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A Scuffle Over Sick Leave Reveals My Supervisor’s True Colors
Everything changed when I saw how little she cared about my health.
“If you can’t understand why you must schedule medical appointments around the office’s needs, then maybe a career in public service is not for you,” my supervisor said sternly. She tapped her long, plum-colored manicured nail on her desk for emphasis.
Incredulity likely flashed across my face as my inner monologue screamed, “Are you serious right now!?”
This showdown with my boss was about a colonoscopy, not a day at the beach.
“Laura, don’t you understand that if I grant you sick leave on short notice for this optional medical procedure, it would create a slippery slope and other people would ask for time off on days when we’re short-staffed?” she asked.
Derision dripped from her voice. I expected to see droplets of it on the filthy carpet next to her pointy-toed pumps.
This conversation took place on my first day back at work following a two-week medical absence for chronic belly issues and a suspicious CT scan. My doctor wanted me to have a colonoscopy to check for Crohn’s disease, a rare gastrointestinal condition that can significantly influence patients’ quality of life.
