their money on time. A flu can take you out for up to a week or a surgery can be a month or more. too many employers don't consider sickness/injuries to be a reason not to work and will use it to get rid of you. Laws may help but are easily skirted.
I was ill for almost 6 weeks once - 2 consecutive viruses according to the doctor - I kept trying to go into work as I was the only admin person - but kept getting sent home
Load More Replies... Honestly, we have a really s****y law and regulations system here, but this part of it is way better than a lot of other countries. If a doctor gave you sick days, you can stay at home and your employer can't legally do anything about it. There are s****y employers who can try to threaten you, but they know they can't really fire you for calling sick when you have a note from the doctor - it's a special kind of note, it goes through the national insurance system and can't be faked easily. I had a heart condition (I still do, but it's fine now, seems the problem then was due to stress), I was feeling really bad and was working a s****y job in stressful environment then, so when my cardiologist told me they can give 40 days sick leave (it's paid by the way, we pay insurance for this), so I took it all. I had a colleague with serious eye problem and we work office job on computer all day, so she was out for 4-5 months and there was no problem with this.
Here (UK) they can actually begin disciplinary procedures even if your absences are covered by Dr's notes depending on how many seperate periods there are. They have a hard time firing you though, unless they claim you are unable to do the job because of health reasons. I was told I was only permitted a total of 5 days sick spread over no more than 2 seperate incidences over the following 12 months, or I would get the next stage of disciplinary. I was terrified the whole year that something would happen to make me exceed this. I ended up going in on several occasion when I was completely unfit to be there.
Load More Replies... My sister has migraines and sometimes she goes to work anyway. Once her boss walked by her office and saw her. He told her to go home because she looked awful. Migraines are not contagious, but they still affect performance. Showing up for work when you're sick is called presentism, and some people would do everybody else a favor by staying home.
When I had worked for the USPS about 3 yrs I came down with a very bad case of the flu, I had already taken about 6 days sick leave & told that I had to come in to work...I worked my entire day for the public, it came back ( or never left) worse then before & ended up with 2 more wks off...Thank goodness I have been retired for the past 13 yes & I hope things have improved for my fellow postal workers since then ( I worked there for 34 yrs total because I was a single parent...I had hoped that my kids would never work there)
All too common. Once while working as a cook I was so sick I was puking every half hour and had to go to the hospital. They still made me come in to try and cook less than a day out of the hospital. I was still puking, and being around food was the last thing I needed. Think I made it 15 minutes into that shift before they indeed realized I needed someone to cover for me. That I wasn't just making it up. You'd think the food industry is the last place they want sick people, but they really don't give a c**p.
I worked for big orange too, and i have a lifelong illness that causes similar effects to food poisoning when it flares. Needless to say thier attendance system is unsympathetic and obsolete especially when many of my colleagues were elderly / retired. This is why good staff don't stay, fortunately my current company understands that working with us employees is better than against them. I got very ill a few years ago and my company helped me out, needless to say i work harder now out of respect for that
If I am sick I get my normal pay for six weeks, after this I get money from my health insurance (a bit less money). I am so happy I never was sick for such a long time but job security and secure money sure is nice.
After a serious car wreck, I informed my boss that the doctor had put me on a week of bed rest. I was also on prescription pain meds, and wouldn't have been able to work anyway. So, after 5 days, she called and was hounding me to come back to work. So I had to remind her that a week still has 7 days in it.
The HR at my work doesn't make anyone come in. Instead they give you ultimatums that pretty much screw you no matter what you "choose" to do. I've been hit with a few respiratory illnesses in the past 2 years. One sent me to the hospital. The lady HR tried gaslighting me, trying to lecture me about getting sick in the first place and to somehow prevent these airborne illnesses. When I got back I was hit with reliability warnings and the last time, she forced me to reduce my hours, even though I needed more hours than ever. She didn't even let me make up any shifts I missed. And then she lectured me some more about being sick, as if that's gonna prevent me from "deciding" to get sick again, and it was months before I was able to get my hours back and I added more on top of those. I've just barely caught up financially now. It was punishment on me financially and mentally. When you prevent a mother from working, your taking the income away from her to help her support her kids, too.
I worked for a company with an "occurrence" system. You were allowed three occurrences in a year. An occurrence was one instance of being absent. So, if you were out one day, it was one occurrence, and if you were out on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, that was one occurrence, too. This ostensibly discouraged people from taking off Friday or Monday to make long weekends. Employees could not apply for promotions if they had three occurrences in one year. You were verbally warned after the second occurrence, and then written up and risked losing your job after the third. Some European friends told me that this sort of system is illegal in their countries, as is the U.S. practice of asking past employers about prospective applicants' attendance records. People are not machines. They have years when they go through poor health. This system is also unfair to women who have to use their sick days to stay home to take care of their sick kids.
I work for my local council, if I am off 5 days or more in any 12 moth period I get a written warning. I have COPD, and work outside, so sick days are unfortunately part of my life. They know I have this and I am also type 1 diabetic.
