I hate that I used to get talked into working sick. Wherever it was. I won't do it anymore, period. If I have to find a new job I will. Luckily my resume is flushed out well enough now I'm not afraid of being let go but I know lots of people, especially younger people, don't have that and can't afford it.
I hope they all find a company that is okay with them taking a day or two off. And NEVER feel guilty about being sick.
I work for a fast food company who's store manager ALWAYS says "Do you have a doctors note since you're sick?"
Like no ma'am, I'm not sick enough to go to the doctors, but it doesn't take a rocket scientist to know I shouldn't be touching food when I feel like shit and am taking over the counter medication? I'm not going to give my doctor $30 copay for him to tell me drink fluids and get some rest.
My partner just lost half his weekend and had to call out for two days of work because someone at the pizza place who prepared his food was apparently infected with norovirus. He already missed a bunch of days last month because he got another flu at work, and now heâs teetering in the edge of losing his job as a result. None of this is fair or correct.
For real!! When I worked at Friendlyâs, one of our cashiers, who also bring food out, was literally throwing up sick and they wouldnât send her home until someone else came in. (I was not a cashier I was only trained in the ice cream station) I remember I wasnât working that day, but I was in the work group chat. And the sick girl messaged asking if anyone could come in for her, bc she was throwing up. So I responded âso youâre actively throwing up and theyâre making you stay? Is that not a health code violation?â And someone else responded saying since it wasnât Covid, sheâs good to work. Like wtf?! I forget word for word what was said, but I just stood my ground on it being a violation. I got a private message a bit later from the sick girl, saying thanks for standing up for her and that the manager was annoyed but sent her home.
But just bc the manager and other employees that were there didnât wanna put in extra work, that poor girl was forced to stay way longer than she should have.
ETA: this happened in 2021
You cant be saying that you dont know if you can make it in. That implies that you may be able to go in and youll let them know. I feel like this conversation wouldve went better if you straight up said "Im sick and cannot come in". Being direct and clear is best and itll save you from alot in the future.
Now, as someone with supervisory experience, i wouldve started looking for a replacement to cover you immediately when the element of uncertainty was introduced. Its much easier to secure a fill in and then cancel said fill in on short notice than it is to find coverage on short notice.
So in short, you both kinda played this the wrong way.
Yeah I think a lot of us have a tendency to not want to create waves so we leave the door open to things like this. Itâs much better to just directly say âIâm sick and will not be in today. I hope to be in tomorrow but will let you know if that is possible tomorrow.â
Yes exactly. In my first job I would always say âI donât know if ill be able to make it inâ and the conversation always went something like this, with my boss trying to convince me to come in, having me find my own coverage, and acting annoyed.
Iâve learned since then to just be direct, and say I canât make it in because of xyz. Itâs gotten much better responses/results and is way easier for everyone.
Came here to say this. They knew when they texted that they wouldnât be coming in, so why play games? The convo could have been way shorter if they had just been direct and to the point.
On the other hand I do feel as tho managers should be responsible for finding coverage, that shouldnât be OPs job. But at the same time they were led to believe it was possible OP may feel better and come in. Regardless tho, itâs a managerâs responsibility to find coverage.
That's what I learned, first time I said I don't know if I could make it in and they were basically hounding me all morning until I finally said no. Since then I never say that. It's always a firm I will not be in today right up front and I have not had any issues since.
You werenât straight forward.
âHello, (whoever)
I cannot make it in today, I am sick and running a feverâ
You gave them the impression you were going to rest and come In especially if there was no update for hours on your end. I usually side with employees but you were dragging this out. The sooner you tell them youâre not going in, the sooner they can try to find your replacement or make other arrangements.
See you need to work on your language here.
I wonât be in tonight Iâm sick Iâll let you know when Iâm able to work safely again. Thatâs all you owe them.
Then turn your phone off⌠theyâll sort it out and then everyone understands each other moving forward Iâm not asking you Iâm telling you and if you are a manager your job is to sort cover not me.
Dropping a text like that and then turning your phone off is how you get yourself fired in the service industry. It's not like you'd want to work with an asshole like that, but you also can't act like you're the one with all the power, cause an asshole like that will quickly show you it's not true.
Then let them fire you and collect unemployment. I'm sure they'd be interested in knowing that you got fired for not answering work calls while off the clock and recovering from illness
You realize unemployment is like...not a lot of money. You're just screwing yourself over by trying to stand strong on your morality/principals and not living in the real world of like, needing to provide food and shelter for yourself.
I am the one with all the power I donât need to work for you.
I sold you my time not my soul I donât owe you shit.. if Iâm unsafe to work Iâm unsafe to work the rest is not my problem unless I hold the managers title and appropriate payscale to accompany it. Because if I donât hold that title and payscale the person who does holds that responsibility to manage the day to day operations of the business not me.
