Starbucks Baristas: The daily grind
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just got fired for being sick w covid (self.starbucksbaristas)
submitted by tiredtraumatized
296xxxx here, I caught covid a little over week ago, and it’s taken over the five CDC alotted days to get better. my SM apparently expected me to find coverage for these extra days?? I understand it’s policy but i’m Sick and my brain is pudding. sometimes I complained but I liked working here… ah well.
ETA: I have submitted a report to the ethics board of the siren on their website, but due to living circumstances cannot do a direct phone call right away.
ETA: I have submitted a report to the ethics board of the siren on their website, but due to living circumstances cannot do a direct phone call right away.
Comfortable-Plane944 164 points 1y ago
That’s illegal. Contact your DM as well as ethics and compliance. They’ll take care of it
tiredtraumatized [OP] 23 points 1y ago
I don’t have the ethics number on hand, can someone message it to me?
femalehomosapien18 104 points 1y ago
It’s not policy. The policy is you call in, manager finds coverage
krym32zamoon 78 points 1y ago
It's only 5 days from when you tested with a PCR test. Also if you're out because of sickness it is NOT your responsibility to find coverage. That is the responsibility of the SM!!! It should say that in the back on what the schedules are posted on.
tiredtraumatized [OP] 23 points 1y ago
my SM said he spoke with the DM and the DM said it’s from when you first had symptoms, which I had symptoms before I tested positive.
spoopy_ruby 17 points 1y ago
I thought it was something like “5 days from the start of symptoms *or* 5 days from a positive test, whichever is *longer*”
ETA: I went looking in my camera roll for anything I’ve saved and the weekly update from April 11 says 5 days after a positive test and with symptoms it says “can return to work when recovery criteria met” but it doesn’t define that on the page
ETA: I went looking in my camera roll for anything I’ve saved and the weekly update from April 11 says 5 days after a positive test and with symptoms it says “can return to work when recovery criteria met” but it doesn’t define that on the page
tiredtraumatized [OP] 2 points 1y ago
as in, whichever one gives more leave time?? because I was told it was whichever was First…
spoopy_ruby 1 points 1y ago
No it would be whichever is *later*, but I might be confusing that wording with my local COVID isolation requirements/laws, I’m not sure if that’s in Starbucks policy but I know that kind of statement is in our provincial laws
cinnamonmarigold 26 points 1y ago
If you don’t already, get that reason in writing. Official Starbucks policy is that in the case of illness, it is the STORE MANAGER’S job to find coverage. It’s in your handbook. Collect your unemployment. Go get em. Hope you’re feeling better 🤍
Professional-Lie6004 16 points 1y ago
Contact ethics
krty98 14 points 1y ago
Dude this happened to me, but I didn’t get fired. I called the partner resource number basically sobbing because I felt terrible. Her name was cathrine I think and she was the nicest lady I’ve ever talked to. Policy is that you’ll have to take out short term disability if you’re out longer than 3 extra days, which is what I ended up doing because I have surgery this Wednesday anyway.
PercyGabriel1129 11 points 1y ago
If we go into technicalities, if you are using sick time for the days after those initial 5 days, then your manager should've found coverage. If you aren't using sick time, then it's supposed to be you. I don't agree with those rules, but that is the way they read :( so if you had sick time, it was supposed to be on your manager
proletarithot 10 points 1y ago
Thankfully you don’t need to cash in sick hours, though it does add an extra level of job security.
Official policy:
"In the event of an unplanned absence, e.g.,
the sudden onset of illness, injury or
emergency, or when the partner is using paid
sick leave allowable by law, the partner will not
be held responsible for finding a substitute. The
partner is still responsible for notifying the
store manager or assistant store manager (or
partner leading the shift if the manager is not in
the store) of the absence prior to the beginning
of the shift so coverage can be arranged if
needed." (Partner handbook, attendance policy poster where schedules are posted)
Note the use of “OR.” A partner who is sick or otherwise unable to come to work in emergency circumstances is not required to find coverage, regardless of sick hours.
