I work for a multi billion dollar medical company working on prescriptions for in home care patients.
A month ago I fell ill with covid and I am not vaccinated (I have a legitimate doctors waiver for the covid vaccine from a medical condition) I wish I could get the vaccine as I’ve had covid 3 times and it sucks every time, my exemption wasn’t some bullshit anti vax paper. I was out for 7 days until I tested negative, I followed protocols to the exact letter, wear my mask etc…
I had 80 hours of sick time combined with 48 hours of PTO. Company policy is to pay sick employees by using 3 days PTO and the rest sick time. I came back to work and got my check and it was pennies. I was confused and figured my boss forgot to add My sick hours. No problem, I go in to talk to him and he got visibly angry saying “the unvaccinated take advantage of our system” and that he refused to give me sick time because I’m not vaccinated. It was very uncomfortable to sit there and listen to a lecture over something I physically cannot have and made me out to be a leech and a fake. I was shamed in the office infront of people.
I contacted the big boss and he said “no that’s not policy” and came in and talked to my boss. He then said “it’s fixed won’t be a problem you’ll get your money on your next check” My boss for a week glared at me and refused to talk to me like a child, he was mad he got caught on his shenanigans. I was also owed a $1000 bonus for being employee of the quarter and he’s withholding that from me as well when he said it would be paid 1 month ago.
Well now it’s the next check and my boss still hasn’t paid me my sick time or my bonus. I was promised I would receive it and I haven’t. Money is getting tight as I’m a college kid and have a mortgage. I called HR and they told me to “talk to my boss” which I don’t want to because last time it went horrible and he was so rude to me. Then I said I’m going to call a lawyer and the HR girl quickly said “on a second note let me get a employee rep to contact you”
I don’t know what to do, I’m scared of doing anything further because of any retaliation, I am a top performer in the company and I’ve been treated so well but it’s getting out of hand and I need my money. I’m missing out on about $3,000+ and the bank doesn’t wait… other unvaccinated employees who got covid were paid there sick hours, everyone but me.
Do I have a case here? Is it worth pursuing? Or what should I do. Help is greatly appreciated I don’t know where to turn.