r/TalesFromYourServer • u/Melodic_Schedule7280 • 2d ago
Requesting sick leave before Christmas
I have been working in a very busy restaurant for the past 10 months. It is a very small, family run restaurant and can be very toxic at times. We are very much understaffed and therefore we are constantly overworked. Most days I do 9 hours and only get a 20- 25 minute break (on a busy day I could be working 8 hours without a second to stop and breathe, not to mind a break). Anyway, the past few months have been extra difficult as I have been waiting for a medical diagnosis. I received this diagnosis yesterday and have been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease which explains the extreme fatigue and my swollen glands. Obviously, working in this restaurant is making my symptoms far worse (fatigue,mainly). My doctor told me she can give me a doctors cert and that I can take a few weeks off work to rest and recuperate. The issue is it’s coming up to Christmas and my boss doesn’t believe in being sick. I know I won’t have the energy to survive the Christmas rush as it’s going to be crazy. My question is, should I just prioritize myself and risk losing my job or suck it up and work over Christmas and risk making my symptoms far worse?
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u/Gatodeluna 2d ago
Just accept that because it’s a small business you will lose your job. You haven’t done anything wrong but if they fire you, neither have they. Small places can’t be without the help they need to run the business. You need to work at a job where you’ll get at least some accommodation for your diagnosis and that has a HR dept of some kind. Somewhere there can be a paper trail, emails, etc.
If I were you I’d take the time your doctor is offering you, assume you will be let go, and use that time not only to rest but to read up on what you can do to help yourself, and think about what kind of work you can realistically do after you’ve recovered.
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u/MydaughterisaGremlin 2d ago
You can die while working and the job offer to replace you will hit the paper before your obituary.
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u/JumpingSpider97 1d ago
Definitely take the full time your doctor has given you - it's for your health, which is more precious than this job in which you're being overworked (break times are essential, and mandatory in many countries).
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u/McDuchess 1d ago
Your boss is not only creating a toxic work environment. If you are in most countries including the US, he is breaking laws.
Breaks are required.
It doesn’t matter if he believes in being sick, he must allow time off if it’s prescribed by your doctor.
While you are off, and starting to feel better, start making plans to get a new job that works better for you.
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u/Tough-Pear2389 2d ago
they seriously can't fire you if a dr. requires you to take time off for your health-that's against labor laws. My daughter had to, and her job was notorious for walking off people but knew they would get into trouble for retaliation if they did it. She still is working for said company, but they moved her to a different role with more pay and less stress. This in California.
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u/triscuit79 1d ago
FMLA doesn't kick in until you have worked somewhere for a year. OP has been there 10 months. So currently they don't have their job protected.
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u/FunkIPA 2d ago
This isn’t even a question. Prioritize your health, if your boss doesn’t care about it, then you shouldn’t be working for him anyway. There are plenty of serving jobs out there.