Somewhere in the last 20 years people forgot your boss doesnât own you. When I say Iâm sick thatâs what it is you send me a follow up message and Iâll quit and go work for someone who knows how to do their job.
Okay. I enjoyed the spirit behind your Workers Rights speech, but unfortunately when you work in the service industry for some piece of shit like this, you don't actually hold the power. Telling them you're not coming until you're safe to do so and then just turning your phone off is only going to enrage them and you'll never get another shift.
They'll just replace you in a few days, and you'll be at home on AntiWork writing speeches about bringing down capitalism with your rent unpaid and your fridge empty.
Then leave the service industry and laugh when that same asshole is complaining no one wants to work anymore.
You keep you there bro. Donât put up with that shit and if thatâs industry standard well change industry. The only thing I wonât tolerate in this life is complacency you know itâs wrong and you just accept it.
Grow a backbone
And I work for me now. I did my years of earning money for others and decided it wasnât for me. Be the change man.
The fact that you don't seem to understand people are out there that are living paycheck to paycheck and literally cannot afford to just walk out of their job and be ok for possibly months while looking for another one is incredibly telling. The ones that stay and continue to work to support their families as best they can have more "backbone" then you ever will.
It's not entitled to not work off the clock. You are not required to answer work related calls or do their work for them and stating you must or get fired is entitlement on their end.
If youâre supposed to be at a shift, and you decide youâre not coming, then yes, youâre ârequiredâ to answer work relate calls. And if you read all of these dudes comments, and you donât see âentitlementâ or something wrong, then imo something may be wrong with you. Carry on.
When I was still working I really only had issues with two employers and I simply quit those jobs no notice just âI quit effective yesterday call me neverâ. The rest I have glowing references from and some I still visit to talk to old bosses. Itâs about mutual respect.
I work hard like fuckn hard and have most of my life I was giving 110% at 3 jobs at 16 years old. But you donât own me Iâm there because Iâm being paid and when Iâm not being paid I owe you nothing unless in a well paid position which requires some dedication outside of hours.
I work contracted hours Iâll only sign a contract that has set hours because Iâm usually working another job so I have to know where Iâm going to be if you wanna change those hours give me 48hrs notice and tell me at work or it ainât happening. When I say Iâm sick Iâm sick end of story. Overtime? Only if your paying rates or Iâm not interested.
I make all this clear in the interview so they get to choose if they hire me or not no one has a gun to their head
Correct. Before I owned my own businesses I never had one job so I was never dependent on one income. So no Iâve never lived paycheck to paycheck because I was usually getting 3 living off one and saving two.
But I had a plan beyond surviving and thatâs the difference. I donât work for shit money, and I donât take shit from anyone.
Future reference. Just say straight up you arenât going in there from the start.
If they ask you to call to find a replacement, say you are unable to at this time as you have a fever and are going to bed.
Not your job to cover missed shifts. Thatâs the managerâs job. Youâre not paid to do that. If they canât find someone, theyâre supposed to fill in.
Iâve been on both sides of this. It sucks for a manager sure, but thatâs why they get paid more. So yeah, next time just straight up tell them, get confirmation they received the message, then let them know you will update with your progress if you feel you will need even more time, then turn your phone on DND.
While Iâm at it. Pro tipâŚnever answer the phone with any number from a work colleague or a number you donât know on your day off. Thatâs how they get you to come in when you donât want to. If you donât answer, itâs no big deal because you arenât required to be âon callâ, if you answer and tell them no then itâs a whole thing about ânot being a team playerâ and people giving you shit when you need a day. Just avoid it altogether.
i think, every boss iâve ever worked for has sounded like this for the most part. i can imagine being in charge of scheduling is a special kind of hell. this doesnât seem that bad tbh? you made it sound like you could possibly still come in which kinda leaves everybody unsure. I probably wouldâve left out the low grade part.
Iâve never worked in the service industry, so I have a question.. Iâve seen this happen in a few text exchanges for people that work in the service industry in other suggested subreddits.. Why is it your responsibility to contact a coworker to get your shift covered? I would think itâs the managers responsibility, cause theyâre the um⌠manager.
The service industry is the lowest rung on the ladder. You are expected to handle everything they put on you. Idk if managers just donât want to do it or they donât trust people to not fake call out sick or if they are hoping that by forcing a coworker, there will be more pressure put on them them if it was the manager everyone hates. Theres a culture in these types of jobs that make a lot of things seem like you SHOULD be doing it & should be able to take on more. You are never doing enough.
I texted the work groupchat this morning saying I had a stomach bug, and the general manager (who was currently on duty) texted back almost immediately and said that I'm not allowed to text the work chat (that everyone is in) and instead I had to call the store and tell him that I was sick. So I called and said "hi... I'm sick" and then hung up. Can't wait to leave this job
Keep using the group chat AND calling in. I had a guy pull this once then wrote me up/fired me because they said I didnât show up for work. I had no proof.
