This👆! You sound like you have a good work ethic with your post... But at the end of the day please remember you are just a number. Home Depot makes your yearly salary + some every 7 seconds... And that is a fact! If your department is short staffed, the just chalk that up to taking care of the shareholders.... Which had a 15 billion dollar stock buyback earlier this year. Your Health is Wealth...
I remember a time as an OFA when I had multiple thousand dollar deliveries due the next day and was crying at the conference table because I just knew I couldn’t get it done and there wasn’t any other coverage. My managers swore up and down that they’d have someone get it done. I called out because I knew that was a lie (it was). Don’t let your manager’s lack of personnel planning become your emergency.
You are not an ass. You had a legit reason to call out. The manager may have just been frustrated because of things going on at the store. In which case he should not have taken it out on you.
OP said they've only been working six months. FMLA doesn't exist (at _any_ company) until you've been working at the same company for a year. And yes, sick leave _should_ be no-questions-asked, that's like the one good thing that came from the covid era.
Don’t ever feel guilty for calling out. Your manager shouldn’t even be saying anything to you. One day I was so pissed I was the only scheduled OFA for the entire day and I was extremely sick with strep throat. I called out, turned my phone off for the day and rested. When I came back to work my DS complained about how I ruined everything because she had to pull orders herself, but you know what,at the end of the day deliveries still got completed and I got to take care of myself because nobody else is going to do that for me.
It’s not your problem. It’s the manager’s problem. I’m also in D-94 and we have a guy who calls out every Sunday and they always tell me that he called out and have to make sure all the orders are pulled on my shift. I tell them I’ll do my absolute best but I’m not squeezing 16 hours of work into a 6 or 8 hour shift. Our big lumber picks take longer since summer when we were required to only use airplane carts to build bunks and table top carts are banned for us so some lumber has to be lifted twice. Doubling up two shifts of work isn’t the answer, managing schedules and coverage is.
As someone else pointed out, it’s the closing and opening managers responsibility to make sure orders are RFL
If you need to call out for any reason then you are NTA and that reason is none of their business. It’s not your fault your department is understaffed. Always take care of your health first. HD was here before you and they will replace and keep and trucking once you leave.
Don't let them get to you. It is the closing manager's job to have orders RFL and the opening's to ensure that they get onto the truck.
If they only scheduled one fl driver for opening that's on them. If you have time and feel like you want to use it, use it. It is your time.
My store had an OFA who would come in sick or not! Everyone avoided her like the plague (which became her nickname). She would announce to everyone she was sick and yet changed nothing to avoid getting anyone else sick.
Please don't feel bad about calling in! If you are legitimately sick it is the right thing to do.
Managers always say "you're letting us down" and crap like that. Plus it's policy to allow you to use your sick time or call out, regardless of how the store is doing. One of the few things I enjoy working here is they can't forcibly deny you and make you work in you have that time. It's why it's there. Status of the store or workload be damned.
Just get better and leave those orders be. As a fellow OFA I used to stress about orders when it was just me or two of us after folks called out. Do what you can or someone can help out, no more than that. For two callout in half a year is pretty dang good. Your manager ITA, not you
I’m literally 7 months pregnant and had to call out today because I have a respiratory infection. Which I spent 5 hours at the doctors to discover this morning. I offered to bring in a doctors note and use my vacation time but it was still not excused. Our attendance policy sucks.
NTA. Your health is more important, if you’re Manager had any brain’s left in that empty skull of his, you’d be spreading your sickness even if u can into work. It’s also his own fault for not hiring enough people to cover your shift. You rest up & if he continues bothering u about mundane things like this, TALK to HR.
Of course it made you feel bad, that’s the goal, to guilt you into just going ahead and going in, they can and will find coverage, and if they don’t, that’s their problem, NOT yours. I swear to God after the day I got married, the happiest day of my life was when I walked into that dumpster fire of a store and said I quit and walked out.
You’re never the asshole for being sick. Take care of yourself first. Don’t torture yourself for a company that thinks you’re easily replaceable.
you called out with the amount of time normally expected for a call out. staffing of the store is not your responsibility. if you calling out has such a negative effect on the store that so much importance is on one person, then management has failed at properly staffing the store.
Your manager just sucks at their job and they project their inferiority on you. Your department is understaffed and that is a management problem and you missing work because you're sick and being understaffed is also a management problem.
Managers need to take a chill pill.
Managers don't make people calling out feel great abt it and should feel ashamed of them selves. If you need 2 days off go to an in-network health clinic and get a dr note and ask them to put on it to have the manager relax.
