I have to do a background check for a job I just interviewed for and they require a complete 7 year history that lists every employer and how you left each job. All employers will be contacted.
About seven years ago I worked at a pet store that had a doggie daycare. Two months into the job, I broke my big toe for the third time (this happened outside of work). I told my boss I could still work, but needed to take it easy. Instead, I was constantly scheduled to work by myself, despite rules stating that we were always supposed to have at least two people on a shift for the daycare to make sure we could keep the dogs under control. I was left to handle 30+ dogs by myself with a broken toe. Subsequently, my toe did not heal properly and I was in a ton of pain. A month after I had broken my toe, I texted my manager multiple times and told her I needed some time off so my toe could heal (texting was the common procedure for taking time off there). She had always responded to my texts in the past, but never messaged me back during this.
I tried calling her cell, but it said she didn’t have a voicemail box set up. I tried calling the store and asked for my direct supervisor or the store owner, but they were not in. I left a message asking them to call me back and I never heard anything. After a few days I talked to one of my coworkers who told me I was removed from the schedule because they assumed I was just no call no showing and had abandoned the job.
I have to say if I was ever fired on the background check forms for my new potential job, and if I say I quit but I was actually fired I can get in huge trouble. However, having a record of getting fired could also prevent me from getting the new job. I have a record of my doctors appointment from when I initially broke my toe, but since this was so long ago all the texts/calls from then are long gone, so I don’t have any proof that I tried to reach out to them.
I’m sure I could explain the situation if I needed to, but I’m worried that the answers I give won’t line up with what my past employer says and it will make me look dishonest. I honestly have no idea if they would list this as me being fired or a voluntary quit. Does anyone know what employers usually list when an employee “stops showing up” for work or “abandons” their job?