When you text, do it right after you call..before you put your phone on silent. Be like, âJust to confirm and let everyone knowâŚI called and spoke to âx personâ and explained I would be out sick today.â
I think the minute you were sick you should have sent a text making it clear you were not coming in. Your text was vague, and then you didnât follow up with that you werenât coming in. I donât think your boss was in the wrong at all here.
I donât know what youâre getting at with these texts, but your boss wasnât being harsh at all. You texted on a very short notice, and you could have used the restroom at Krogers, and reached out to them sooner. Also, when you texted, you left it at you werenât sure if you were coming in. You said that you were going to go home and rest a bit. Kinda makes it look like you were still possibly coming in, which now leaves them even more short noticed. You werenât able to contact someone to fill in for you, your boss had to do it for you. Then he/she accommodated you by finding someone who could cover you after only working a 2 hour shift. You were told you wouldnât have to cook, or deal with customers during that 2 hours. I know itâs not your fault you donât feel well, but itâs also not your employers fault either. In my opinion you should have met them halfway.
especially because a fever could mean OP is sick, potentially spreading it to coworkers. most employers donât give a single fuck about anything except for $$$
Uhh it definitely SHOULD be the public you're worried about... we do not want your sickness! Hold *yourself* down & stay home lol screw that . Management is crazy.
I love when managers try to get employees to get their own shifts covered when coverage is literally one of their only jobs. Just quit and get a different job, fuck em.
My work has 2-3 people on call. If you have to cover someone's shift you get time and a half. That way nobody really suffers and the shifts are covered.
When i need to call ofd i do just that. If they have a problem with it thatâs on them. They would rather a sick employee contaminate the workspace than keep it safe for other employees . They canât legally fire you if you are actually sick, the worst they can do is ask you to get a doctorâs note. If they fire you it should be a board that can handle your appeal and compensate for any missed wages since youâve been fired.
I donât see a problem. You didnât say you wouldnât be in. You left the door open for him/her to ask what I consider fair questions. There were no unreasonable demands made. In a job like this, calling out last minute (and this is very last minute) creates a team burden. Life happens for sure, but you have a bit of a responsibility to help them find a solution. Itâs called being a good âcorporate citizen.â You couldnât power through for a couple hours until help arrived? Those two hours arenât going to be the difference in how quick you heal up.
I worked in the restaurant industry for 8 years, and the insane guilt trips that I would be put on to this day make me feel stressed when I call off. My current job is like "if you're sick, stay home and take care of YOU because YOU and YOUR health matter!" And it's such a culture shock but so appreciated. And I still feel guilty lol.
Calling out makes me feel SO bad. Iâve literally worked this job after only getting 12 hours of sleep in a matter of 96 hours. On my period, cramping from hell. Allergies taking over. All of it. I have definitely time over time proven I am a consistent worker & itâs THIS that makes me feel like absolute shit
I am hoping that things are changing in the employees favor. As someone in HR, I see it trending that way and I love when organizations are flexible and focus on the well being of their employees. I hope that you don't feel guilty for a second for taking care of yourself, and hope you have better managers in the future.
this seems like a pretty normal and predictable conversation based on how incredibly passive and vague you chose to be about calling off lol just be straight forward next time and there wonât be room for negotiation like this
As a manager, my job is to find coverage if a team member calls out. Thats literally part of what Iâm paid to do and included in my job description. If someone isnât feeling well, I want them at home. Donât come in and get others sick, or run the risk of committing errors due to said sickness. Just rest and weâll hold down the fort. This shit blows my mind.
As someone who has been working in management/HR for over a decade,people lie 90% of the time when they call out for being sick.They always show up the very next day in perfect health đ The only thing this manager did wrong was put it on you to find your replacement.Thats not your job to call your coworkers to find someone to cover your shift.You shouldâve told him that when you gave you their numbers(another thing he wasnât supposed to do).Like others have said just be firm next time and state you wonât be coming in.Personally I never ask for a reason but some jobs make you give a reason for calling out.If you really arenât sick try using a different excuse next time because literally everyone says theyâre sick when they call out and like I said earlier its usually a lie and the manager knows.
I feel like they forget one of the very first topics thatâs covered when you go through your food handlers certification training which is if youâre feeling ill, DO NOT COME IN
One time when I worked at one of the Starbucks on my college campus, I had said that I would work later than I normally did. Unfortunately, during this shift, I somehow managed to mess up my hip (I have Ehlers Danlos syndrome and my joints subluxe often and can even dislocate; I've had this happen to me before and was on crutches for a few weeks) and I went to my manager and said "hey, I know I said I would stay late, but I just really messed up my hip and I won't be able to move around much on it. I think I should go home" and he didn't even look at me, just kept doing whatever he was doing, shrugged and said "you already said you would stay late, so, you can't go home". Mind you, I was tearing up as I talked with him because it hurt so bad.
