When one is ill in the hospital, one assumes their job is safe.
Imagine the shock to the system when you get home from the hospital and you learn you’re being punished at work for being on the brink of death.
Sometimes it does feel like companies have an issue valuing staff.
Case in point…
Redditor LopsidedCobbler9140 wanted to discuss her experience and get some feedback. So naturally, she came to visit the “Am I The A**hole” (AITA) subReddit.
She asked:
“AITA for walking out on my job?”
The Original Poster (OP) explained:
“I (29 F[emale]) work as a waitress at a restaurant with a point system.”
“It’s 1 point if you are late, 3 points to call off with notice, and 5 points for calling off within 4 hours of your shift.”
“This is fine with me as I have no points this year and have only called off once since 2018.”
“I’m the type who covers shifts, stays late and generally just go to do my job.”
“Last week, I ended up calling off and was out for a week due to being hospitalized in the I[ntensive] C[are] U[nit] with a horrible infection.”
“I let my boss know at 2 am that I was being sent out by helicopter and kept her informed of everything going on.”
“Today was my first day back.”
“I’m not 100% yet but like many places, we are short staffed.”
“When I came in today, I opened and got to work.”
“My boss came in 2 hours later and called me into her office.”
“She informed me I was getting 8 points, losing my discounts and bonuses for 90 days, and was on probation.”
“I was dumbfounded and told her I wasn’t signing the papers as it was out of my control.”
“She said if I didn’t, I would be terminated.”
“I told her not to bother and walked out.”
“I’m now getting calls and texts from her and my coworkers saying they need me and I was an a** for quiting over something so small.”
“My husband thinks I was in the right because it was ridiculous that I was getting punished for almost dying.”
“So AITA?”
Redditors shared their thoughts on this matter and weighed some options to the question AITA:
- NTA – Not The A**hole
- YTA – You’re The A**hole
- NAH – No A**holes Here
- ESH – Everyone Sucks Here
Many Redditors declared OP was NOT the A**hole.
“NTA. You were so sick that you needed to be airlifted by helicopter and relocated to seek special treatment outside of where you currently live, which is well outside of your control.”
“Then you went above and beyond.”
“By keeping your boss in the loop the whole time as if your boss were part of your family, something you should not have had to do.”
“Lastly, as a favor to them, even though you’re not 100% better, you still made the effort to come in.”
“And what do they do?”
“They take away your perks and threaten you with termination.”
“Not only are you not the a**hole, but you should also be proud of yourself.”
“You stood up for yourself.”
“And it would seem you called their bluff since now they want you back.”
“Do not go back.”
“I have a family member (cousin) who is working as a server in a restaurant (dinner) and I really would love to see them do the same.” ~ Linux-Is-Best
“NTA-This is why we need mandated sick leave.”
“If you’re sick there should be no points.” ~ Shadyside77
“The moment points are brought up in an interview, I get up and leave.”
“I’ve had a lot of shi**y jobs, however I refuse completely if they run their business model with that aspect.”
“There are so many places hiring these days, you can EASILY find another serving job at a place that will treat you better, they know they need people.”
“F**k them, NTA.” ~ crackermachine
“NTA, I would be beyond pissed off as well.”
“OP you can check to see if your absence(s) are protected as it was due to an illness.”
“I work in this field and my state has guidelines for absences related to health, caregiver of family members and childcare.”
“I’ve had an employee out for +20days because her entire family went down with an illness (not Covid).”
“She got a dr’s note to cover it as she was her child’s caregiver+ she herself was sick at one point too.”
“I would also definitely look into filing a complaint with H[uman] R[esources] if this is a chain restaurant/not a standalone.” ~ Jenn_aye
“I used to work at a big corporate company that had a rolling 90 days sick/late policy, ie.”
“If you are late (6 minutes over start time) more than 3 times within a rolling 90 days period, you would be put on probation for 90 days.”
“When on probation, you are not eligible for bonuses and if you are late again within that probation period you would be terminated.”
