Disheartened about my boss.

45 Comments

1. AnonymousMay 8,2022 at 11:22PM UTC

   #1 Google COVID-19 Protections for Immunocompromised Workers
   #2 Find out if your doctor is willing to provide the paper work to reflect you are immunocompromised
   #3 Talk to HR to see if they will allow reasonable accommodation based on above.

2. Joan Williams, Senior Talent Acquisition SpecialistMay 9,2022 at 7:00AM UTC

   I'm not surprised you've lost respect for your boss over this - I would feel exactly the same way.

   He's got some nerve exposing his family members - very selfish.

   If he's planning on showing up at the office, I'd see if you can work from home.

3. AnonymousMay 10,2022 at 3:11AM UTC

   I agree. I couldn’t respect or trust him.

4. AnonymousMay 10,2022 at 1:00PM UTC

   Most definitely. What a Selfish person he is-I understand it's his choice but to have a covid for sure and still go to work? Really? When I was exposed with a person with covid, I stop working, got tested-turned out negative but I isolated myself just in case. I don't want spreading whatever virus I have in my body. I think about other people especially my family.

5. AnonymousMay 9,2022 at 1:15PM UTC

   Yes, this sucks, but a good mask should help. The bigger question is why someone feels they can't take any time off or miss out on an event. An insecure boss is a time bomb.

6. Ariana NunezMay 10,2022 at 12:46PM UTC

   This was the same thought I had from this story. A confident boss would have taken some time off.

7. CJB62May 10,2022 at 1:26PM UTC

   Yes, unfortunately as leader he has created a culture where employees are going to be encouraged to “power through” when ill. It sounds like he had a mild case or was asymptomatic with COVID but I can assure you from personal experience that is not EVERYONE’s experience with this virus, vaxed or unvaxed.

   If you have concerns about potential exposure with return to office, I would echo what others have said and see if you can get accommodations to work from home.

8. Melissa NobileMay 9,2022 at 1:35PM UTC

   The current protocol is 5 days quarantine. What he chooses to do work wise from home while in quarantine is his business. He obviously felt well enough to do that - even if he did whine about it.

   As for his family party - again, that’s his business,

   I am convinced that Covid is here to stay. At this point, you need to live your life, wash your hands, and do what is best for you and yours. If you go out to dinner, to a concert, to church, or to any kind of public function, you’re at risk of catching anything and everything from pink eye, to a cold, to Covid, to the flu.

9. Barbara WhiteMay 10,2022 at 2:11PM UTC

   This is the same protocol we're using at my workplace, which is a large university. Five days of quarantine for positive cases is routine at this stage of the game, and is the current recommendation from the CDC (Centers for Disease Control). Once people test positive, we do not test them again for ninety days because some people show up positive for quite some time, but are not infectious. A good number of the faculty have opted to teach classes remotely if they should test positive, mostly because we don't have substitutes for their courses and they don't want the students to miss out on their classes while they're in quarantine. A semester only lasts about sixteen weeks or so, so there's not a lot of wiggle room to make up for lost instructional time---and teaching is our main priority so the professors do try to work remotely even if they are sick. Most of them have tons of sick leave, but feel strongly that they have a responsibility to their students to teach if they are at all able.

   If your boss was out for five days and was working from home while he had mild symptoms, then he followed the same protocol that the CDC recommends. On Day Six people can come back to work/go wherever they want as long as they are displaying no symptoms. We're checking with the CDC at least weekly to see if/how we need to modify our procedures whenever there are changing conditions with community spread. At this stage we're learning how to live with covid, because as many people have said, it's not going away. With a workplace of 31,000+ students and 7,000 faculty/staff here (and that's not factoring in the public who come onsite as contractors, sports fans, people attending concerts and museum exhibits, etc.), there's no time in the foreseeable future that we're going to have zero cases on campus. The best we can hope for now is to stay vigilant and isolate outbreaks should they occur. We simultaneously have to also figure out how to protect our vulnerable community members (older faculty/staff, anyone with preexisting health conditions, etc.) In those last cases, we try to give them their own offices where possible, make full use of flexible work when possible, remote attendance at meetings, they wear masks even though they are not required in the workplace at this point, etc. It's a tough time for everyone as we navigate the "new normal" so all of us have to show grace to each other. (That's my new mantra in almost every meeting I attend.)

10. AnonymousMay 10,2022 at 12:33PM UTC

    wow, no judgement there about how some people have chosen or have been forced to choose how to live for the last couple of years.

11. AnonymousMay 10,2022 at 12:34PM UTC

    There are these free things called COVID tests that your boss should have used to determine if he was still contagious before going anywhere he might infect other people. Including family members and co-workers. It isn't just his business -- he's playing with other people's lives. I need to SHOW the results of a negative COVID test every time I visit my dad in the nursing home and keep my mask on during the visit. I don't blame you for losing respect for your boss.

