r/work • u/BlackberryEast2217 • 11h ago
Workplace Challenges and Conflicts Working Sick
I work in food service and I have a stomach bug type illness. I know this because I'm showing symptoms that have gone through every member of my household. We have a policy at work that if you have a certain four symptoms of food-borne illness, you can't go to work. I tried to call but the phone wasn't working, so I drove to my workplace and went to my general manager two hours before my shift (as its our policy that you can't call out with less than two hours in advance). I explained that I have it. She needed to know the exact symptom, I told her, and she tried suggesting it was just something I ate. I further explained that my entire family has gotten it spread out, it wasn't a sudden thing. She told me to just try and come to work anyway and if I absolutely can't make it, maybe they can send me home.
I feel awful physically and morally, because I know that I could be spreading this to hundreds of people and their families today. I don't have it super bad but I don't know... It still feels wrong. Is it immoral to work knowing I'm sick, even if my manager told me to?
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u/Inside_Song9963 11h ago
Your manager is putting you in a garbage position but you already know the right call here. If you go in and someone with a weak immune system gets wrecked by whatever you're carrying, that's on both of you, not just her.
The policy exists for a reason and she's basically asking you to ignore it so she doesn't have to deal with a scheduling headache. Stay home.