I work in the UK for a small company. Throwaway account cus frankly I do still want it to work out there. Anyways there is the Owner-Manager-me and two other supervisors and 4 or 5 part timers. It’s very laid back, very easy going. Which is great, most of the time. But it does mean that sometimes it’s a bit of a joke.
I got covid twice in 3 months recently. Both times I received Statutory Sick Pay. It’s a government scheme that everyone gets in the UK. We don’t have a sick pay policy in our contracts. SSP is about 90 quid a week. For context my rent alone is 150 a week, and I normally earn about 350 a week. So yeah, it’s barely enough to survive. I emailed the owner about this on both occasions but he didn’t budge at all. He did give me my accrued holiday from last year to help me out the second time I got covid. Thanks for giving me the money I was owed anyway I guess….
I mentioned in my latest meeting about potentially changing the policy in the contract given the pandemic. Owner said he’d get back to me. He never did. Month later and I have had a mental breakdown. Work is stress for other ways but it’s mostly personal things that caused it.
I emailed the owner Saturday morning saying that “my therapist tried to get me to go to the Doctors immediately yesterday (mentioned suicide) and I am probably not fit to work, but I need the money. I will be off from Monday when I get my fit to work note. Can we discuss the sick pay situation.”
Owner rang me as I was leaving work to say had my manager phoned me, “no”, “oh well you need to call him then. He knows everything”.
Brilliant. So I need to phone someone who I didn’t tell about my mental health to ask them what support, if any, I will get for my mental health. I didn’t call him.
The weekend and Monday passed. I finally receive and email on Tuesday from my manager “I got your emails. Hope you feel better soon, you can work extra hours to make up what you lost when you get back”
I don’t know whether to laugh or cry. I’ll just casually do a 200 hour month to make up for not paying bills for this month, I’m sure the gas company won’t mind. I have felt compelled to work with covid so I don’t lose money. And now i’m feeling like I should be working whilst suicidal because fuck you buddy go make that cash cash money or die in a hole.
I know I signed the contract. But we take about 2-3 grand a day. I would need 500-1000 for 2-4 weeks off. Just, bro. Look after your employees, or am I being an entitled prick?