12. Judi CardilloMay 10,2022 at 12:43PM UTC

    I don't know… you can keep testing positive for MONTHS after you get it… i don't know that that means you are still contagious for all that time

13. AnonymousMay 10,2022 at 12:36PM UTC

    I work in healthcare. I believe the five day quarantine is both for convenience and has some scientific basis behind it. I know quite a few vaccinated people who tested positive , did the quarantine for 5 days, were asymptomatic the whole time and then tested negative 5 days later. We have no information on this man’s situation. We don’t know his vaccination status or anything along those lines. Nobody would be blinking an eye at this in healthcare. Covid is not going anywhere. We need to figure out how to manage this more reasonably. And people need to stop passing judgement without knowing the whole story. I have no problem if people lose respect for symptomatic, unvaccinated, positive people that knowingly go along with their lives without warning other people. That is not at all with this gentleman did.

14. AnonymousMay 10,2022 at 12:54PM UTC

    I lose more respect for people who are vaccinated, test positive and go out. They still infect others. The vaccine protects them, not others. They are the ones who often do not warn others because they are vaccinated. Nor do they tend to wear masks. Like you said, you don’t know if this guy was vaccinated or not. And, really, it doesn’t matter. Being sick is being sick. He still didn’t feel well. He just felt better, but not whole. We are taught in this country to not take the time to take care of ourselves when we are sick. We are to power through. This appears to be what this guy did. It still puts others at risk when he comes to work, vaccinated or not.

15. AnonymousMay 10,2022 at 12:40PM UTC

    I know the feeling. I only have to go into the office two days a week, but I still get anxiety whenever I do. Many people have the "I don't care about getting COVID" mentality, but I do and if I got it and gave it to my immunocompromised family members, I would never forgive myself. I suggest you find a way to continue working from home if you can and speak to your boss about you being immunocompromised. After all, you have a higher risk of getting a severe case.

16. AnonymousMay 10,2022 at 12:49PM UTC

    Given what you said, I assume the only time you are leaving your house is when you report to the office as required. Since you suspect there is a high risk that COVID positive people are showing up at your workplace, your safest course of action at this point is to start looking for a FT remote position. Good luck!

17. AnonymousMay 10,2022 at 12:50PM UTC

    Ask your doctor to write a note saying that you need to work remotely due to health risks and submit that to your HR department for an accommodation.

18. AnonymousMay 10,2022 at 12:53PM UTC

    I feel like this speaks as much about the company as it does the boss. My boss recently was hospitalized and her bosses called her and expected her to present to a group of executives despite that she was literally near organ failure. She felt pressured to do it. I lost a lot of respect for my company and it’s leadership with that.

    Your company knew he was sick and didn’t care to emphasize or enforce rules I’m sure they have established by now. I’d feel disheartened too.

19. Elise PilkingtonMay 10,2022 at 12:55PM UTC

    Hello. I completely understand your concern given that you have health and family concerns that require extra caution. I did want to let you know that the recommendations for most people have changed a lot since the beginning of the pandemic. Last week on the 3rd I experienced some symptoms suggestive of Covid, so I took a test (it was negative). The instructions with the test were in an app that had me enter the date I was taking the test and when I first felt symptoms. It instructed me that if I tested positive, I should isolate until the 10th as long as my symptoms were improved by then. I was a little surprised that the time was so short. I realize your boss was most likely pushing this time line a little bit, but if he had tested on Monday and then went out on the following weekend, he's not too far off. And wearing a mask was better than not. I think we all have to accept that different people will have different risk tolerances and we each need to make the decisions that are right for us individually.

20. AnonymousMay 10,2022 at 1:02PM UTC

    Agree

21. AnonymousMay 10,2022 at 1:14PM UTC

    Yours you mean.

22. AnonymousMay 10,2022 at 1:18PM UTC

    They don't know he has Covid.

23. AnonymousMay 10,2022 at 1:27PM UTC

    This struck me, "..mentioned at least once that he was running on empty and wasn't taking full lunch hours etc". The fact that this behavior is normalized is what is seriously wrong. This is beyond COVID, this is setting expectations of the priorities of your work vs your physical and mental health.

