To the person who fired me for being sick with a cold:
I’m sorry I caught a cold. I’m sorry that I did not have spontaneous recovery. I’m sorry that you’re a hateful jackass who turned my dream into a nightmare.
I’m sorry I lost my voice. I’m sorry I quit 2 jobs and gave up my sanity to try to make me happy.
I hope your current endeavor crashes and burns (which it will).
—harumph.
This article appears in Feb 12-18, 2009.
were you under 3 months?
NEVER rock the boat in under 3 months unless they are aware you will be missing time prior to your first day.
Go in sick… get sent home for being a trooper rather than staying home and have them think you are a slack-ass.
Go in with no voice and let them see you aren’t faking.
I’m sure people with disagree… though I don’t ever recall being fired, so….
I can’t disagree – getting through those first three months are crucial. However, what does one do if it’s a serious problem like pnemonia? Cough up a lung in the lunchroom?
I think people would just resent you for spreading your germs. I think there’s even been a few bitches about it. Not too many about “my goddamn employees getting sick and staying home, the nerve!”
sometimes i think my employer sucks, what with no paid sick days and all…but to get fired for being sick…sounds almost unethical. were there issues other than the illness at play here?
From the sounds of this post, I would have fired you too. Maybe I’m way off, but from the sounds of things this “dream” being crucial to your “voice” sounds like showbiz of some kind…and if you lost your voice, you’re fucked. I work in showbiz and signed many a contract that aren’t so binding if the person contracted can’t fulfill the job required (ie – if a dancer breaks their foot, their contract is void..what good is a dancer who can’t dance?)
I completely agree with the first comment by zZz. It probably would have been much better for your case to have gone in and be thought a trooper for battling through the illness and get sent home. Employers always prefer actions to excuses.
I also agree with SlapHappy. Contracts are not binding if the job requirements are not fulfilled. If your job depends on your voice, then if your voice is non-existent, then you don’t really have a leg to stand on…. so to speak.
AND, to reiterate several people’s points, if you were under the 3 month mark, then employers are able to let you go with very little (or even without) explanation at all. From the sounds of it, you got an explanation (since you mentioned a “voice” thing)… it would seem you just didn’t like what the explanation was.
you were let go from a “dream” job that you were at for less than 3 months and you think it’s gonna “crash and burn” without you?
SOMEONE has an ego! get over yourself!
I wonder how long you were out sick with this cold. If you were there under 3 months and your voice is a requirement for your job(and there’s no one to replace/cover for you while you’re out) then a prolonged absense WOULD be grounds to let you go-like someone said earlier-what good is a dancer with a broken foot, especially if there is no one to play their part?