Boss Tells Worker With Broken Hand That The Only Acceptable Reason To Call Out Of Work Is If He’s ‘Contagious’
As long as his employee didn't have an illness, the boss wanted him at work.
Studio Romantic / Shutterstock It’s true that some employees will do some pretty crazy things to try to get out of work. However, the vast majority who say they need time off really do need it for legitimate reasons.
Unfortunately, some bosses are not as understanding as they could be when these things come up.
That was the case for one Los Angeles-based employee who broke his hand.
Freddie shared a video on his TikTok about his current work situation.
In the video, Freddie played a voicemail on his phone left by his boss while simultaneously showing off his broken hand, wrapped in a cast.
The message from Freddie’s boss was concerning, to say the least. “Today was an all-hands-on-deck day,” his boss could be heard saying in the voicemail. “I know you allegedly broke your hand,” the boss continued. This seemed particularly worrisome as it appeared Freddie’s boss did not believe that he had actually broken his hand.
“This is a friendly reminder. The only acceptable reason to call out is an illness that is contagious,” Freddie’s boss explained. “Otherwise, you’re expected to show up.”
His boss went on to detail the problems that Freddie’s absence caused. “Catering orders all day were going out late left and right.”
However, Freddie’s boss made it clear that he wasn’t saying these things to make him feel bad. “I’m not telling you that to feel guilty,” he said. “I want to inspire you. When one of our team members is down, the whole team feels it.”
He then ended the call in an interesting way. “So, call me back,” he instructed. “Let’s get the ball rolling again. Okay, bucko?”
Commenters were shocked by what Freddie’s boss had to say.
Fellow TikTok users couldn’t believe Freddie’s boss’s words. “‘Allegedly’ would get me heated, but ‘bucko’ would send me over the edge,” one person shared.
“Trying to guilt you instead of see if he can accommodate says enough,” another person said.
Several people recommended that Freddie seek legal representation. “I’d be going to a lawyer immediately with that,” said one person.
A fellow manager also responded to Freddie’s plight and offered some sympathy and advice. “You can actually call out for whatever you want — they legally can’t ask you why,” they said. “As a manager, I’m sorry you’re dealing with this and hope you are able to get out soon.”
Legally, employers can ask why you’re using sick leave.
California law firm DiMarco, Araujo, and Montevideo addressed the issue of employers asking workers questions about sick leave.
“There is no federal or state law prohibiting an employer from asking certain questions when an employee calls in sick,” according to firm attorneys.
“In general, the law allows employers to ask about the details of sick leave, such as the nature of the illness and when the employee expects to return to work,” they continued. “These are general questions that can give the employer an idea of the circumstances of the sick leave. An employer cannot, however, require proof of an illness outside of company policies.”
So, an employer can technically ask questions about why an employee is calling out sick or requesting to use sick time. This means Freddie’s boss would have had a right to know what was going on — the fact that he broke his hand.
However, this does not give Freddie’s boss or any employer the right to treat an employee unfairly because of their need to call in sick. While Freddie might not have had an actual illness, breaking one’s hand is not an enjoyable experience. He was likely in a lot of pain, which only would have gotten worse if he needed to work with his hands for his job.
Freddie’s boss acted with little sympathy and could have been much more understanding. A broken hand is not something to take lightly.
Mary-Faith Martinez is a writer for YourTango who covers entertainment, news, and human interest topics.