24. AnonymousMay 10,2022 at 2:04PM UTC

    I recently was shocked to learn that one of my family members, who travels internationally, came down with Covid in another country and had active symptoms.
    He jumped on a plane and came home. I asked him how he did that -fly home- as he was actively feverish and symptomatic and his answer was :don’t ask don’t tell. Wow. …Now, as this pertains to your manager, I would suggest to not say too much about his personal behavior and decision-making regarding attending huge family events etc…. We are all on our own in terms of personal integrity and protecting our neighborsFrom viral spread.. Some people are opting to be more stringent and others are defying the CDC recommendations. Instead, do what you can to stay healthy and avoid risky environments. You might not ever get Covid from someone at work but possibly pick it up from someone who is carrying the virus at the grocery store. It might be nice to mention to human resources that they need to reiterate CDC guidelines with all employees…with the recent upsurge in Covid,….but I would take your boss’s name out of the discussion…I understand your disappointment in your manager and your fear, but you also don’t wanna look like the tattle police

25. Kim RaperMay 10,2022 at 2:13PM UTC

    Time will tell from the people who attended the service as to how contagious he actually was but it was a poor choice on his part for certain. He certainly should have kept himself away from such a large compact crown out of respect for others. That he didnt speak to him a bit but people truly think they are invincible these days. The job issue is a tough one too, but maybe sit back and evaluate how you feel without being ramped up emotionally. Weight the factors and decide if you need to change your environment -either at a job, or WFH, etc. Best of luck, Rock and hard place for sure.

26. Been there done thatMay 10,2022 at 2:21PM UTC

    Martyr syndrome.

    mots hard to combat in the work place and it is how companies get away with not following procedures and protocols.

    sadly there is always a member of staff with is very vocal in their sacrifice to the work place . I wonder when they are ‘self staging’ do they realise they are undermining all their colleagues.

    there is always one who will stay behind allocated hours to ‘help out ‘ . We all know it needs to be done occasionally. But by doing it we are allowing management to ignore shortfalls in staffing. Enough is enough, just say “NO”.

    As employees, we had worked had to ensure a good life work balance. Emergencies- yes, routinely - no . Bright Blessings

27. AnonymousMay 10,2022 at 3:12PM UTC

    It is a shame that he did not take any time off. If anyone I work with tests positive, they always take off for a bit. No one wants covid in the work place and I understand your concern about catching it and spreading it around. However, what ever your supervisor decides to do on his personal time is really no business of yours. You may not approve, but you have no right to comment on it. And please keep those thoughts to yourself,. I say this only because not everyone feels the same that you do about the virus and you really don't want what you say getting back to anyone if you still wish to keep your job.

28. AnonymousMay 10,2022 at 6:14PM UTC

    "not everyone feels the same that you do about the virus"

    This is a life or death situation for this employee and the person they care for should one of them contract COVID. It has nothing to do with feelings and everything to do with taking basic precautions to save lives.

29. AnonymousMay 10,2022 at 3:20PM UTC

    Your boss AND your company has shown blatant disregard for human life, full stop. When people casually say things like, "COVID is just a part of life now" they are typically not thinking about the extreme precautions that immunocompromised people and their caretakers need to take on a regular basis and do not understand the actual consequences of getting sick.

    I feel for you and my best advice is to get out this toxic environment and kick off a job search for remote work ASAP. There are far more progressive and empathic companies out there, trust me.

30. froerden@yahoo.comMay 10,2022 at 3:41PM UTC

    I agree with you AND him. He stayed home and doesn’t feel badly, wears a mask and wants move on with life. You are concerned about the health of everyone he comes in contact with. Everyone is handling this pandemic mess in the way they feel is best. Take care of yourself first.

31. AnonymousMay 10,2022 at 4:18PM UTC

    except that he's unnecessarily putting ppl's lives at risk.

32. KristinMay 10,2022 at 9:09PM UTC

    It would be one thing if he'd only been exposed but managed to avoid contracting the virus. But the fact that he HAS ACTIVE covid and decided to go to a non-essential gathering just because HE decided he felt better?

    That's why we just passed the million-dead watershed in the U.S.

33. Audrey KirschMay 10,2022 at 5:04PM UTC

    My company has put a policy in place that everyone must be vaccinated and boosted unless you have a medical exemption. Those that can't or won't get vaccinated have to work remotely. I appreciate that they respect our health enough to do that. I work remotely, but attend a company function a couple of times a year. It's good knowing that everyone attending these large gatherings are vaccinated and boosted. Still no guarantee that you won't get Covid but the risk is definitely lowered. Your boss isn't thinking of the potential harm to others.

34. AnonymousMay 10,2022 at 6:11PM UTC

    I think he was inconsiderate in going someplace while positive. As for working remotely while sick - it is a shame here in the US that we are either obligated and/or guilted into working on our days off or when sick. I will continue to say this until the day I die. Overall your company does not care for you. If you quit or heaven forbid die tomorrow, they will get along just fine. They may struggle for awhile but they will survive.

    I used to be one of those who thought I had to kill my self working on weekends, days off, work through illnesses until we acquired a company in Europe. A brand new hire walks in the door with 30 days of vacation over there. I have 10 years and only 15 days. In addition if they are sick they are told not to come into work and take the day off. In fact if they do come in sick they can be written up.

