Starbucks Baristas: The daily grind
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Trenta story and Ethics concern cold foam. (self.starbucksbaristas)
submitted by PingPingPoohole
I'm an SSV. I had a partner call out with a serious family issue AND a physical health issue (their back is out and they can barely move). I call everyone available to see if they can cover the shift with no luck.
My next partner comes in and she is pregnant. She tells me that she has thrown up already today and still feels bad and that she will definitely throw up again, but wants to stick it out as long as she can. I say, that if she throws up while she's here, I have to send her home. She says ok.
I call my SM to ask for some guidance. If both of them are out, I'll have a two person play from 4pm-close and I'm just looking for a plan. They do not answer at first and I leave message. One thing to note about the message is that I said that the partner that called out was "sick". I thought that was to the point enough that I didn't need to explain further.
A few minutes later my SM calls me back. I ask if they got my message and they say yes, but ask for another brief summary. I say another short version, again, saying the call out was "sick". The first question I am asked is if I did the COVID Coach with the call out. I pause and walk off the floor. I say no. They ask me if I asked any questions to the partner who called out, or if I just said "ok" when they said they were sick.
I say, "I don't mean to get frustrated with you, but I can't force them to come in if they say that their sick."
They realize that I'm agitated and try to defuse. They say that they aren't trying to come down on me but, "We have fostered a culture here that you are able to just call in and say 'i don't feel well' and we say 'ok'."
I may have said that it's also a family issue, but I don't remember anymore.
HERE IS THE ETHICS CONCERN (not that the above isn't as well really)
After all of that, they actually attempt to help me with my problem I called about. They asked me to ask the other two partners on the floor of they can stay late. One can, but only til 6pm. We decide that if the pregnant partner throws up again before the now 6pm partner leaves, I am to call the SM back and reformulate.
Within 30 minutes she throws up again. I tell her that I have to send her home, but I just wanted to call my SM real quick. I call and I tell them that she threw up. They ask to speak with her. I give her the phone and they walk off the floor.
A few minutes later they return the phone to me and my SM says the the pregnant partner has agreed to "work until she can't". Im shocked, but I say ok. My SM says that if it comes down to just me and the other closer from 6-close, to just do our best and leave a note with what we couldn't get to. But they'll only turn off MOP and Uber if it "gets to be too much".
The pregnant partner tells me some bits and pieces of her conversation with the SM, but I'm trying to stay away from heresay in this post.
She ends up staying til 7, but they are pissed and threw up again at least one more time for sure, before she left.
It was just a two man close from 7-close(8:30).
I'm just unsure what to do, or if there is anything I CAN do.
The first part is partly a breakdown in communication, but also made me feel very unheard and unseen. I'm calling you for help and the first thing they do is to try and coach me on how to sus out a "legitimate" sickness.
The second part really concerns me. She's pregnant and throwing up. Regardless if they are "contagious" or not, SHE IS VOMITING IN THE PARKING LOT! Like WTF. "Work until she can't" may have just been a poor choice of words, but that's really what was asked of her.
The pregnant partner told me that the only reason she stayed as long as she did was for me. She felt bad that I was being put in this position. What do I say to that?
What do I do? I looked at some of the Ethics stuff the company has published, but it's a ton of corporate gobbledygook. Do I call Partner Resources, or does she? Do I even call Partner Resources? Is this even something that will even be addressed.
What a shit day at work...
This healthcare got me trapped.
My next partner comes in and she is pregnant. She tells me that she has thrown up already today and still feels bad and that she will definitely throw up again, but wants to stick it out as long as she can. I say, that if she throws up while she's here, I have to send her home. She says ok.
I call my SM to ask for some guidance. If both of them are out, I'll have a two person play from 4pm-close and I'm just looking for a plan. They do not answer at first and I leave message. One thing to note about the message is that I said that the partner that called out was "sick". I thought that was to the point enough that I didn't need to explain further.
A few minutes later my SM calls me back. I ask if they got my message and they say yes, but ask for another brief summary. I say another short version, again, saying the call out was "sick". The first question I am asked is if I did the COVID Coach with the call out. I pause and walk off the floor. I say no. They ask me if I asked any questions to the partner who called out, or if I just said "ok" when they said they were sick.
I say, "I don't mean to get frustrated with you, but I can't force them to come in if they say that their sick."
They realize that I'm agitated and try to defuse. They say that they aren't trying to come down on me but, "We have fostered a culture here that you are able to just call in and say 'i don't feel well' and we say 'ok'."
I may have said that it's also a family issue, but I don't remember anymore.
HERE IS THE ETHICS CONCERN (not that the above isn't as well really)
After all of that, they actually attempt to help me with my problem I called about. They asked me to ask the other two partners on the floor of they can stay late. One can, but only til 6pm. We decide that if the pregnant partner throws up again before the now 6pm partner leaves, I am to call the SM back and reformulate.