As horrible as this sounds, once when I had diarrhoea I came into work as I had easier access to a loo then I did if I’d stayed home with my three very young kids (if I’d stayed home I had to also keep my kids home as their crèche was attached to work, over an hours drive from home) ( yes my commute is insane)
When I worked for Vertex Outsourcing, they had an attendance policy like this. I went to work with effing Mono one time because I was afraid of getting fired. They didn't care. Thank god I have a nice union job now.
Sick leave is a strange one, there are people that call in as soon as they have a tickly throat and others that have hideous colds but still turn up. It's hard to know what's acceptable and what's not, and often varies depending on your job. Having said that there's also a 'luck' element. I've had two/three sick days in three years, then last year in space on a few months I've had four D&V bugs
I'm fortunate to work for an organization that allows 18 PTO days each year, no questions for why you take them. I did help run a restaurant as an assistant general manager though, and that was hell because of the way the general manager conducted her sick day policy. If anyone called in sick they were required to go to the doctor. Period. You know, sometimes people are too ill to come work at a restaurant (where they could spread a bug to not only their coworkers, but the restaurant guests as well) but not sick enough to have to shell out $$ for a doctor visit. I got in trouble on several occasions for letting people stay home. The truth of it is, if you are a good manager and know your staff, you know who the b******t artists are and you deal with them accordingly. Needless to say, I no longer work for that bonehead.
Omg I too work for this big orange diy company and had a very similar situation only my so called red (after only 2 days previous sick in 17months) was me telling them I’d be signed off for 2 weeks as I had suddenly lost my nephew and wasn’t coping well after seeing his body absolute joke they don’t care !! And yet other staff have had 3-4 days sickness And got away with an amber ?!
I can beat this. I have a number of serious illnesses, my manager doesn't believe there's anything wrong with me - even though he witnessed me have a heart attack in front of him and another time visited me in hospital while recovering from sepsis. I also have to have time off every few weeks for treatment - which he doesn't believe. And the best part? I work in a hospital.
I was out with stomach flu for 4 days straight (Tues - Fri). Come Monday morning, I was pretty much out of the woods. I get to work and my boss (4 person office) tells me I need to bring in a Dr.'s note that confirms I had stomach flu. I didn't go to the doctor, I know what stomach flu is. He insists that he won't pay me without a doctor's note. I am an independent contractor with no health insurance & reminded him of this. Still insists. I asked him to show me an employee manual where this is stated. He sputtered and tried to backtrack. I threatened to sue him & call every one of his clients with this story. As soon as he paid me (in full) I quit. Without notice. Basically, F**K YOU I'm out. D***s like that don't deserve any loyalty.
In high school, my mom took me to a allergy & asthma specialist who, within 10 minites of meeting me insisted I needed a pneumonia shot even though my allergies were well controlled at that time. Having a history of medicinal allergies I had come across through treatment throught my life in my paperwork, he still didn't bother to test me for allergies to the shot. Nope. He stuck a needle in my arm that very day. The next day, my arm was swollen to twice it's normal size, there is a ring of hot redness arou d the injection site larger than my palm, I am having trouble breathing & I am running a temp of 104°F. My mom took me to the ER. For the next two weeks, I am in and out of the hospital 3 different times before finally going back to school, not fully mended but willing to push through so I can graduate come spring. What happens? After I have missed 10 day of classes, with doctor & hospital notes to excuse my absences, I get pulled out in the class again to sign anattendance contract.
She means B&Q everyone, they are a bunch of c*nts, my mate worked for them years ago.
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You poor dear. I'm glad that a*s hat got what was coming to her. Yea, these work mills as I call them, have no humanity. It's about the dollar. BUT in your case, I know the feeling of food poisoning. It's no fun. Hope your well again!
I was sick from being overly dehydrated, worked 14 hours the day before helping out with the bakery, stock take, clothing department and my regular checkout job. The "acting manager" already had it in for me for some reason. In between throwing up in a bucket I ask my dad to ring up and let them know I won't be coming in. I'm a casual so I was worried for my job all the time. Acting manager asks to speak to me, she says im really letting down the whole store and I shouldn't even bother coming in the next day then. The call ends. I ring back a few hours later and talk to the actual manager and he says what she said was not called for, he knows how hard I work, helping out all the departments when its not my job and how much ive been wanting to go full or even part time. But...in the end....she got her wish....she "let me go" while I was off getting a cortisone shot in my wrist because it had swollen up to the point that customers even were worried.
If you're sick stay at home rather than coming into work and infecting other people. If you're not sick GO TO WORK!
And these people don’t have any idea, or maybe pretend not to, as to why they’re disliked. Fully 50% of all college degree holders are in the bottom half of the class. Although for all I know there’s a “bell curve” of some sort making everybody “above average. wtf
I didn't know it, but I was slowly working my way towards Congestive Heart Failure. There were times I only (literally) crawled out of bed to the bathroom. Every time I called in, maybe once every 2 weeks or a month, I would get the inquisition, then the sigh on the phone, then asking me if I knew how many sick days/vacation days left. Finally got so sick I went to the ER and on follow up visit with Dr. he put men on 3 months disability.
