I guess this is sort of a rant post, so I apologize in advance.
I’ve worked at this job for a year and a half now. The turnover rate is extremely high, most new hires don’t make it past 2 weeks and they quit without notice. I’m one of the most experienced, and next in line to be the assistant manager if she were to leave. I feel that I (and my other coworkers) are extremely under appreciated. We can’t take sick days if we’re sick. We have to find cover for our shift and if we can’t, we HAVE to come in. I worked through having COVID because I couldn’t find cover. We don’t have PTO or sick days to use. We don’t get holiday pay, 1.5x, or anything of the sort. (We don’t get holidays off because we’re working with animals. The day is just shortened).
A few months ago I felt that something wasn’t right on my way to work. It only got worse when I got to work. I thought I was having a kidney stone, so I asked my AM if I could clock out and head to the ER. Turns out I was developing sepsis and if I didn’t come in I would have died. My manager sent me a scathing message about how I can’t leave the building without someone there to lock up and it was very irresponsible for me to leave. I tried calling everyone who could lock up, and no one would. I was at the hospital, in trouble because I wasn’t at work. My other manager ended up coming in and closing for me.
I feel like I’m not appreciated as a human being at this job, and I’m not getting paid nearly enough to be the robot they want me to be. Am I in the wrong for wanting to quit or is this a toxic workplace?