So, what I’m looking for is for people to tell me I don’t look like an asshole here. This is long. You’ve been warned.

I work in a call center, in sales, for a major bank. I’ve been with the company for 9 years, almost 3 in my current department. The first year and a half I was in this department I was having some medical issues that caused me to be out on leave for a little over a year on and off. December of 2017 I was finally healthy and ready to be permanently back at work.

From then to now I’ve build quite a name for myself. Top performer for all 4 quarters 2018, a promotion, moved up to the highest level of trainer to where I’m allowed to fill in for managers when they’re off, made more money in 2018 than any other year in my working life. Things were good.

January is typically the worst month for call outs in my department for three reasons 1) it’s the worst weather. 2) people get sick. 3) sick-time for the year has just replenished so people can stay home and still be paid (we get 10 paid days a year) People definitely abuse this sick time.

It just so happened that my son (2 years old) got a really bad cold, his coughs were hurting my chest, he only wanted mama and so I stayed home with him for two day until he could sleep through the night.

Monday (my normal day off) MLK day, I woke up with the intention of working 8 hours of overtime because my husband was off and could stay with our son. I also woke up with a case of what I suspected (and was later confirmed) was pink eye. I still went to work. (I know, I lysoled everything and wore gloves and didn’t touch door knobs, don’t give me shit) I convinced them to let me stay home Tuesday and make up the hours on Sunday. Perfect. No time lost, no sick time used. Everyone’s happy.

Today (Saturday) is my normal day to work. I wake up, get ready. No one is awake before I leave so I don’t talk to anyone, I get to Dunkin’ and go to order my drink, and I have no voice, like not even a whisper. Tumble weeds are coming out. Fuck. Clearly Ursula got me.

I still go to work. I’m hoping that maybe there is some admin work they can assign me to do since I have manager access, I was willing to do anything to not use a sick day, because 1) I know the shit managers have been talking about people abusing it and 2) if I do the overtime I worked on the holiday is now regular pay not overtime pay.

The manager on hears my whisper plea to stay. He send me home. Bye-bye overtime. But my bigger concern. Does it appear that I am an asshole for being another call off? I worked really hard to build my brand up after my illness and prove I’m manager material. I feel like a jerk.