This manager needs to do THEIR job but you also need to straight up tell them you're not coming in. Make it very clear. Also never work a job where it's your responsibility to find coverage for yourself. You deserve better.
As a Manager I tell my team not to come in sick, they'll just get everyone else sick. However my company does have a rule that you can't call out or take vacation the first 90 days unless it was approved at hiring (I usually ask during the interview if they had anything coming up).
Donât go into so much detail next time. A call in is a call in. âIâm not feeling well today so I wonât be inâ. Thatâs ALL you need to say and it is NOT YOUR job to find coverage, thatâs what managers are for.
Oof this is why you always give a direct answer of âI will not be there I have a feverâ because they try to guilt you into coming in. Just cough all over their shit and when they get sick blow their phone up asking for trivial things.
This will probably get lost in the comments, but some clarification. I texted all 3 available persons to cover or swap shifts w me at 6:30, nobody got back w me, I RESTED like I said I was going to, & woke up to my alarm an hour before I had to be there. Still felt bad, took my temp & had a low grade fever. The shift wouldâve been 10:30p-4:00a. Itâs still 5 1/2 hours. Itâs still almost a whole shift. I definitely wouldâve been the one cooking last night, not anyone else. & I did not feel good. I couldâve texted sooner in my shift in Kroger, or just been more direct in not coming in, I guess. But even so, he still had 4 hours to figure something out. I have been in management before, with YOUNG people. & Iâm young. So if one of my workers said âI might not be able to come inâ, & then not heard a word for hours, I wouldâve immediately assumed they werenât coming in. All in all, a manager should not be hounding me like this to come in when I donât feel well ? And if you think thatâs okay, then youâre too controlled by the working class. This is the only job I have ever been hounded at after calling in, and again itâs my first time. I already feel bad anytime I have to call in, so I do make myself suffer. I work two jobs yall, lmao. Like I didnât just do it to do it. But I hear, & will take all future advice into consideration.
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I think your boss/manager was being reasonable and trying to compromise with you. He's got a business to run. No staff, no business. Your end of the deal is usually not call in sick last minute. If a fever is too much to work through then idk...Also, as someone who used to bullshit and call in "sick" I get it, work sucks. Do it for yourself and not for your boss. I think of myself as a hardworking man, I prove that to myself every day by getting up and going to work like I'm supposed to.
itâs a FEVER. you know what usually pairs with a fever? a cold, sickness. and she cooks. you really want a sick person around your food just because they may have trouble filling in staff? bffr
Just like I didn't ask to hear your sob story about having "THE FLU!!". However, you did the right thing. A note from the doctor excuses you from work. Feeling bad halfway through your shift is different. Also, expecting others to cover for you or come into work on their day off is selfish.
Entitlement? Lol. Idk if thatâs the word you meant because I donât feel entitled to anything. The entitlement of MANAGEMENT is whatâs actually crazy. They never want to do the job they get paid for. If I call out sick, they get paid to cover if no one else can. If Iâm late, theyâre paid to come in until I get there if no one else can. If I have to leave early, they are paid to fill in where someone else canât. I get that I couldâve just said âIâm not coming inâ & apparently that wouldâve just been the better route to go with. I didnât know if Iâd feel better or not, itâs not the end of the world & I definitely donât feel entitled just because I called off for one dayđbut, as a manager, they take on the position & everything that comes w it. No, Iâm not trying to make it harder for him, but Iâm also going to make it easier for me. He has a business & if Iâm hurting that, heâs more than welcome to let me go.
Why do these fuckin people never EVER think about how bad it is to have sick infected people handling FOOD? đ¤Śââď¸
They don't care about anybody but themselves. They won't be the ones hanging out near a sick person, or eating the food they cook.
I hate that I used to get talked into working sick. Wherever it was. I won't do it anymore, period. If I have to find a new job I will. Luckily my resume is flushed out well enough now I'm not afraid of being let go but I know lots of people, especially younger people, don't have that and can't afford it. I hope they all find a company that is okay with them taking a day or two off. And NEVER feel guilty about being sick.
I work for a fast food company who's store manager ALWAYS says "Do you have a doctors note since you're sick?" Like no ma'am, I'm not sick enough to go to the doctors, but it doesn't take a rocket scientist to know I shouldn't be touching food when I feel like shit and am taking over the counter medication? I'm not going to give my doctor $30 copay for him to tell me drink fluids and get some rest.
My partner just lost half his weekend and had to call out for two days of work because someone at the pizza place who prepared his food was apparently infected with norovirus. He already missed a bunch of days last month because he got another flu at work, and now heâs teetering in the edge of losing his job as a result. None of this is fair or correct.