“They had the same policy for calling in sick.”
“One holiday season, I got on the interstate to get to work, and it’s backed up for miles, huge multi-car accident.”
“I had already been late 3 times, so being late that day would have resulted in me being put on probation and lost of my holiday bonus.”
“So the thing with the company is that they track sick time and late time separately.”
“I just call in sick instead! I wasn’t about to lose my holiday bonus over some bullshit policy that they had; went home, and went back to bed!”
“So instead of losing me for 20 or so minutes, they lost be for the entire day during their rush time.”
“NTA, if a company/manager wants to play stupid games, win stupid prizes.” ~ DVus1
“I worked in the restaurant industry for almost a decade, I’ve never seen someone treated so poorly.”
“You did the right thing, especially right now, you’re a lot more valuable to them than they are to you.”
“So they can f**k right off.”
“I made a sort of lateral shift into being a cheesemonger a year ago, if you’re at all interested in that please message me.” ~ kipobaker
“I had a nearly identical experience when I was a server.”
“ICU for a week with a septic infection, fighting for my life, coma, the whole shebang.”
“I got three days to recover at home after being released before they demanded I come back.”
“On my first day back, my manager screamed at me in front of the whole restaurant for leaning against a chair while he was doing the pre-shift meeting.”
“I was so exhausted.”
“Covid shut everything down about a month after that, and I decided to go back to school so I might avoid ever having to return to that shi**y, shi**y industry.”
“I waited tables for a decade and I’ve had exactly ONE manager that I wouldn’t describe as a monster in that time.”
“NTA OP, and I hope you feel better.”
“My hospitalization was a very traumatic experience, and I had to stop myself from crying every time I thought about it for about a year afterwards.”
“Just sharing that in case you find yourself confused about the way you’re feeling like I was.” ~ p_i_z_z_a_
“I’ve never worked in a restaurant with a point system, but almost every call center I’ve worked in has has one.”
“As do most retail locations these days.”
“It makes sense for these because they depend on a certain amount of staffing to be able to run properly.”
“But a restaurant?”
“Do they give you points back when they send you home early because you’re slow?”
“Do they give you points for covering for coworkers?”
“And at a time when many places don’t even have enough staff to open dining rooms, did the manager really think that threatening a good employee with a legit illness wasn’t going to blow up in their face?”
“Yeah, I get punishing the young 20-somethings who are calling out every weekend because they got drunk last night.”
“But unless you’re an incompetent fool of a manager, you know who those people are, and OP clearly isn’t one of them.” ~ MidnytStorme
“NTA. Does this restaurant have any social media presence?”
“Because I’d be blasting this story on their Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.”
“Post the story without vitriol, or exaggeration, just the facts.”
“Because as a consumer, I want to know exactly where I will never spend one single f**king dime.” ~ FabHckyBbe
“NTA x 1000!!!!”
“An employer penalising a staff member in good standing for nearly dying.”
“You were even being considerate enough to communicate during the whole ordeal.”
“Employers keep saying ‘people don’t want to work’… but then treating them like they’re not people.”
“Your country needs more unions.”
“This should never have happened.” ~ RaysUnderwater
“Walmart is know for this crap.”
“My mom is always terrified for her job.”
“She has an illness that can have her off work for several day or even in the hospital and Walmart just doesn’t care.”
“Points, points, points.”
“I hate that place, the way they treat her, and the way they treat their employees, and customers.” ~ X0utlanderX
“NTA. You left a toxic environment, and you do not owe those people a thing.”
“Going to the hospital isn’t something ‘small’ and shouldn’t be punished.”
“I’m glad you’re away from boss and coworkers now.” ~ fthottfitzgerald
“NTA. Calling out with notice gets you ‘points?'”
“This just perpetuates people coming to work sick or putting work above their own mental or physical health and family.”
“Glad you got out.” ~ Distorted_Penguin
Well OP, Reddit is with you.
You can find another job that will appreciate you.
Get well, rest up and find something that will not punish you for illness.