Ohio Kroger worker says they’re no longer allowed to call out sick with doctor’s notes. Now customers are worried: ‘What an evil thing to say’
An Ohio Kroger worker made a post on Reddit calling out the company. The reason why? Employees in District One of the Cincinnati/Dayton division are no longer allowed to call off from work.
Reddit user u/daruuken posted their concerns to r/mildlyinfuriating, a popular community dedicated to annoying and sometimes frustrating encounters. Commenters, though, thought that the way Kroger treated its employees was a serious health risk and not just an annoyance.
Since posting, u/daruuken’s Reddit discussion has received over 13,000 comments and 100,000 upvotes.
What Did Kroger Tell Its Employees?
u/daruuken’s post showed viewers exactly what the Ohio division’s new policies were. According to a screenshot, which was presumably taken from the Fresh Start Training app, team members can no longer take leave from work with just a hospital note.
“The only call offs that will be accepted are: 1. Jury duty 2. Death immediate family member 3. Leave of absence 4. YOU are admitted to the hospital,” the message read.
The poster further clarified Kroger’s position, saying, “I’m not going to give my specific store number for obvious reasons but you can find each store on google with that information. We are unionized by UFCW (already bad btw) and to my knowledge they allowed this recent change. Kroger has no accrual for sick days like some have mentioned.”
They also clarified that the post wasn’t rage bait and was an actual store policy introduced to a number of Kroger’s in Ohio.
Kroger’s Previous History with Employee Accommodations
It turns out, Kroger has a rather litigious past related to employee accommodations. The company has been sued in the past for not accommodating workers’ needs. The U.S. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently filed a federal lawsuit against a Houston store for ignoring and largely stripping an employee of disability accommodations.
“HOUSTON – Kroger Texas L.P. – Houston Division, operator of Kroger grocery store #300 in Houston’s Clear Lake/NASA area, violated federal employment law when it failed to accommodate and then fired an employee because of her disability,” a press release read.
Kroger settled a similar EEOC disability discrimination lawsuit in 2016. Additionally, there are multiple other lawsuits the company has faced regarding employee absences in the workplace, including allegations that they violated the Family and Medical Leave Act as well as the Families First Coronavirus Relief Act during the height of COVID-19.
Commenters Weigh In
Commenters on u/daruuken’s post said that it was a bad decision for Kroger to mandate special circumstances surrounding sick leave. Some mentioned that it would lead to worse health outcomes for employees, while others simply pointed out how dystopian the move was.
“It’s just so insane to read something like this,” one person said. “This is so far beyond illegal in the Netherlands, it’s ridiculous. When I call in sick, that’s it. I don’t need to give a reason, my employer can’t ask what’s wrong with me and I certainly don’t need a doctor’s note.”
Another commenter said, “Even in Asia where the stereotype is of overwork, yeah in Singapore doctor’s notes are required in most companies, but once you have one, your employer legally must let you take your time off.”
Both Parties Respond
u/daruuken responded to an inquiry with The Mary Sue and provided more information. They stated the sick leave at their store was limited to three instances. After a third sick absence without supplemental documentation, an employee would be fired.
They recalled one incident where they were subject to the new policy after calling out. “I had received a text earlier that day my mom was hospitalized. [She] more than likely [was] not going to come out,” the social media user said. “I obviously wanted to leave early, but I was the only clerk in meat and seafood… I was pressured into staying longer to make sure everything was shut down. The policy is in writing, per the union handbook.”
They then provided a screenshot of the alleged handbook from their grocery store.
The Redditor claimed that they had heard about their post making “the rounds” at other stores and that it was making an impact on operations.
“The division president, Jake Cannon, had a meeting [at another store] for everyone where he essentially told them he doesn’t care who posted it online, but do not do it again. He also told the store manager to stop relaying information through Fresh Start and instead verbally announce these things from now on,” they clarified.
In contrast, Kroger denied even being involved or sending the message, saying that it was fake. A representative from Kroger stated, “This is a fake image circulating online that wrongly characterizes our sick leave policy. It isn’t real and doesn’t reflect how we operate. The health and safety of our associates is always a priority, and we support them when they’re sick through established attendance and leave policies, including sick leave that’s included in our union contracts.”
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