I reached out to my former boss in a pretty long email. I told her I hoped that her business was going well, that she had not been too affected by covid especially this past 6 months. I explained that I have been extremely sick and bedridden for the past six months and that I wasn't able to physically work right now, so I was looking towards doing graphic design work for an indigenous organisation. I asked if she would be my professional reference to apply to volunteer for this organisation, and she never responded. I texted around a week later checking in to see if shed gotten my email. Ghosted.
I was really good at my job. I was thorough, I had a list of clients who specifically wanted me to clean their house, not my coworkers, who when I was off work due to my chronic pain would ask after me. My boss continuously put me on the harder jobs, the pickier clients and teamed me up with the most problematic coworkers; because I was thorough, I never complained, and I was able to be counted on to pick up after my coworkers and let my boss know of any issues (broken items etc) when my coworkers did not. I was a model employee – she even called me and another worker the 'A team' – she made it clear I was one of the best, and when she got texts from clients about how happy they were with their clean- that was me.
This was a small business, everyone knew each other and everyone was local. When I changed from permanent part time to casual she asked me not to share my wage with anyone as i was making more than some of her older employees. That was the biggest red flag, alongside the story of her relief that a former employee got cancer and quit, therefore she didn't have to fire him.
All this to say, I was a perfect employee for two years. I picked up extra jobs when asked, extra shifts, I got constant great feedback from clients, I got constant praise and thanks from my boss. But the second I quit I was dead to her. I should have a glowing reference for future jobs, and instead I can't even get her response to refer me for unpaid charity work.