I would update my resume and leave Scrooge and company. Before I retired we got 7 paid sick days a year plus unlimited if signed by a Dr.
I don't understand the story. So the deputy manager does what is required of her by her superiors / company policy and she calls somebody claiming being sick in. But since the employee happens to actually be sick visibly and manager feels like being the good guy she gets the hate? And she has to do something disgusting that's not her job in a department that's not her concern while being laughed at? How the hell is she the villain?
Used to work in a Public Health office. One of the nurses - who worked with PREGNANT TEENS - would never take a sick day. Claimed she wasn't contagious. The head administrator would have to order her to go home and stay home. A RN - who used to work in hospitals - my mind boggled.
I thought the UK had better labour laws than this. How is a traffic light system even legal?
I work in a warehouse which is basically a breeding ground for germs so the agency is super understanding if we get sick I mean there are 60+ people at work so it's inevitable really
Wow... When I call in sick at my student job three seperate times in a year's time, I get an appointment to have a talk with the boss. No problem, just a talk about how you can (try to) stay healthy throughout the year, take your vitamins, do some excersize etc. Not that that helps against (real) flu or food poisening, but well, at least it's a positive look on having a conversation like that. As long as I'm doing my job really well (and I do), they really just don't want me to stay home sick, so they try and prevent. Now that I'm (almost) a teacher in high school, same story. They don't want you to be sick, because there's a shortage in teachers anyway, but they also really don't want you to carry your flu over to your collegues and the students. That'd be dumb.
getting 'bollocked' and cleaning up puke still let that boss off easy! might've been able to call it even if the girl had drenched her in vomit
People who act like that are making themselves and the company responsible for what happens when they force people to come in when they are ill. If something happened to her while she was there complying with their arsey-ness, they could be held legally liable for that demand. As well they should. Besides, do you really need all of your staff out at once? This is how you get everybody sick.
Yeah, she could do that because she had a physical sickness. Try "proving" you're to sick to come in from crippling anxiety. You think not believing you have a physical illness is bad, imagine how pissed off they are if someone calls in with terrible anxiety. If you aren't on instagram showing off your mental illness constantly, most managers are not understanding, especially my ex boss with the "well MY life is 100 more stressful than yours because I've got 2 kids and a business and etc etc etc" shtick.
Well, these stories are supposed to be what we call ''developed countries''? Horror. I live in a former socialistic country which had a war 25 years ago and I never, ever had a problem with sick leave although I have autoimmune illness and call in sick very often. Sometimes I work from home when possible, but no one ever tried to make me come to work if I said I am not well (I work for almost 20 years).
Horrible supervisor. I was only hoping she had been the one to drive the OP home, and had a car filled with vomit.
I feel really sorry for all people with that experience. In my country if you are sick, go to doctor and he gives you the note for your employer. This note is also submitted to national health insurance, so everything is by the law. Nobody can call you back to work. Of course, your pay for the period of absence due to the sickness is covered from insurance that we pay. But we do not have "sick day's". If you are sick and unable to work , go to doctor. If you don't go to doctor, you have to work.
Really doest work that well - if you have too much sick time off - even if covered - they start querying if you are fit to do your job - thats when they can get rid of you eventually
Load More Replies... My "Forman" thinks he can't do wrong. Comes in sick an leaves early instead of taking the day off. If I'm sick in this night or morning I have to call before 7 am and leave a message. Which is fine. But if I get sick at work and have to leave he throws a fit. It's ok for him to leave early because he has the poops but also eats oily foods and tons of milk an stuff that adds to it. But if I'm literally puking on the counter am running to the potty then he's like "oh someone doesn't want to work. She wants to go home." So now I just tell his boss an leave. Screw it. Not worth drama. Besides I'm the only reason he's not in jail right now. So he had better reel in the sarcasm. Lol
Managers do realize that making a sick person come in may in fact get other employees sick in some cases? Companies grant sick days, allow employees to utilize them.
soooo, you cannot show a paper or whatever from your doctor informing everybody you REALLY ARE sick? like in a normal country I mean. You'd get a warning anyways?
Going to be honest, don't know there system but it sounds like if you are what they called red you have a habit of calling in sick or not showing up. If that is the case then you can't blame a person for not believing you when you do call in actually sick one day. Personally I look at it like this, once a person reaches a point of me not believing them anymore because of a pattern of calling in they need to bring in a doctors note showing they were sick the next time they work or you fire them point blank no questions asked. Worked with to many people in my life that called in just because, not even sick, an everyone else had to pick up the slack. In reality if I had been the assistant manager in this case I would have called corporate and complained about the store managers actions because this employee had already shown issues with showing up. It's called personal responsibility and to many people today do not have it.
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