Toxic Management Puts Employee on a "Wall of Shame" For Calling Out After Her Dog Died

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Emmy Pratt • Writer and Editor
Nov 30, 2023 7:00 PM EST

It can be hard to get sympathy in the workplace after a pet dies. I experienced this firsthand when I worked at, of all places, a dog bakery. After an entire summer of covering my coworker's shifts anytime they wanted to go to a concert or go on vacation, I begged for somebody to take my shifts in the days after my dog died to no avail. I worked for about an hour and a half before the owner finally sent me home.

Unfortunately, not every higher-up is as sympathetic to the struggles of mourning pet owners as my boss was. One healthcare worker recently went viral on Reddit after sharing her story of being put on a "Wall of Shame" after calling out of work following her dog's passing. The fact that she was able to prove this story was unimportant to the management, who seemed willing to shame anyone for any reason. 

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  • 01
    r/antiwork u/Intelligent-King6234 • 1d Placed on the very public "wall of shame call outs list" for calling out the day my dog died.
    via u/Intelligent-King6234
  • 02
    My work places in the staff break room a list of everyone who calls out for the month to "hold employees accountable" due to staff complaints to management of being understaffed. When I spoke to management asking for them to please reconsider adding me to the list and the sensitivity of the nature, losing a family member, I was told this was an unexcused absence and that I had to be on the list. I provided a final bill for the vet ICU including the date and time which matched my call
    via u/Intelligent-King6234
  • 03
    out day/shift time. Was told it's to keep everything fair no matter a verifiable excuse. If they allow me a pass, everyone else will want one too. Am I overthinking this? Overreacting? I'm obviously disgusted with this horrible moral of team "unbuilding". Just ugh. I have never called out before. I work in health care.
    via u/Intelligent-King6234
  • 04
    TPhoard 1d ● Sounds like a pretty toxic work place. Time to fond a new job ... Reply 1.9k
    via u/TPhoard
  • 05
    Intelligent-King6234 OP 1d I fear it's the industry I work in as a whole. Maybe I need to find a new industry. A new skill set. Maybe get out of this field all together. In my field, we're expected to keep people alive and healthy, but the corporations we work for could care less about the people on their front lines. If that's not a catch 22 I don't what is. ... 4719
    via u/Intelligent-King6234
  • 06
    sly-3 . 1d the corporations we work for could care less about the people on their front lines. Correction: The private equity funds that hold the purse strings for the corporate boards could [n't] care less. It is always about the money. 444
    via u/sly-3
  • 07
    Intelligent-King6234 OP 1d ● You are correct my friend. Sucks, but it's the honest truth. 174
    via u/Intelligent-King6234
  • 08
    nyvn. 1d Without knowing the industry, I'd suggest looking for an adjacent industry. ... 473
    via u/nyvn
  • 09
    Intelligent-King6234 OP 1d I think this may be my stopping point for working in healthcare. It's been too long and the same stupid things over the years, this one takes the cake. The whole dang cake. 4158
    via u/Intelligent-King6234
  • 10
    Steal_Your_Face55 - 1d The employees should change the narrative. A round of applause for each new one on the wall of shame. Mock the wall of shame for trying to pit you against each other. It's all of you against management! Good luck on your job search as that place is only good through the rear view mirror Reply 249
    via u/Steal_Your_Face55
  • 11
    athenaprime 1d. ● Rename it the Wall if Fame for recognition of work-life balance. And start your own wall of shame. "It's been 230 days since this place was fully staffed. Current employees are doing the work of 1.25 people for 1 person's pay." start talking about how much everyone is making and invite an appropriate union rep to contact you.
    via u/athenaprime
  • 12
    This mean-girl school. should have stopped in high Also, make sure everyone at your level collectively high-fives the person with the most call-out. Gather up a pool and have cupcakes in the break room celebrating that person. The only way they can make you feel shame is if you and your coworkers let them. And nobody take an extra shift. Make them call in temp staff (is that still a thing?) ... 154
    via u/athenaprime
  • 13
    thedudeabidesOG. 1d Man, that place. Time to call them out explaining if they weren't so toxic then perhaps they'd be able to keep employees. OD #Schitts Creek I'M JUST THROWING IT OUT THERE by CBC via GIPHY Reply 分 208 凸
    via u/thedudeabidesOG
  • 14
    Intelligent-King6234 OP 1d ● The turnover rate is incredibly high in this industry. Unfortunately, the management style seems to be in uniform, even state to state. 76
    via u/Intelligent-King6234
  • 15
    Resident Phone_169. 1d Am I overthinking this? Overreacting? I'm obviously disgusted with this horrible moral of team "unbuilding". Just ugh. Not at all. Their ideology is idiotic. It's literally intended to shame those who have personal things that interfere with work. Reply 310
    via u/Resident_Phone_169
  • 16
    Intelligent-King6234 OP. 1d I believe that no one person has a more valid excuse to call out than the other. When you call out of your work shift, your reason is JUST AS important as your fellow coworkers. No matter what. If it's important enough for you to call out of work, it's valid. In my opinion. I know my excuse is pretty significant, but I believe even something less severe and personal might be just as significant. If that makes sense. The wall of shame needs to come down, period. 4 125
    via u/Intelligent-King6234
  • 17
    johnnypark1978 • 1d I honestly don't get it. "Staff is complaining that we're short staffed so I'm going to shame people who need a day off!" My guy, if you don't have enough staff to cover when people need to take a day off (which is a completely normal thing for people to do)... You're still short staffed. Shaming them doesn't change that fact. 94
    via u/johnnypark1978
  • 18
    Macktheinfluencer • 1d Next to your name you should write why you called out and thank them for the reminder every time you go into the break room. So sorry for your loss screw that place. Reply 65
    via u/Macktheinfluencer
  • 19
    Intelligent-King6234 OP. 1d I tried to do this! Another coworker wrote next to their name "this was pre-approved PTO, not a call out" and one of the managers responded with a completely new re-rewritten list with a message at the top stating, "Do not write on this list if your are not a supervisor/manager." ... 63
    via u/Intelligent-King6234
  • 20
    PacificlsMyHome. 1d Tape a photo of your dog next to the list with RIP [dog name] and date they died on the photo and turn it into a little memorial. They said no writing on the list, not no posting photos near the list. ... 90
    via u/PacificlsMyHome
  • 21
    OP. 1d Oh for the love of gravy. You're a genius. I WILL be doing this tomorrow. 1000000%. Intelligent-King6234 88
    via u/Intelligent-King6234
  • 22
    EscapeFromTexas. 1d This is going to backfire on them so hard the minute someone has a tragic event involving their (human) family. "Sorry Kim, we know your husband died of a sudden heart attack but you still had an unexcused absence, rules are rules." Reply 447
    via u/EscapeFromTexas
  • 23
    MajorAd33631d A list of people who call out to hold people "accountable"? ? Is this even legal? Seems like a terrible practice and a potential HR minefield. OSHA prevents disincentives in the workplace created to keep people from reporting work-related accidents/incidents. Being in healthcare, seems like this might be in that same general category of creating a disincentive to making safe choices for yourself, patients and coworkers. Also, does the company have an attendance policy? If so, does
    via u/MajorAd3363
  • 24
    Intelligent-King6234 OP. 1d I'm taking this exact comment to HR tomorrow. I'll keep you posted. 10
    via u/Intelligent-King6234

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management dogs toxic-manager employee toxic-workplace manager pets toxic-management time off toxic-boss shame managers toxic-work-environment
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