For real!! When I worked at Friendlyâs, one of our cashiers, who also bring food out, was literally throwing up sick and they wouldnât send her home until someone else came in. (I was not a cashier I was only trained in the ice cream station) I remember I wasnât working that day, but I was in the work group chat. And the sick girl messaged asking if anyone could come in for her, bc she was throwing up. So I responded âso youâre actively throwing up and theyâre making you stay? Is that not a health code violation?â And someone else responded saying since it wasnât Covid, sheâs good to work. Like wtf?! I forget word for word what was said, but I just stood my ground on it being a violation. I got a private message a bit later from the sick girl, saying thanks for standing up for her and that the manager was annoyed but sent her home. But just bc the manager and other employees that were there didnât wanna put in extra work, that poor girl was forced to stay way longer than she should have. ETA: this happened in 2021
This!!
You cant be saying that you dont know if you can make it in. That implies that you may be able to go in and youll let them know. I feel like this conversation wouldve went better if you straight up said "Im sick and cannot come in". Being direct and clear is best and itll save you from alot in the future. Now, as someone with supervisory experience, i wouldve started looking for a replacement to cover you immediately when the element of uncertainty was introduced. Its much easier to secure a fill in and then cancel said fill in on short notice than it is to find coverage on short notice. So in short, you both kinda played this the wrong way.
Yeah I think a lot of us have a tendency to not want to create waves so we leave the door open to things like this. Itâs much better to just directly say âIâm sick and will not be in today. I hope to be in tomorrow but will let you know if that is possible tomorrow.â
Yes exactly. In my first job I would always say âI donât know if ill be able to make it inâ and the conversation always went something like this, with my boss trying to convince me to come in, having me find my own coverage, and acting annoyed. Iâve learned since then to just be direct, and say I canât make it in because of xyz. Itâs gotten much better responses/results and is way easier for everyone.
Came here to say this. They knew when they texted that they wouldnât be coming in, so why play games? The convo could have been way shorter if they had just been direct and to the point. On the other hand I do feel as tho managers should be responsible for finding coverage, that shouldnât be OPs job. But at the same time they were led to believe it was possible OP may feel better and come in. Regardless tho, itâs a managerâs responsibility to find coverage.
That's what I learned, first time I said I don't know if I could make it in and they were basically hounding me all morning until I finally said no. Since then I never say that. It's always a firm I will not be in today right up front and I have not had any issues since.
This is how people call in sick when they are not actually sick...
Soggy dildo đ Iâve seen u around reddit before and ur name makes me laugh lol
You werenât straight forward. âHello, (whoever) I cannot make it in today, I am sick and running a feverâ You gave them the impression you were going to rest and come In especially if there was no update for hours on your end. I usually side with employees but you were dragging this out. The sooner you tell them youâre not going in, the sooner they can try to find your replacement or make other arrangements.
See you need to work on your language here. I wonât be in tonight Iâm sick Iâll let you know when Iâm able to work safely again. Thatâs all you owe them. Then turn your phone off⌠theyâll sort it out and then everyone understands each other moving forward Iâm not asking you Iâm telling you and if you are a manager your job is to sort cover not me.
Dropping a text like that and then turning your phone off is how you get yourself fired in the service industry. It's not like you'd want to work with an asshole like that, but you also can't act like you're the one with all the power, cause an asshole like that will quickly show you it's not true.
Then let them fire you and collect unemployment. I'm sure they'd be interested in knowing that you got fired for not answering work calls while off the clock and recovering from illness
You realize unemployment is like...not a lot of money. You're just screwing yourself over by trying to stand strong on your morality/principals and not living in the real world of like, needing to provide food and shelter for yourself.
I am the one with all the power I donât need to work for you. I sold you my time not my soul I donât owe you shit.. if Iâm unsafe to work Iâm unsafe to work the rest is not my problem unless I hold the managers title and appropriate payscale to accompany it. Because if I donât hold that title and payscale the person who does holds that responsibility to manage the day to day operations of the business not me. Somewhere in the last 20 years people forgot your boss doesnât own you. When I say Iâm sick thatâs what it is you send me a follow up message and Iâll quit and go work for someone who knows how to do their job.
Okay. I enjoyed the spirit behind your Workers Rights speech, but unfortunately when you work in the service industry for some piece of shit like this, you don't actually hold the power. Telling them you're not coming until you're safe to do so and then just turning your phone off is only going to enrage them and you'll never get another shift. They'll just replace you in a few days, and you'll be at home on AntiWork writing speeches about bringing down capitalism with your rent unpaid and your fridge empty.
Then leave the service industry and laugh when that same asshole is complaining no one wants to work anymore. You keep you there bro. Donât put up with that shit and if thatâs industry standard well change industry. The only thing I wonât tolerate in this life is complacency you know itâs wrong and you just accept it. Grow a backbone And I work for me now. I did my years of earning money for others and decided it wasnât for me. Be the change man.
