I'm not sure if this is the right place to post but I'm hoping to get some advice about my new job.
I started working in a bakery on August 21st and my shifts were supposed to be 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. I have certain foods I have to finish and then pack up the orders before I can leave, there is no one available to help me as the other employees have their own tasks to do and are working 10-12 hours. If I don't finish my tasks and pack up the orders then they will not be ready to send the following morning.
I'm not sure if it's my fault and I'm slow, or if I'm being assigned too many food items to bake, but I have been working 9-10 hour shifts. I'm exhausted and often left to work alone for a couple hours. My feet and back hurt. I'm feeling extremely overwhelmed and I want to cry at the end of the day.
I have tried to talk to my manager about this and they said it's temporary and they will figure something out. I was supposed to have a meeting with my manager and the owner last week but it never happened.
I called in sick for 3 days because my legs hurt so much and I felt awful. I have only communicated by text message with my manager so I gave them a heads up after my 10 hour shift that I felt horrible and I was unsure if I was able to work the next day. They replied and said they were sorry I didn't feel well and to rest up.
I texted them 3 hours before my shift the next morning and they didn't reply. I texted them that evening and told them I still wasn't feeling well. Again no reply. The second morning they replied “Ok”. No asking how I was doing or anything. The second evening they told me I needed to come into work the next day because they were understaffed and had no one to work. I replied, “I've been in bed all day with body aches and chills. The way I feel right now I don't think I'll be able to come in tmrw, I'm sorry.” I felt terrible that they didn't have staff but I physically could not have gone into work. They said “that is very unfortunate.” Which I thought was a weird and kind of rude response.
I don't know what to say next week. I don't want to work the long shifts anymore. I know it's only been a couple weeks and I kind of feel like a baby for complaining but my body is not happy, lol. I have to finish my assigned tasks so I'm not sure what will change. My friend suggested to get a doctor's note that says I can't work over 8 hours a day, but I'm not sure if that will work?
Sorry this is so long, I appreciate any help you have!
TL;DR – I started a new job at the end of August and my body can't handle the 9-10 hour shifts but the company is understaffed and there's no one else to do the tasks I've been assigned. I had to call in sick and my manager seemed pissed. I'm looking for advice and wondering if a doctor's note would help.