#workingsick

[ID: Screenshot of a tweet by Twitter user @VdeoDmeMariSeph on February 25, 2020 that reads:

"If you or someone you know has been hospitalized, disabled, or killed by an employer with a 'no working while sick' policy coercing employees into working while sick, now is the time to share your story. Show the world this isn't a simple employee choice. #COVIDー19 #WorkingSick."

End ID.]

I'm trying to preempt the inevitable "Our employees CHOSE to violate WRITTEN COMPANY POLICY by coming into work sick, it's THEIR FAULT the Corona virus is spreading so badly" bs we're going to be hearing from corporate spokespersons in the coming days by starting a new Twitter hashtag, #WorkingSick. I have basically no clout(?) on Twitter so any responses or boosting from folks on here would be appreciated.

If you have less dramatic stories of being coerced into working while sick you're welcome to share, but I'm hoping to primarily get people talking about the cases where employees experienced severe yet completely avoidable health consequences as a result of not taking time off work. Such cases are less likely to be dismissed as just workers voluntarily violating company policy.

I’ve gone on a temporary hiatus until I’m done feeling like garbage. By the end of this I will have missed a week and a half of work. Thanks to yours truly, work. So my job has this policy…

If you call out of work you’ll need to provide an official doctor’s notice.

Last Saturday came around and I woke up with fever-like symptoms; the chills, body aches, nausea, etc. But I came into work anyways. The manager-boyfriend said my boss would appreciate it more if I came in and asked to be sent home versus calling out from home.

False.

He made me stay both morning and night shifts.

“Just take some Dayquil, you’ll be fine,” he said.

False.

Yes, the Dayquil did its job of masking my fever so I busted ass at work like I normally would on any Saturday night. After all, I didn’t feel sick so why not try and make more money? This was my first time using Dayquil, the results blew my mind.

I was in for a rude awakening Sunday morning. My gums were all swollen, my tongue and throat were sore, a cold sore was showing its ugly face inside my lip. Needless to say I wasn’t able to eat anything but porridge-like foods, and talking was kind of a chore as well.

So I went to the doctor to get my note…

$138 later they told me I had a virus. Didn’t say what kind, but $138?!?! I texted my mom and told her our new insurance policy sucks.

“I know,” she replied.

Not to mention the $50 spent on numbing mouthwash and drugs to rid of the sores.

Total it cost me almost $200 to provide my job with an excuse to be absent from work. Do you see what’s wrong with this picture? I always wondered why my co-workers would come to work running high fevers and nearly getting sick on the job. It’s because they can’t afford to see a doctor whom they need a note from or else they’ll be written up for not coming in for their shift.

What a bullshit system.

And other establishments require the same, while others don’t of course. Solution: Have a few servers who want extra hours to remain on call in case somebody calls out. There. Problem solved. Can I go home now?

Survival Tip:

So what do you do when you’re too sick to go into work but can’t afford a visit to the doctor?

1) Call out and explain your situation: “I’m sick as hell, I need to rest, my health is more important, I’m not full of shit, here’s a selfie of me with my head in the toilet.”

2) “I’m not safe to be around guests.” They can’t argue that. They might try, but ultimately they’ll look extremely unprofessional.

3) Just tell them no. Have a backbone! Don’t ask if it’s alright you don’t come in, tell them you’re not coming in and that’s final. Hmph!