Awesome Manager Cares About Sick Employees

Hello, all!

KittyKatzchen again.

It's been a while, but my job has been blissful, so there has been no need to bitch. I even enjoyed the huge overflow of holiday overnight shifts(6pm to 6am to watch people's dogs while they flew to the mainland for the holidays.) As a matter of fact, I am writing to praise my completely awesome boss, who has been a saint.

I haven't been feeling well lately and when I went into work last Tuesday, I felt a little queasy and ungodly exhausted. I really love my job, however, and since I wasn't running a fever or seemed otherwise contagious, I went in anyway as I seriously would have hated to let my boss down.

Well, after walking 3 lovely puppies, I came back in feeling like I was going to lose it. Thinking maybe I had just overheated(it's freaking hot in Hawaii) I just tried to cool down. I did warn my boss(Puppy Leader)that I wasn't feeling great, but told her I was going to try my very best to stay, as I didn't believe I was contagious and they had a LOT of cleaning to do that day. She knows how much I hate leaving or calling out. She said alright, as long as I warned her if I didn't think I could make it, and I set about scrubbing the doors(yay muddy puppy paws).

After an hour, I knew I couldn't make it. The normal smells of dog and cleaning supplies, which normally don't even phase me, were becoming overwhelming and I had to leave or else risk puking everywhere. Another employee had just gone on a smoke break, so I informed Puppy Leader that when he got back, I thought it would be best if I left. She told me it was no problem and even offered to give me a ride home(even though i'm within 5 minute walking distance)if I couldn't get ahold of my husband. I could have cried I was so touched. I thanked her, called my husband, and went home to collapse and feel like death.

I ended up having to call out Friday(much to my disappointment, as I honestly love my job)and Puppy Leader was extremely understanding and even checked up on me. When she emailed me my schedule Sunday, it was accompanied by a message saying that she had pushed my hours towards the end of the week, that way I had more time to recover and be sure everything was ok. I've only ever worked for corporations where calling in sick was like assassinating the CEO, so having my boss be so understanding during a bad time just blew my mind. She is completely awesome and I am so going to have to work my butt off in order to make up for not being able to help out much lately. Can't say I 'm not looking forward to it. :)

On an ending note, on Sunday, after I got my schedule, I may have possibly discovered what's been making me so sick and tired. Nothing is confirmed yet, but there may be a little kitten on the way. :D

Purring with antici.....pation,

--KittyKatzchen

 

Comments

[KittyKatzchen]

Well, I have an update that's not quite as happy as this post. The end of my Probationary period fell in sync with my returning to work and, unfortunately, it was also the end of my time at Smiling Dogs. Puppy Leader assured me it was neither my sick time nor my performance that had her letting me go, but the fact that she felt I was very high energy and working with just puppies in one room for hours would be too stifling for me(She said she thought i'd be better suited for income. Oi..). She told me to put her down as a reference for any other job I applied for and she would give me a great review(which is awesome, as a review from a local means a LOT in Hawai'i). She even put me down for pay the day she let me go, even though I didn't work.

I won't lie, I was extremely sad to go and I could tell she was a little sad, too. I shed a few tears and I really, really miss my puppies, but I honestly believe this was done with the best of intentions and I hold nothing against her. She is still one of my favorite bosses ever and i'll never forget the kindness she showed me. :)

Also, no little kitten on the way...Yet. Which I suppose is good, given the cut in income. I'm not giving up, though. >.>

On a happy note, this job has opened my eyes to a possible career that I am definitely giving serious thought to. Animal Assisted Therapy, anyone? :D

[KittyKatzchen]

WHOA! Retail, not income. How the hell did I get income out of retail?

[Humor_Me]

I was sick for three weeks with bronchitis when I worked at a very small vet clinic. There were only four people working there. The small animal vet, the large animal vet (who only stopped in for supplies and to drop off reports), the small animal vet's wife/receptionist, and me. I was the kennel help and semi-vet tech. During the three weeks I was out, that meant that the vet's wife had to cover my job and hers. It was hard on them to have to cover my position while I was out sick, but I had no choice as I was literally exhausted walking from one end of my house to the other.

You were very lucky to have an understanding boss. So many bosses nowadays just look at people as disposable. It doesn't matter how good you are at your job or how much it isn't your fault that you got sick. I applaud your boss for putting your health first and giving you time to heal and keeping you on till you got better. So many corporations would have fired you *coughWalMartcough* without so much as caring that you were a good employee and that you were a good worker. That's the problem with mega-corporations. They have lofty guys in lofty places who don't remember what it was like to have to worry about feeding their families.

[TechChewToy]

*hugs*

There is a new specialty vet clinic opening up on...Oahu I believe. A coworker just got a position there. I'm not sure if that would work for you, but look it up!

[Spritzy]

Wait. wait, wait...they said you were too high-energy to deal with just puppies!? One of the most high-energy animals ever!?! I call bullshit!

[KittyKatzchen]

*Hugs* I'll definitely look into that, TechChewToy. Thank you. :D Really, i'd love any job with animals and if I could work there, that'd be great.

Spritzy, that's what I thought and still kind of go WTF? She said she thought I was a people person and very social, so working with just animals and not having human contact would be stifling(her word). I suppose I should of told her of my General Anxiety Disorder and lack of faith in humanity, huh?