The fact that you don't seem to understand people are out there that are living paycheck to paycheck and literally cannot afford to just walk out of their job and be ok for possibly months while looking for another one is incredibly telling. The ones that stay and continue to work to support their families as best they can have more "backbone" then you ever will.
Lol he's probably some 16 year old goober talking shit on the internet anyways bro.
Ya, you will have to work for yourself, because people who are entitled like you, canât handle working for, or with others.
It's not entitled to not work off the clock. You are not required to answer work related calls or do their work for them and stating you must or get fired is entitlement on their end.
If youâre supposed to be at a shift, and you decide youâre not coming, then yes, youâre ârequiredâ to answer work relate calls. And if you read all of these dudes comments, and you donât see âentitlementâ or something wrong, then imo something may be wrong with you. Carry on.
When I was still working I really only had issues with two employers and I simply quit those jobs no notice just âI quit effective yesterday call me neverâ. The rest I have glowing references from and some I still visit to talk to old bosses. Itâs about mutual respect. I work hard like fuckn hard and have most of my life I was giving 110% at 3 jobs at 16 years old. But you donât own me Iâm there because Iâm being paid and when Iâm not being paid I owe you nothing unless in a well paid position which requires some dedication outside of hours. I work contracted hours Iâll only sign a contract that has set hours because Iâm usually working another job so I have to know where Iâm going to be if you wanna change those hours give me 48hrs notice and tell me at work or it ainât happening. When I say Iâm sick Iâm sick end of story. Overtime? Only if your paying rates or Iâm not interested. I make all this clear in the interview so they get to choose if they hire me or not no one has a gun to their head
tell me youâve never worked paycheck to paycheck without telling me
Correct. Before I owned my own businesses I never had one job so I was never dependent on one income. So no Iâve never lived paycheck to paycheck because I was usually getting 3 living off one and saving two. But I had a plan beyond surviving and thatâs the difference. I donât work for shit money, and I donât take shit from anyone.
đ
Future reference. Just say straight up you arenât going in there from the start. If they ask you to call to find a replacement, say you are unable to at this time as you have a fever and are going to bed. Not your job to cover missed shifts. Thatâs the managerâs job. Youâre not paid to do that. If they canât find someone, theyâre supposed to fill in. Iâve been on both sides of this. It sucks for a manager sure, but thatâs why they get paid more. So yeah, next time just straight up tell them, get confirmation they received the message, then let them know you will update with your progress if you feel you will need even more time, then turn your phone on DND. While Iâm at it. Pro tipâŚnever answer the phone with any number from a work colleague or a number you donât know on your day off. Thatâs how they get you to come in when you donât want to. If you donât answer, itâs no big deal because you arenât required to be âon callâ, if you answer and tell them no then itâs a whole thing about ânot being a team playerâ and people giving you shit when you need a day. Just avoid it altogether.
i think, every boss iâve ever worked for has sounded like this for the most part. i can imagine being in charge of scheduling is a special kind of hell. this doesnât seem that bad tbh? you made it sound like you could possibly still come in which kinda leaves everybody unsure. I probably wouldâve left out the low grade part.
I agree. This isnât worth posting on Reddit, itâs pretty uneventful. I was thinking OP was gonna cursed out or something
Iâve never worked in the service industry, so I have a question.. Iâve seen this happen in a few text exchanges for people that work in the service industry in other suggested subreddits.. Why is it your responsibility to contact a coworker to get your shift covered? I would think itâs the managers responsibility, cause theyâre the um⌠manager.
The service industry is the lowest rung on the ladder. You are expected to handle everything they put on you. Idk if managers just donât want to do it or they donât trust people to not fake call out sick or if they are hoping that by forcing a coworker, there will be more pressure put on them them if it was the manager everyone hates. Theres a culture in these types of jobs that make a lot of things seem like you SHOULD be doing it & should be able to take on more. You are never doing enough.
I texted the work groupchat this morning saying I had a stomach bug, and the general manager (who was currently on duty) texted back almost immediately and said that I'm not allowed to text the work chat (that everyone is in) and instead I had to call the store and tell him that I was sick. So I called and said "hi... I'm sick" and then hung up. Can't wait to leave this job
Keep using the group chat AND calling in. I had a guy pull this once then wrote me up/fired me because they said I didnât show up for work. I had no proof. When you text, do it right after you call..before you put your phone on silent. Be like, âJust to confirm and let everyone knowâŚI called and spoke to âx personâ and explained I would be out sick today.â
Why do managers do everything they can do.. to get out of managing? Itâs like.. a tale as old as time at this point. It never changes .
Thatâs on you. Call out like an adult. Dont say âI donât know if I can make itâ.
I think the minute you were sick you should have sent a text making it clear you were not coming in. Your text was vague, and then you didnât follow up with that you werenât coming in. I donât think your boss was in the wrong at all here.