Within 30 minutes she throws up again. I tell her that I have to send her home, but I just wanted to call my SM real quick. I call and I tell them that she threw up. They ask to speak with her. I give her the phone and they walk off the floor.
A few minutes later they return the phone to me and my SM says the the pregnant partner has agreed to "work until she can't". Im shocked, but I say ok. My SM says that if it comes down to just me and the other closer from 6-close, to just do our best and leave a note with what we couldn't get to. But they'll only turn off MOP and Uber if it "gets to be too much".
The pregnant partner tells me some bits and pieces of her conversation with the SM, but I'm trying to stay away from heresay in this post.
She ends up staying til 7, but they are pissed and threw up again at least one more time for sure, before she left.
It was just a two man close from 7-close(8:30).
I'm just unsure what to do, or if there is anything I CAN do.
The first part is partly a breakdown in communication, but also made me feel very unheard and unseen. I'm calling you for help and the first thing they do is to try and coach me on how to sus out a "legitimate" sickness.
The second part really concerns me. She's pregnant and throwing up. Regardless if they are "contagious" or not, SHE IS VOMITING IN THE PARKING LOT! Like WTF. "Work until she can't" may have just been a poor choice of words, but that's really what was asked of her.
The pregnant partner told me that the only reason she stayed as long as she did was for me. She felt bad that I was being put in this position. What do I say to that?
What do I do? I looked at some of the Ethics stuff the company has published, but it's a ton of corporate gobbledygook. Do I call Partner Resources, or does she? Do I even call Partner Resources? Is this even something that will even be addressed.
What a shit day at work...
This healthcare got me trapped.
LatteMaster 25 points 1y ago
Maybe I am reading this wrong but it seems like your manager is complaining you arent questioning people who call out sick. This is in fact not even close to legal (at least in my state). You do not have to give out anything other than “Its x and I am sick, cant make it in today sorry” and hang up the phone.
kell0313 3 points 1y ago
SSVs are required to go through the covid coach (not asking specific symptoms just answer yes or no if they’re on the primary or secondary list) when people call off. The SM would need to know if they have to follow up with that partner regarding isolation, etc. I’ve known plenty of managers and supervisors that have been separated throughout covid for not following this.
LatteMaster 7 points 1y ago
If they want to inquire about covid symptoms that is fine, but harassing the person and saying “are you really sick” etc is completely illegal.
sailorgrumpycat 24 points 1y ago
I would suggest you both call Partner Resources, but also maybe the Ethics and Compliance hotline.
heyitsme963 3 points 1y ago
I have worked through vomiting so many times (diagnosed issue, not contagious) but I was always given the option to go home without consequences. If someone tells you they’re too sick to work, they’re too sick to work. That’s it. No further conversation is needed other than “I hope you can get some rest. Keep me updated on when you’ll be back and if you have a positive COVID test.”
kell0313 1 points 1y ago
Even in the covid coach it says only if the symptoms are new or unusual do you have to stay home. I’m assuming your SM asked the partner if the cause of vomiting was from the pregnancy or something else, if it’s just pregnancy sickness she can keep working if she’s able to. I get migraines all the time that induce vomiting but if I can’t get my shift covered I will work through them since it’s not linked to covid or food-bourne illness.
ricardimus 3 points 1y ago
That still doesn’t make it right. A SSV, who is hourly, is being told to make some pretty unethical decisions. I still would’ve sent the pregnant woman home anyways. Yeah I would have to tough it out, but that’s what notes in the book are for, extraordinary conditions.
Also if you are trying to cover shifts for when the suffering is too much, please know we have sick pay. This became company standard only 3 or 4 years ago. Before COVID, I was able use sick pay to supplement my weeks, like adding 10 hours to my paychecks. Now they’re really strict on it being used ONLY for the shifts you loose. If you feel ill, whether contagious or not, if the pain is unbearable, call out. Use that sick pay, it won’t get used otherwise.
It’s corporates own fault for not providing staff. They forced a lot of people to leave early COVID, and required hella availability and limited hours. And now they’re on a hiring spree while also further limiting hours.
When I was a shift, I found it (and still do) unethical and very much against my own morals to ask someone “to tough out” and suffer for the sake of profits. The store will always be there tomorrow, no matter what. We may not.
Also accrued PTO (paid time off) is given to us if or when we leave the bux. Sick pay however is not, so use it whenever you can and save the pto until it’s capped.
Sorry this became a rant
Also if you are trying to cover shifts for when the suffering is too much, please know we have sick pay. This became company standard only 3 or 4 years ago. Before COVID, I was able use sick pay to supplement my weeks, like adding 10 hours to my paychecks. Now they’re really strict on it being used ONLY for the shifts you loose. If you feel ill, whether contagious or not, if the pain is unbearable, call out. Use that sick pay, it won’t get used otherwise.
