Because my job offers no benefits and pays below living wage, we've lost all our good staff over the years. Now we're running or barely running with bare minimum staff. We only have a handful of full time staff. The rest of our help is college and high school students. Most people are scheduled over ten hour days.
Because the employers are anti-over time, they are well known for making workers take 1 to 2 hour lunches, sending people home well before their shift ends or my personal favorite – making someone leave at 10am and making them come back at 4pm to work until 530.
For reference, this is a daycare. So the student to teacher ratio is important.
They frequently deny people's requests to call in sick. Last week someone was throwing up at work but they made her work the full shift so they could send other workers home that were close to receiving over time.
They said they no longer take telehealth doctor notes. They don't want to accept urgent care notes either. They want notes directly from someone's primary care physician.
People call in one day, and they're already demanding doctors notes. Nevermind the fact that some people don't have a doctor OR insurance.
Someone recently called in and a doctor note was demanded. After one day. The doctors note said the employee could be out 2 days. The employer is upset and demanding that the doctor specify the exact reason she's out sick. Can they do this?
Everyone here is burnt out yet expected to come in sick and physically and mentally exhausted. Doesn't matter the reason. They will be shamed.
We obviously haven't been hiring. No one shows up for interviews or accepts their offer.
All the while, they keep enrolling kids. We have so many kids that one person can't even call in sick without screwing everything up. And some of the kids we have are downright cruel. 2 children in particular are verbally and physically abusive to staff. Screaming, kicking, spitting on staff. There's absolutely so support and numerous teachers have been reduced to tears dealing with this behavior.
I guess my question is – can they demand a doctor write the reasoning on the notes?
This just seems like a completely shitty way to do business and a surefire way to lose any remaining staff.
Most people here already put in no effort and have no background in childhood education. I'm shocked parents continue to send their kids here.