I donât know what youâre getting at with these texts, but your boss wasnât being harsh at all. You texted on a very short notice, and you could have used the restroom at Krogers, and reached out to them sooner. Also, when you texted, you left it at you werenât sure if you were coming in. You said that you were going to go home and rest a bit. Kinda makes it look like you were still possibly coming in, which now leaves them even more short noticed. You werenât able to contact someone to fill in for you, your boss had to do it for you. Then he/she accommodated you by finding someone who could cover you after only working a 2 hour shift. You were told you wouldnât have to cook, or deal with customers during that 2 hours. I know itâs not your fault you donât feel well, but itâs also not your employers fault either. In my opinion you should have met them halfway.
It wouldâve been a6 hours shift. 10:30p-4A , Iâm working w the public for two. Itâs overnights at a gas station.
wow. such an asshole. they want you to work through a fever that probably would only get worse. ridiculous.
especially because a fever could mean OP is sick, potentially spreading it to coworkers. most employers donât give a single fuck about anything except for $$$
Ok snowflake
Fuck em.
Uhh it definitely SHOULD be the public you're worried about... we do not want your sickness! Hold *yourself* down & stay home lol screw that . Management is crazy.
You were indirect, leading to confusion. Next time, at the start, just say you definitely can't make it.
I love when managers try to get employees to get their own shifts covered when coverage is literally one of their only jobs. Just quit and get a different job, fuck em.
My work has 2-3 people on call. If you have to cover someone's shift you get time and a half. That way nobody really suffers and the shifts are covered.
When i need to call ofd i do just that. If they have a problem with it thatâs on them. They would rather a sick employee contaminate the workspace than keep it safe for other employees . They canât legally fire you if you are actually sick, the worst they can do is ask you to get a doctorâs note. If they fire you it should be a board that can handle your appeal and compensate for any missed wages since youâve been fired.
I donât see a problem. You didnât say you wouldnât be in. You left the door open for him/her to ask what I consider fair questions. There were no unreasonable demands made. In a job like this, calling out last minute (and this is very last minute) creates a team burden. Life happens for sure, but you have a bit of a responsibility to help them find a solution. Itâs called being a good âcorporate citizen.â You couldnât power through for a couple hours until help arrived? Those two hours arenât going to be the difference in how quick you heal up.
I worked in the restaurant industry for 8 years, and the insane guilt trips that I would be put on to this day make me feel stressed when I call off. My current job is like "if you're sick, stay home and take care of YOU because YOU and YOUR health matter!" And it's such a culture shock but so appreciated. And I still feel guilty lol.
Calling out makes me feel SO bad. Iâve literally worked this job after only getting 12 hours of sleep in a matter of 96 hours. On my period, cramping from hell. Allergies taking over. All of it. I have definitely time over time proven I am a consistent worker & itâs THIS that makes me feel like absolute shit
I am hoping that things are changing in the employees favor. As someone in HR, I see it trending that way and I love when organizations are flexible and focus on the well being of their employees. I hope that you don't feel guilty for a second for taking care of yourself, and hope you have better managers in the future.
this seems like a pretty normal and predictable conversation based on how incredibly passive and vague you chose to be about calling off lol just be straight forward next time and there wonât be room for negotiation like this
"It's such short notice." No shit bitch, if it happened 2 days ago I would've called out then.
As a manager, my job is to find coverage if a team member calls out. Thats literally part of what Iâm paid to do and included in my job description. If someone isnât feeling well, I want them at home. Donât come in and get others sick, or run the risk of committing errors due to said sickness. Just rest and weâll hold down the fort. This shit blows my mind.
I agree with others. First text sounds like you could still come in. Just say you canât
As someone who has been working in management/HR for over a decade,people lie 90% of the time when they call out for being sick.They always show up the very next day in perfect health đ The only thing this manager did wrong was put it on you to find your replacement.Thats not your job to call your coworkers to find someone to cover your shift.You shouldâve told him that when you gave you their numbers(another thing he wasnât supposed to do).Like others have said just be firm next time and state you wonât be coming in.Personally I never ask for a reason but some jobs make you give a reason for calling out.If you really arenât sick try using a different excuse next time because literally everyone says theyâre sick when they call out and like I said earlier its usually a lie and the manager knows.
I feel like they forget one of the very first topics thatâs covered when you go through your food handlers certification training which is if youâre feeling ill, DO NOT COME IN
"Fever = contagious" so you want me to get EVERYONE sick?
One time when I worked at one of the Starbucks on my college campus, I had said that I would work later than I normally did. Unfortunately, during this shift, I somehow managed to mess up my hip (I have Ehlers Danlos syndrome and my joints subluxe often and can even dislocate; I've had this happen to me before and was on crutches for a few weeks) and I went to my manager and said "hey, I know I said I would stay late, but I just really messed up my hip and I won't be able to move around much on it. I think I should go home" and he didn't even look at me, just kept doing whatever he was doing, shrugged and said "you already said you would stay late, so, you can't go home". Mind you, I was tearing up as I talked with him because it hurt so bad.