It’s corporates own fault for not providing staff. They forced a lot of people to leave early COVID, and required hella availability and limited hours. And now they’re on a hiring spree while also further limiting hours.
When I was a shift, I found it (and still do) unethical and very much against my own morals to ask someone “to tough out” and suffer for the sake of profits. The store will always be there tomorrow, no matter what. We may not.
Also accrued PTO (paid time off) is given to us if or when we leave the bux. Sick pay however is not, so use it whenever you can and save the pto until it’s capped.
Sorry this became a rant
kell0313 -1 points 1y ago
It doesn’t make it unethical because it’s not violating policy for her to be there, but I agree if she hadn’t been feeling like she could work through it she should’ve been allowed to go home (it didn’t sound like the SM was arguing against that, it was her choice to stay even though she supposedly only stayed to help the SSV).
As for staffing, your store can be 300% staffed and still have trouble finding coverage for call offs. People can’t be forced to come in when they’re not scheduled (rightly so) so when people have to stay home sick and there’s no one willing to come in that’s hardly the company’s or SM’s fault. Now if the company could find a way to make an “on call” program where partners get partial pay to be on call (and of course some sort of incentive to cover the shift when someone calls off) then that might help… but it’s logistically complicated so I doubt we’d see something like that
As for staffing, your store can be 300% staffed and still have trouble finding coverage for call offs. People can’t be forced to come in when they’re not scheduled (rightly so) so when people have to stay home sick and there’s no one willing to come in that’s hardly the company’s or SM’s fault. Now if the company could find a way to make an “on call” program where partners get partial pay to be on call (and of course some sort of incentive to cover the shift when someone calls off) then that might help… but it’s logistically complicated so I doubt we’d see something like that
sheep_heavenly 5 points 1y ago
> it was her choice to stay even though she supposedly only stayed to help the SSV).
It wasn't her choice freely made, it was her choice after a discussion with the person that decides if they continue to get healthcare and a paycheck while the person is pregnant.
It wasn't her choice freely made, it was her choice after a discussion with the person that decides if they continue to get healthcare and a paycheck while the person is pregnant.
ricardimus 3 points 1y ago
A stores staffing can excellent, but they still only schedule bare minimum. Why do you justify this? My store use to have two people for drive thru scheduled for afternoon peek, this was standard. For the past month, corporate has saw it fit that only one person is required there and now it seems that’s the standard. We have 40 people on staff, why cant they pay the 70$ to give us a window partner? I have completely open availability and only get 20 hours a week when we’re literally scheduled understaffed every day all day. This makes one callout a significant detriment to business. Next week I only have 10 hours, and I guarantee I’ll be soloing drive thru both those days. We just hired like 10 more people, and they still under schedule us. How can you defend them and say it’s not their fault, they have the power to over staff a shift but they chose to give us the bare minimum while maintaining high expectations.
Corporate ethics and real life ethics are very different things. Corporate has deemed it ok (and ethical) to coerce people into working even though it is a detriment to their health.
Staff shifts properly, they have the power but deliberately choose not to. They mandate SMs to under schedule shifts, while also encouraging hiring sprees. We have enough people, schedule them. Calling for coverage should never be an expectation, but it is. If they scheduled in a reasonable manner, call outs wouldn’t be much of an issue. I’m already doing the job of 3 or even 4 baristas on the regular and a single callout destroys the day, when it doesn’t have to.
All I’m trying to say is that a shift shouldn’t have to worry about coverage for when callouts occur. The cost of labor is nothing compared to the profits we make. We are literally the cheapest units of production, so why not put more of us on the floor. Why is labor cost the biggest concern for this company.
“On call” isn’t necessary if we have more then the bare minimum scheduled.
Corporate ethics and real life ethics are very different things. Corporate has deemed it ok (and ethical) to coerce people into working even though it is a detriment to their health.
Staff shifts properly, they have the power but deliberately choose not to. They mandate SMs to under schedule shifts, while also encouraging hiring sprees. We have enough people, schedule them. Calling for coverage should never be an expectation, but it is. If they scheduled in a reasonable manner, call outs wouldn’t be much of an issue. I’m already doing the job of 3 or even 4 baristas on the regular and a single callout destroys the day, when it doesn’t have to.
All I’m trying to say is that a shift shouldn’t have to worry about coverage for when callouts occur. The cost of labor is nothing compared to the profits we make. We are literally the cheapest units of production, so why not put more of us on the floor. Why is labor cost the biggest concern for this company.
“On call” isn’t necessary if we have more then the bare minimum scheduled.
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