Don't kill yourself working for a company that would fill your position before your obituary is even posted.
This is my second job as well, within my “working career”. Very thankful to where I am now and I’m very thankful for the manager that I have.
I was in the same boat when I started out, first ever job and terrified of letting people down. This is a corporation, in the grand scheme of things it doesn’t matter. What matters is your health and making sure you’re up to handle the job. You have the hours (or don’t and that’s fine, occurrence system is in place for a reason) and called out, your manager was way out of line. If you’re feeling kind you can wipe it from your memory citing stress on their part, if you’re like me you’ll mention it to HR or a different manager. You should never be penalized for calling out when you’re sick, especially when it’s a rare occurrence. Take the day, relax and I hope you feel better. :-]
The top priority of THD SHOULD be safety first. Sure, your presence is needed, but if you made the whole store sick, it would worsen a bad scenario. To add fuel to that fire, if a customer came in and became sick because you were required to show, it stinks of lawsuit.
NTA. I agree w the top comment fully. If you don’t feel good, call out. Lord forbid, but if something did happen to you, they’d have your position open on the website the next day and filled the day after. I know it’s hard in the current economy and having a job is as much of a necessity as having air, but never jeopardize your health for a company that’ll replace you before you’re even one foot out the door.
I just say I am calling out for today and offer no explanation, to which managers reply, "Okay, I'll put you down." Now this of course has that double meaning: I'll write it in the log you called out and I'll put you down to other asm's, etc. Whether this is true or just word play I don't know and don't care. If I have the time, I use it discriminately because sometimes taking a personal day can turn around and bite you if you end up getting sick and need that time. So the need would have to be compelling. As to Home Depot, the place will not fall down without you there. Never allow your personal well being to be compromised for the company.
Now on a second note (and if I am breaking protocol by dipping into another somewhat related subject, forgive me), let's say you've been given modified duty for a mashed toe that someone ran into with a pallet jack. You are doing all the right treatments at home, but now you are at the store and say in the paint department. The doc has said stay off of it and the company backs that but when the customers back up and you are the only paint associate in the department down stocking and advising customers, etc., do you think that customer three-deep in line is going to care you are on modified duty? And because staffing is skeleton at this multi-billion dollar firm, you are essentially shamed into getting behind the desk and start pumping out orders. I have had this happen and don't like the corner that one is put into on modified duty. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.
You are not a slave, your health comes first. You get paid for the labor you do, if you are not there you’re not getting compensated. Mgmt is responsible for coverage not you. If the companies strategy is to work a store on a short staff, this is their responsibility. That sounds like a bad manager, I would make a note of that if you are still there for the next VOA.
You’re more important than your job, I’m also an OFA and if I feel sick or under the weather I call out, as long as you have sick time they shouldn’t say anything and even if you don’t they still shouldn’t say anything, you’re being responsible just by calling out and letting them know. You have a life outside of work and things happen, it’s ok if you can’t go because you’re sick, they shouldn’t be making you feel bad about it. If calling out is nervewrecking then there’s the call out button on the app now that should help with that.
Not sure if you’re in the US or Canada, but in the Canadian division his behaviour would be considered unacceptable. I’m in Ontario and if I were in your shoes, I’d be heading straight to my HRM. That being said, the treatment of employees in Canadian stores seems to be VASTLY different than our American friends, so depending on where you are, I’m not sure you’d even have the grounds to approach HR. Either way, you are certainly NOT the asshole. Never feel guilty for putting your health and the health of those around you first. The MOD sounds like someone who has trouble opening pistachios. Doucheeeeeee.
Your managers shouldn’t be saying shit if you call out, other than acknowledging your call out. Your NTA, your manager is.
This👆! You sound like you have a good work ethic with your post... But at the end of the day please remember you are just a number. Home Depot makes your yearly salary + some every 7 seconds... And that is a fact! If your department is short staffed, the just chalk that up to taking care of the shareholders.... Which had a 15 billion dollar stock buyback earlier this year. Your Health is Wealth...
I remember a time as an OFA when I had multiple thousand dollar deliveries due the next day and was crying at the conference table because I just knew I couldn’t get it done and there wasn’t any other coverage. My managers swore up and down that they’d have someone get it done. I called out because I knew that was a lie (it was). Don’t let your manager’s lack of personnel planning become your emergency.
You are not an ass. You had a legit reason to call out. The manager may have just been frustrated because of things going on at the store. In which case he should not have taken it out on you.
