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Antiwork

Restaurant management culture had me think it wasn’t okay to call off being sick. Surprised by the reaction of my supervisor from my new trade job.

I never called in sick before in my life and today was the first time I ever did. I was super nervous and stressed about calling my supervisor fearing retaliation from them or just simply being an asshole. The reaction of them was unexpected to me when they told me it was “all good, would rather me stay home, and not get anyone else sick at the job site.” Still the sick days and PTO are tied in with each other, but whatever I needed it. I just can't believe how conditioned I was to think that it's not okay to call off. It's funny to me because now I work in a professional setting, but previously I worked for a small town restaurant for many years and the owner wouldn't accept calling in sick. They physically had to see you come into work and judge for themselves if you…


I never called in sick before in my life and today was the first time I ever did. I was super nervous and stressed about calling my supervisor fearing retaliation from them or just simply being an asshole. The reaction of them was unexpected to me when they told me it was “all good, would rather me stay home, and not get anyone else sick at the job site.” Still the sick days and PTO are tied in with each other, but whatever I needed it. I just can't believe how conditioned I was to think that it's not okay to call off. It's funny to me because now I work in a professional setting, but previously I worked for a small town restaurant for many years and the owner wouldn't accept calling in sick. They physically had to see you come into work and judge for themselves if you were too sick to stay. She was an old boomer who recovered from cancer God bless but I remember a few times when people would try to call off sick her go to statement was “well I came in and managed this business even after chemotherapy, so they can come in and work!” Ridiculous to think I put up with that for five years. I've worked at other restaurants as well, and this has also been the general sentiment when it comes to calling out sick. It's kind of asinine that a lot of restaurant supervisors think like that especially in a setting where a lot of people can become sick just from one ill cook or server. I really do hope that this ideology has changed a little since covid and feel for my brothers and sisters in those industries.

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