Remember this: everyone had a personal decision to make. Partners could either take paid leave or continue working for an extra 3$/hr.

You made your decision; they made theirs. It's that simple. And if *they* resent *you* for something *they* did or didn't do, that's on them. There could be hundreds of reasons why they made the decision they made, but it was theirs--and theirs alone--to make.

Don't be preemptively defensive about it or make apologies when you return, as though you took advantage of the situation. Everyone had the same choice to make.

I took the CAT pay as soon as it was offered and honestly yeah I felt a litte guilty at first, but not anymore. Do what's best for YOU and your family. This is tough times for everyone and I really don't think it should matter that you're one of our newer Partners. Your health and safety should always come first - don't ever feel bad about that! :)

I totally get where you’re coming from. I started a little after you, at the beginning of March! When a Stay at Home order was made where I currently live, and I heard some unsettling news from home about an acquaintance having all symptoms and the hospital refusing to test, I took the CAT pay at the end of March. I’m going back May 3rd or 4th. I have asthma and a weak immune system and didn’t want to put myself or anyone else in danger by me getting sick. I only worked for a week of actual coverage days before taking CAT pay!! So I felt really anxious at first, because I’m so new, but this is new territory for everyone right now and Starbucks allows us a choice and putting your needs first is best in the long run. The company is smart enough to know that if they take care of their employees now, they will work better and stay longer in the future.

Man I'm worried about it as well. But I'm just trying to remember that at the end of the day, I don't know these people, and at the very least I am like the clown batista so I think I can make up for it buy being silly and making people laugh. That's like my only saving grace. But at the same time I'm sooooo worried about being judged. I'm torn between how I know I should feel and how I dooooo, i feel you.

same! I also started in February and took the cat pay. My team is pretty close and we all talked about it in our group chat and most of us did take the cat pay. I don’t feel bad about it because they are making the extra pay and it was a given option!