So I've recently graduated from college in December and haven't been able to find a job with my degree so two of my friends who do maintenance work for a military base where I live got me a job to where I was mainly just pressure washing houses and some simple house maintenance (although I've never really worked a job like this so I was very much a novice when it came to repairing things).
Regardless, I showed up every day, pressure washed the houses, and put in my time and never had any issues. I got Covid a week and a half ago and started feeling symptoms Friday night on May 6, symptoms lasted that Friday night through Sunday (5/8) and went and got tested on the following Monday (5/9) because that was the soonest at my Walgreens and don't have any at home tests. Obviously tested positive, and boss told me through text:
Boss: see you when you're clear. Let us know if you need anything
Me: I'm good for now thank you
two days later I text him
Me: I'm feeling a lot better but got another test tomorrow to make sure I'm good (I hadn't had symptoms for 3 days by the time I would take the test Thursday)
Boss: Yeah I'm going to need to see a negative test result before I can have you come back
Me: Yeah I plan on getting a test Thursday, and Saturday.
Thursday I text him again
Me: Still positive unfortunately I'll be getting another test Saturday and Sunday
I never texted him the results to not really bother him saying I'm still obviously positive as it hasn't been 2 weeks yet. His wife (does his HR and payroll I guess) calls me yesterday morning and says to me:
“your position has been filled because you haven't communicated with us, if things don't work out with the new person you can come back”
I don't really remember what I said exactly back as the phone call woke me up but it was something along the lines of just saying OK in a questioning tone and saying I thought I texted the boss the results on Saturday (To be fair I didn't) but it's been 3 days since I last texted saying I was still positive and you find a replacement for me?
I got tested again today and finally tested negative so I texted my boss:
Me: Hey, I tested negative today, do you still want me to come back?
Boss: Not at this time
Me: Ok, so I don't have a job because I got covid, Cool
Boss didn't respond after that
Is there anything I can do in this situation, it doesn't seem right that I lost my job over testing positive for covid and him specifically telling me not to come back until I'm negative. IDK if I can collect unemployment because I've only been there for a little less then 2 months.