Being in the middle of interviews for a hopefully team leader position at target only weeks after “the talk” I regret not taking the stipend and just riding through these last weeks before maybe getting this new job

I think getting the LOA was very difficult to get approved for. I tried for it because I live with my 70 y/o father who has cancer and was denied. I had no choice but to take the separation because I found that as soon as we went green most weren’t wearing masks or being careful.

Let's be fair, I feel like we didn't even have a choice. I live with my elderly parents and would have picked the LOA option if it was available at my store and if they didn't say that they have the ability to recall us at any point. I'm thankful that sbux wasn't my main job and didn't have to make a really tough decision based on income. Although, I am quite mad that this would have been my 10 year anniversary in the fall. I feel like we gave them loyalty, but they don't care about us.

I didn't feel any pressure either way. I think that was because my manager did a pretty good job of presenting the options without any pressure. I could see there'd be potential to feel pressured though.

I mean it wasn't really a choice. It was just a preference, which my manager didn't explain because all my coworkers didn't realize that they could be denied. Most people I know got denied the LOA because too many took the separation package and it is no longer on the table unfortunately.

We can unionize.

Are you guys telling me that some of you were denied option 2? That’s crazy. I’m a shift and our store is really busy, but I was still approved. I haven’t worked since March. I do have an auto-immune disease, maybe that’s why.

Yes so I took a LOA anyways a week ago and found a new job while doing so. Goodbye Bux

I opted for the LOA but wasn't granted it. I was told my store was too busy and they needed me. 😐

Yes 😭😭 I"m a shift, and now I'm being walked all over. My availability isn't respected, and it's affecting other areas of my life. I should have taken the money and RAN

I took option 2, leave started Monday, I got the call saying my mall bux opens on the 30th and I need to come back. I really wish I had taken the severance package.

I choose preference 2 but it got denied.

Took option 3. Not regretting it.

I didnt feel necessarily "pressured" into staying but I did feel as though I had no other option. Especially being new. My manager told me I could do what I wanted but if I did 2 or 3 I probably wouldnt have been granted it. So my only choice felt as if I had to stay despite having a pre existing condition and now my store has closed twice for covid.

LOAs weren’t approved at my store because we’re so low staffed right now. The only one who is out is because she was on medical LOA prior for some serious health issues. Otherwise we all have to work.

I honeslty regret not taking option 3 everyday has just been getting worse. Customers are getting too comfortable which everything going on

I was told I would get the leave... wasn't on the schedule this week but am back on it next week somehow? So yeah, no, there was no real choice.

Call your board of health in your town! Mine was helpful in making sure my managers stayed on track, and took my concerns anonymously.

i chose option 2 because both myself and some of my family members are high risk but then was denied at first because “i’m a source of positivity on the floor” (hardly lol) but was then approved when i voiced that i was having a hard time breathing while working because i have asthma and wearing a mask makes it worse.

I wasn’t pressured or made to feel guilty either. She told me they would be perfectly fine and understanding with whatever I decided and not to feel bad. I honestly just don’t see how my situation doesn’t meet their “requirements” for leave, but I’m trying not to dwell too much on it.

I came in this morning to open with the shift supervisor who almost immediately started crying, explaining that she’d just had 4 friends diagnosed with covid, one of them die, and an aunt who she had recent close contact with was also diagnosed. She’s also a new mom with a 5 month old baby who couldn’t be left in the care of her covid infected family members safely, yet she was entirely unable to find coverage for herself and came in regardless. Not only was she potentially exposed, but her child is staying now with her mother who was directly exposed while she had to work in part due to very very poor management on the part of my DM. We have 4 stores with confirmed cases in my district alone, and they’re all gutted from partners self isolating leaving stores like mine that have 2 shift supervisors total due to the circumstances stretched to the maximum.

I’m upset at the company, I’m upset at certain people in my chain of management, I’m very very upset that I have had to witness so much of my coworkers’ pain caused by sbux. I felt inherently pressured to stay because I was being promoted as the company put a hold on all promotions, but that meant I knew most stuff that the shifts knew and could essentially function as a non-official extra shift supervisor (without the pay, of course) in a time of crisis where we’re writing full schedules with 2 shifts and 1 manager (no asm). It sucks, and I wish I would have known it would be the way it has been when I chose pref 1.

i’m really sorry about your situation. the weeks i worked prior to the LOA were hectic and no one was washing their hands or wiping down headsets and i’m thankful i was able to leave. my regret is not leaving the company entirely when i could’ve.

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What's funny is that my store manager mentioned the three options, but only because a friend of mine (fellow barista in NYC) asked if I'd had the discussion about them. And my SM told me she'd talk to me about it later. Come to find out that me and at least one other barista haven't had it discussed with us. We two are ALSO according to the SM the strongest baristas the store has. I don't think these two things are not connected.

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I didn’t feel pressured. I’m sorry that you experienced that. I took the LOA