    I do have to have some conversations with my boss about the priority of projects, but if I can't finish all of my work for the most part in 45 to 48 hours, it carries over to the next week. I also know there are sometimes where I will need to work some long hours ( case in point - the acquisition) but that is the exception and not the norm.

35. Zofia JaneczekMay 11,2022 at 12:55AM UTC

    Europe knows how to treat employees right! The US knows how to squeeze blood from a lemon. It's a shame we're all too afraid of a system where we're treated like human beings not machines! Ai is not needed here as long as there's a disposable workforce ready to work till you drop.

36. Zofia JaneczekMay 11,2022 at 12:49AM UTC

    InYou've every right to be concerned.
    No one cares anymore if anyone catches this! Most people are now unmasked regardless of vaccination status. People also don't seem very concerned anymore, a terrible attitude, but it's there regardless. My job has left it to the individual to decide to wear a mask or not. I'm always in a mask and a small minority now. Unfortunately , working from home hasn't been an option for me from day 1! If, however, I was still a caregiver this would be a particular problem for me. I would start to look at other work from home jobs or perhaps work something out with employer that you have flex time in the office. Meaning perhaps you can come in when there are less people or at a later time in the day or perhaps weekends. If you have a medical reasons to not work in office, I would use that and talk to your healthcare provider to see if there's a loophole you can use to stay out of office. Unfortunately, COVID isn't going anywhere, just mutating, and our laissez-faire attitudes are going to make for a lot of unhappiness in and out of work. Sad to say, I truly believe at this rate of disregard, most people will get it somewhere at some point.

37. AnonymousMay 11,2022 at 2:34AM UTC

    I feel for you. Our organization has a strict mask policy in the office now that we are required to work in person twice a week. However, right before our annual benefit, we learned that no one would be required to wear a mask. It was a COVID-fest with 100s of people in close quarters and only a handful us wearing a mask. Days later we get an email that some staff got COVID. This was predictable. The hypocrisy of a strict mask policy at work and then flagrant disregard to safety protocols at the fundraiser for our nonprofit organization was striking.

38. AnonymousMay 11,2022 at 3:26AM UTC

    Only illegal substances matter.
    You’re 100% fine.

39. AnonymousMay 11,2022 at 4:12AM UTC

    My advice is to discuss with your boss how his actions have made you uncomfortable and feel unsafe in your work environment. I’ve found that once I express my honest unhappiness, most superiors will want to hear you out, make sure they understand, and if possible find a solution immediately. It’s always worth it to give someone a chance to learn from their mistake(s)!

40. Jennifer KlinkoMay 11,2022 at 12:26PM UTC

    My comment was deleted, so I will rephrase it.
    I believe that people come here with their questions because they want to hear various perspectives.
    I do not believe that FairyGodBoss should be creating an echo chamber and deleting opinions that they don't like.

    You said your boss worked FROM HOME. How could this possibly put you at risk of getting Covid? You said your coworker was mortified about your boss doing a call while he had covid. Why? You can't get COVID through the phone.
    if your boss felt well enough to work, wanted to work and stayed out of the office that is his business.
    What he does on his own time with his family is also his own business.

41. AnonymousMay 11,2022 at 2:54PM UTC

    I'm the OP. He worked from home last week but is back in the office this week. Sorry I wasn't more clear.

42. AnonymousMay 11,2022 at 1:15PM UTC

    Personally, I don't really think he is putting you at any risk if he is working from home.

    I get the comment from the foreign partner wasn't the greatest and personally, I would have just taken sick time that is what its there for but unless his work was severely compromised by him having COVID he didn't feel it was necessary and everyone is able to make that judgement.

    At this point, we do know that everyone is going to do what they feel is best for protecting their family. If you aren't comfortable being back in the office it may be time to reevaluate because that seems to be the direction your office is going to stick with.

43. CindyMay 11,2022 at 2:05PM UTC

    Viruses are like evil spells they come be very disorientated.especially multiple viruses hanging and can be confusing which is which . Any Illness is serious aswell as medications too. The right dosage . . You will be fine ? Take the appropriate steps and measures maybe check on.the person . It is a serious matter.

44. Michele LaCagninaMay 11,2022 at 7:16PM UTC

    There should be a company covid policy managed by HR since it's their job to protect the company from any type of liability. It sounds like the boss here is a potential liability to the company and needs to be dealt with by the people who are responsible for protecting the company from risk. I'm sorry you even have to worry about or deal with this.

45. nnleitch@bigpond.comMay 12,2022 at 12:25PM UTC

    People are not taking it seriously and it is frustrating and makes for anxiety around contracting Covid at work. You can only control how it impacts you. Follow the health guidelines even when other's do not. Look after your health, eat well, exercise and hydrate make sure you have some fun. You will be ok and even a little relieved after having Covid.