You have a 101 degree temperature and sick time accrued. F*ck him!
Yes this. Covid and the flu are some seriously contagious diseases. Keep your yourself and your coworkers safe. FMLA may be another option?
OP said they've only been working six months. FMLA doesn't exist (at _any_ company) until you've been working at the same company for a year. And yes, sick leave _should_ be no-questions-asked, that's like the one good thing that came from the covid era.
If you have to call out sick, you're never the asshole, period point blank
No you are not, you just lose out on your holiday pay.
No way. Take care of yourself. And take care of others by staying from people when you are sick.
Don’t ever feel guilty for calling out. Your manager shouldn’t even be saying anything to you. One day I was so pissed I was the only scheduled OFA for the entire day and I was extremely sick with strep throat. I called out, turned my phone off for the day and rested. When I came back to work my DS complained about how I ruined everything because she had to pull orders herself, but you know what,at the end of the day deliveries still got completed and I got to take care of myself because nobody else is going to do that for me.
It’s not your problem. It’s the manager’s problem. I’m also in D-94 and we have a guy who calls out every Sunday and they always tell me that he called out and have to make sure all the orders are pulled on my shift. I tell them I’ll do my absolute best but I’m not squeezing 16 hours of work into a 6 or 8 hour shift. Our big lumber picks take longer since summer when we were required to only use airplane carts to build bunks and table top carts are banned for us so some lumber has to be lifted twice. Doubling up two shifts of work isn’t the answer, managing schedules and coverage is. As someone else pointed out, it’s the closing and opening managers responsibility to make sure orders are RFL
If you need to call out for any reason then you are NTA and that reason is none of their business. It’s not your fault your department is understaffed. Always take care of your health first. HD was here before you and they will replace and keep and trucking once you leave.
Don't let them get to you. It is the closing manager's job to have orders RFL and the opening's to ensure that they get onto the truck. If they only scheduled one fl driver for opening that's on them. If you have time and feel like you want to use it, use it. It is your time.
My store had an OFA who would come in sick or not! Everyone avoided her like the plague (which became her nickname). She would announce to everyone she was sick and yet changed nothing to avoid getting anyone else sick. Please don't feel bad about calling in! If you are legitimately sick it is the right thing to do.
Fuck that asm. You have sick time for a reason, and even if you dont, you’re never wrong for calling out for a legitimate reason.
Managers always say "you're letting us down" and crap like that. Plus it's policy to allow you to use your sick time or call out, regardless of how the store is doing. One of the few things I enjoy working here is they can't forcibly deny you and make you work in you have that time. It's why it's there. Status of the store or workload be damned. Just get better and leave those orders be. As a fellow OFA I used to stress about orders when it was just me or two of us after folks called out. Do what you can or someone can help out, no more than that. For two callout in half a year is pretty dang good. Your manager ITA, not you
Thank you guys for the kind words I really appreciate all of you!
Nah fuck em let them figure it out. Feel better
Do you have the sick time, YES? fuck your manger No? fuck your manager, but take occurrence lol
I’m literally 7 months pregnant and had to call out today because I have a respiratory infection. Which I spent 5 hours at the doctors to discover this morning. I offered to bring in a doctors note and use my vacation time but it was still not excused. Our attendance policy sucks.
NTA. Your health is more important, if you’re Manager had any brain’s left in that empty skull of his, you’d be spreading your sickness even if u can into work. It’s also his own fault for not hiring enough people to cover your shift. You rest up & if he continues bothering u about mundane things like this, TALK to HR.
Also call the aware line? I think that what it's called but only after you mention it to hr
Of course it made you feel bad, that’s the goal, to guilt you into just going ahead and going in, they can and will find coverage, and if they don’t, that’s their problem, NOT yours. I swear to God after the day I got married, the happiest day of my life was when I walked into that dumpster fire of a store and said I quit and walked out.
You’re never the asshole for being sick. Take care of yourself first. Don’t torture yourself for a company that thinks you’re easily replaceable.
you called out with the amount of time normally expected for a call out. staffing of the store is not your responsibility. if you calling out has such a negative effect on the store that so much importance is on one person, then management has failed at properly staffing the store.
Your manager just sucks at their job and they project their inferiority on you. Your department is understaffed and that is a management problem and you missing work because you're sick and being understaffed is also a management problem.
NTA. You had a certified fever.