Official policy:
"In the event of an unplanned absence, e.g.,
the sudden onset of illness, injury or
emergency, or when the partner is using paid
sick leave allowable by law, the partner will not
be held responsible for finding a substitute. The
partner is still responsible for notifying the
store manager or assistant store manager (or
partner leading the shift if the manager is not in
the store) of the absence prior to the beginning
of the shift so coverage can be arranged if
needed." (Partner handbook, attendance policy poster where schedules are posted)
Note the use of “OR.” A partner who is sick or otherwise unable to come to work in emergency circumstances is not required to find coverage, regardless of sick hours.
mayor-em 5 points 1y ago
Can you speak to receiving corrective action when calling out sick and not submitting sick time? Theres a dispute currently over whether or not you MUST submit sick time when calling out.
proletarithot 3 points 1y ago
All official policies are found on the PartnerHub. Sometimes they’re kind of vague or suggest that it’s up to SM/DM discretion, but the policies establish a standard at least. Anyone can log in and search keywords.
AFAIK utilizing sick hours is NOT required when calling off for any reason. It would be unfair and borderline discriminatory to fire someone after they’ve run out of sick hours. Chronic illness, grief/loss, exposures, personal emergencies… shit happens.
That being said, labor laws vary by state. Work-at-will states offer the least employee protections. Chronic absence can be deemed as “not sustaining business needs.”
AFAIK utilizing sick hours is NOT required when calling off for any reason. It would be unfair and borderline discriminatory to fire someone after they’ve run out of sick hours. Chronic illness, grief/loss, exposures, personal emergencies… shit happens.
That being said, labor laws vary by state. Work-at-will states offer the least employee protections. Chronic absence can be deemed as “not sustaining business needs.”
mayor-em 1 points 1y ago
Thanks for your input, when sick hours were introduced this wasnt a problem and now it is because managers dont want to be accountable for finding coverage.
spoopy_ruby 1 points 1y ago
I lost 3 shifts a few weeks ago because of COVID and I got 2 of them sick days and 1 I did vacation hours and my manager had no problem with that whatsoever
mayor-em 2 points 1y ago
I have partners that were told if you call out sick, the only way for the SM to not automatically submit sick time to cover the shift we’d have to present a written note. Like thats def made up right? We’re rogue over here following fictional policies.
PercyGabriel1129 1 points 1y ago
Oh, thank you for pointing this out! I honestly didn't realize that it was written like that
KamelFish 9 points 1y ago
Yeah that’s super illegal. If a partner is sick they are not expected to find coverage. It’s in the policy manual.
Brief_Coat6526 7 points 1y ago
Call hr and get clarification
fuwaldah 2 points 1y ago
I find this hard to believe.
AccomplishedCut4784 2 points 1y ago
So we all out here getting fired huh? Took a week off for my birthday and came back to a notice of seperation
Minute-General-2090 2 points 1y ago
My SM worked with me, first I got two days off because I was exposed, then I got covid and she worked to get my shifts covered. Plus even when I said I was done with my 5 days, I still told her I was still wasn't out of the woods yet and scheduled me to working a few days till I felt right then had my normal schedule.
suugarcooki 2 points 1y ago
If you get sick it’s your SM’s job to find you coverage. You need to contact your DM.
persona-2 1 points 1y ago
Did you upload your positive test result to the portal? And did you take a test at a testing facility?
Your isolation is positive test day plus 5. So if you test on the 1st you isolate 2-6 and are back on the 7th.
To come back you have to clear your isolation period, no fever, vomit, or diarrhea for 24 hours, and other symptoms have improved. If you clear that you are expected to be at work even if your not better. If you end up staying home longer it is your job to find coverage at that point since starbucks is saying you can be at work. If you do find coverage and stay home you can use sick/vacation time to be home.
If you stay home for an additional 3+ days your SM is able to put you on an LOA. At that point you can’t some back until you have jumped through all the Sedgwick hoops. You can also put yourself on an LOA.
If you don’t go on a LOA and miss 3+ additional shifts then corrective action is generally advised for attendance.
Your isolation is positive test day plus 5. So if you test on the 1st you isolate 2-6 and are back on the 7th.
To come back you have to clear your isolation period, no fever, vomit, or diarrhea for 24 hours, and other symptoms have improved. If you clear that you are expected to be at work even if your not better. If you end up staying home longer it is your job to find coverage at that point since starbucks is saying you can be at work. If you do find coverage and stay home you can use sick/vacation time to be home.
If you stay home for an additional 3+ days your SM is able to put you on an LOA. At that point you can’t some back until you have jumped through all the Sedgwick hoops. You can also put yourself on an LOA.
If you don’t go on a LOA and miss 3+ additional shifts then corrective action is generally advised for attendance.
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