For context, I work in food service. I do everything at my job – a lot more than I should. Over the summer, I was part-time working 35-38 hours a week, picking up after everyone who called out because they knew they could guilt trip me into working that much. Plus, they knew I didn't have school and wasn't busy. Now, I only work weekends, but I do things way above my pay grade AND I attend college full time. I do manager level activities because my department manager trusts me to do them properly when she's not there (because my workplace doesn't allow overtime.) I do all of these things without error or fail every time. There have been a few times where I have had to close by myself on the busiest day of the week. Alone in the entire department for four entire hours – it's insane. Customers will get angry at me, complain about having to wait in line, whatever. I'm just supposed to deal with it, take it, and come back the next day ready to do it all over again.
At my job, we have a woman who repeatedly calls out without any proof her reasons as to why she calls out. She's explicitly told me it's because she smokes late at night and doesn't want to get up, or she just doesn't want to come into work. She keeps doing it because she knows she won't get fired. When she does come in, she half-asses everything. Doesn't clean things properly, forgets to clean important things altogether, is on her phone for half of her eight hour shift, disappears for 20-30 minutes at a time – I could go on. I have to pick up after her every single time.
Today, I called out sick. This was my second day out, given I have an upper and lower GI bug that has given me a very persistent fever. It's also given me extreme dehydration and vertigo. Given that my job requires me to stand constantly, run around, and literally serve food to people, it's not the best idea for me to go in. Yesterday, they didn't have an issue with it. Today, my store manager picked up when I was calling out. I explained to him what I'm dealing with, and he then asks if I have a doctors note. I say no, because I'm self treating and going to any urgent care center is useless given I already know what I have (plus I know damn well I can't get into a moving vehicle without getting carsick.) He then begins demanding I bring in a doctor's note, and seems to be trying to guilt trip me into coming in, KNOWING I have a GI bug that is highly contagious. He's making it seem like he wants to WRITE ME UP for having an ILLNESS. He and I go back and forth about this and he's giving me a whole lot of attitude until I tell him “I understand your frustration, but I will be fine by my next shift. I did not ask for this. I would come in if I could.” He just says okay and quite literally hangs up the phone on his own employee who basically keeps that department functioning.
Why do managers think it's okay to treat people like shit and dismiss their health issues? All this has made me want to do is put in my two weeks even more than I did before. I never have breaks in my life to begin with, and apparently being sick isn't allowed, either. But that one lady can just call out whenever she pleases with no repercussions whatsoever?