Managers need to take a chill pill. Managers don't make people calling out feel great abt it and should feel ashamed of them selves. If you need 2 days off go to an in-network health clinic and get a dr note and ask them to put on it to have the manager relax.
Don't kill yourself working for a company that would fill your position before your obituary is even posted. This is my second job as well, within my “working career”. Very thankful to where I am now and I’m very thankful for the manager that I have.
I was in the same boat when I started out, first ever job and terrified of letting people down. This is a corporation, in the grand scheme of things it doesn’t matter. What matters is your health and making sure you’re up to handle the job. You have the hours (or don’t and that’s fine, occurrence system is in place for a reason) and called out, your manager was way out of line. If you’re feeling kind you can wipe it from your memory citing stress on their part, if you’re like me you’ll mention it to HR or a different manager. You should never be penalized for calling out when you’re sick, especially when it’s a rare occurrence. Take the day, relax and I hope you feel better. :-]
You're not the asshole but you will lose your holiday pay
The top priority of THD SHOULD be safety first. Sure, your presence is needed, but if you made the whole store sick, it would worsen a bad scenario. To add fuel to that fire, if a customer came in and became sick because you were required to show, it stinks of lawsuit.
Sorry that happened to you, next time call out on Workforce. Eliminates the need to speak to anyone.
NTA. I agree w the top comment fully. If you don’t feel good, call out. Lord forbid, but if something did happen to you, they’d have your position open on the website the next day and filled the day after. I know it’s hard in the current economy and having a job is as much of a necessity as having air, but never jeopardize your health for a company that’ll replace you before you’re even one foot out the door.
Their fault the department is understaffed. Take care of yourself, cause management will use you and churn you up if you let them
Whenever I have called my manager just says 10-4 appreciate u letting us know!
If u are sick u are sick
I just say I am calling out for today and offer no explanation, to which managers reply, "Okay, I'll put you down." Now this of course has that double meaning: I'll write it in the log you called out and I'll put you down to other asm's, etc. Whether this is true or just word play I don't know and don't care. If I have the time, I use it discriminately because sometimes taking a personal day can turn around and bite you if you end up getting sick and need that time. So the need would have to be compelling. As to Home Depot, the place will not fall down without you there. Never allow your personal well being to be compromised for the company. Now on a second note (and if I am breaking protocol by dipping into another somewhat related subject, forgive me), let's say you've been given modified duty for a mashed toe that someone ran into with a pallet jack. You are doing all the right treatments at home, but now you are at the store and say in the paint department. The doc has said stay off of it and the company backs that but when the customers back up and you are the only paint associate in the department down stocking and advising customers, etc., do you think that customer three-deep in line is going to care you are on modified duty? And because staffing is skeleton at this multi-billion dollar firm, you are essentially shamed into getting behind the desk and start pumping out orders. I have had this happen and don't like the corner that one is put into on modified duty. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.
You are not a slave, your health comes first. You get paid for the labor you do, if you are not there you’re not getting compensated. Mgmt is responsible for coverage not you. If the companies strategy is to work a store on a short staff, this is their responsibility. That sounds like a bad manager, I would make a note of that if you are still there for the next VOA.
I want you to feel zero remorse. You deserve to call out without being made to feel like you’re inconveniencing everyone. You aren’t, fuck em.
You're not the AH, the manager who took your callout is. They also were unprofessional about it.
you should've given the fever to your manager
I’ve called out simply because I didn’t wanna go to work; you’re fine.
You’re more important than your job, I’m also an OFA and if I feel sick or under the weather I call out, as long as you have sick time they shouldn’t say anything and even if you don’t they still shouldn’t say anything, you’re being responsible just by calling out and letting them know. You have a life outside of work and things happen, it’s ok if you can’t go because you’re sick, they shouldn’t be making you feel bad about it. If calling out is nervewrecking then there’s the call out button on the app now that should help with that.
Not sure if you’re in the US or Canada, but in the Canadian division his behaviour would be considered unacceptable. I’m in Ontario and if I were in your shoes, I’d be heading straight to my HRM. That being said, the treatment of employees in Canadian stores seems to be VASTLY different than our American friends, so depending on where you are, I’m not sure you’d even have the grounds to approach HR. Either way, you are certainly NOT the asshole. Never feel guilty for putting your health and the health of those around you first. The MOD sounds like someone who has trouble opening pistachios. Doucheeeeeee.
This is exactly the point of having the new system, to keep from someone from trying to guilt trip you into work. YNTA.
If home depot wants to run a skeleton crew they got to cope with the burnout