I started a new job. I got sick . I’ve been out for two days. Today is the third. I don’t want to make a bad impression
I just got a job in retail at a department type store . 2nd week currently.
I started feeling sick the day before thanksgiving. Then thanksgiving I was super sick, coughing, congestion, feverish , overall fatigued. (We already had thanksgiving off)
I gave advanced notice on teams and then the next day I called that AM and the next day. When they answer it’s clear in my voice that I’m very sick.
Today I called again. I was hoping I’d be fine today but I spent the entire night hacking and being hot and cold. Today I still feel terrible, super congested, hacking constantly, my fever broke but I’m still fatigued and feel hot and sick. My body , muscles, ribs and chest are so sore and hurt from coughing so intensely and so much.
I called in and my manager told me that since it’s been three days I need to call the ECC (HR) and file a claim. Im confused to the point of this. I asked her “Am I in trouble?” And she said no, it’s just the administrative side of things so there is a record.
I called and they took the info and said they are gonna send me a packet to fill out and I might need a medical note or something from a doctor. Which is annoying bc im already missing income and now I’ll have to pay around 100$ to see a doctor all to get a doctors note like I’m a child. I asked the operator am I in trouble and she said no, this is a way to make sure there is record and they don’t penalize me. (In some words).
I posted this situation on the work reddit and many people said I should have just went in and it was my fault for calling in sick on a holiday weekend. One person called mental for doing that and being worried about it and said I should have just gone in and continued to insult me.
I am hacking up phlegm constantly, fever, tense head, fatigued, super congested, sneezing, my voice is gone… it’s clearly obvious I’m sick, what would customers think hearing me hacking a lung out every 5 minutes? Also I could get everyone else sick.
There was a whole training about not coming in when sick and flyers all over the break room saying don’t come in if you have these symptoms. Im following policy. Yet many people commented how I am supposed to ignore that and go in anyway. It’s so toxic.
I don’t give a shit if they fire me for this. It’s a shitty retail job. Funny thing is I worked as a nanny and server for many years and my managers were always understanding when I was sick and I had no issues.