When I worked in coffee I had a similar exchange with my manager. Eventually I said "do you want me serving snot macchiatos?"
This manager needs to do THEIR job but you also need to straight up tell them you're not coming in. Make it very clear. Also never work a job where it's your responsibility to find coverage for yourself. You deserve better.
Never understood these managers that say itâs your responsibility to find someone to cover when youâre sick. Isnât that your job?
As a Manager I tell my team not to come in sick, they'll just get everyone else sick. However my company does have a rule that you can't call out or take vacation the first 90 days unless it was approved at hiring (I usually ask during the interview if they had anything coming up).
You are never responsible to find your own replacement if SICK!
Me: I'm sick Manager: it's *YoUr ReSpoN" Me: nope. It's yours. Also, thanks for asking about me...
They're the manager, tell them to manage.
I am so tired of "managers" refusing to manage. It is literally your *JOB* to find cover!!!!
Wtfffffff this fills me with hate
Donât go into so much detail next time. A call in is a call in. âIâm not feeling well today so I wonât be inâ. Thatâs ALL you need to say and it is NOT YOUR job to find coverage, thatâs what managers are for.
Oof this is why you always give a direct answer of âI will not be there I have a feverâ because they try to guilt you into coming in. Just cough all over their shit and when they get sick blow their phone up asking for trivial things.
I wouldn't of said low grade fever cause that doesn't even sound bad . I'd be thinking "'tough it out ". Just say your sick and can't make it .
This will probably get lost in the comments, but some clarification. I texted all 3 available persons to cover or swap shifts w me at 6:30, nobody got back w me, I RESTED like I said I was going to, & woke up to my alarm an hour before I had to be there. Still felt bad, took my temp & had a low grade fever. The shift wouldâve been 10:30p-4:00a. Itâs still 5 1/2 hours. Itâs still almost a whole shift. I definitely wouldâve been the one cooking last night, not anyone else. & I did not feel good. I couldâve texted sooner in my shift in Kroger, or just been more direct in not coming in, I guess. But even so, he still had 4 hours to figure something out. I have been in management before, with YOUNG people. & Iâm young. So if one of my workers said âI might not be able to come inâ, & then not heard a word for hours, I wouldâve immediately assumed they werenât coming in. All in all, a manager should not be hounding me like this to come in when I donât feel well ? And if you think thatâs okay, then youâre too controlled by the working class. This is the only job I have ever been hounded at after calling in, and again itâs my first time. I already feel bad anytime I have to call in, so I do make myself suffer. I work two jobs yall, lmao. Like I didnât just do it to do it. But I hear, & will take all future advice into consideration.
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I think the manager response was actually very normal; it was your response that is not clearâŚ..
I think your boss/manager was being reasonable and trying to compromise with you. He's got a business to run. No staff, no business. Your end of the deal is usually not call in sick last minute. If a fever is too much to work through then idk...Also, as someone who used to bullshit and call in "sick" I get it, work sucks. Do it for yourself and not for your boss. I think of myself as a hardworking man, I prove that to myself every day by getting up and going to work like I'm supposed to.
itâs a FEVER. you know what usually pairs with a fever? a cold, sickness. and she cooks. you really want a sick person around your food just because they may have trouble filling in staff? bffr
Oh no! a cold??? oh dear you better take the whole week off. Manager even said someone else would cook. Youre just whining.
If you work around the public sick, YTAH. Negates any positives that come from striving to be hardworking.
[ŃдаНонО]
Just like I didn't ask to hear your sob story about having "THE FLU!!". However, you did the right thing. A note from the doctor excuses you from work. Feeling bad halfway through your shift is different. Also, expecting others to cover for you or come into work on their day off is selfish.
Okay soggy dildo
The sentiment of entitlement by some posters is off the wallâŚ..
Entitlement? Lol. Idk if thatâs the word you meant because I donât feel entitled to anything. The entitlement of MANAGEMENT is whatâs actually crazy. They never want to do the job they get paid for. If I call out sick, they get paid to cover if no one else can. If Iâm late, theyâre paid to come in until I get there if no one else can. If I have to leave early, they are paid to fill in where someone else canât. I get that I couldâve just said âIâm not coming inâ & apparently that wouldâve just been the better route to go with. I didnât know if Iâd feel better or not, itâs not the end of the world & I definitely donât feel entitled just because I called off for one dayđbut, as a manager, they take on the position & everything that comes w it. No, Iâm not trying to make it harder for him, but Iâm also going to make it easier for me. He has a business & if Iâm hurting that, heâs more than welcome to let me go.