Grossed out by sick grocery cashier

amother

Lawngreen

Thu, Nov 15 2018, 2:16 pm

Went grocery shopping today and noticed as I started emptying my cart that the cashier looked pretty under the weather and was sniffling etc. I was already grossed out that she was handling all my groceries, and then I hear her commenting to another employee how she’s really not feeling well and is nauseous etc..
I was so grossed out!! And now I have to worry about her germs crawling all over my groceries..(I tried to disinfect packages when I came home, hope that helped..) I’m not usually the OCD germ type, but this really bothered me.
I understand that she didn’t want to lose a day at work, but it’s just not fair to expose all the customers (and their families) to her germs.

Other types of workplaces is another debate, but a checkout cashier in a grocery that handles every food item you will bring home should not be working when she is obviously sick.

Am I wrong??

amother

Lawngreen

Thu, Nov 15 2018, 2:22 pm

octopus wrote:

It is gross. But practically speaking, it is a minimum wage job, the cashier probably really needs the money and I bet he/she doesn't get sick days.

I agree, but the management should have the best interests of the customer in mind first. They should have a policy that if you’re sick then you don’t work as cashier. Maybe they can place her with some other job that day or they should be more accommodating about their sick days. In any case the priorities of customers should come first.

zaq

Thu, Nov 15 2018, 2:33 pm

Wash your produce before use—you should do this anyway., sick cashier or not. The rest of your stuff is safely inside sealed packages unless you buy that Italian bread that comes in open-end bags. No need for hysterics unless you have a compromised immune system. Besides, people are usually contagious well before they become symptomatic, si that perky cashier in the next line may be shedding just as many infectious particles as your Typhoid Mary. (Yes, I know Typhoid Mary was never sick herself.)

You think your groceries haven’t been handled by people sicker than the cashier? You think your cash hasn’t spent time in people’s shoes, bras, and sweaty hands? You think your grocery cart isn’t crawling with germs? You think no baby ever had a diaper malfunction in it?

The single most effective thing you can do to stay well, short of departing to a desert Island in the Pacific, is to wash your hands with soap and warm water early and often, and keep your hands away from your eyes, mouth and nose.

amother

Tan

Thu, Nov 15 2018, 2:38 pm

I hate when my cleaning lady comes to work sick. So many of them don't know how to use tissues. They wipe their snot on their hands and then touch my things. I have to teach them how to use tissues. Who knows what they do when I am not in the room?

watergirl

Thu, Nov 15 2018, 2:43 pm

amother wrote:

Well then give “them” paid days off so they can stay home!

These threads are always so incredible. These people work hard at labor intensive jobs and they go when they would rather stay home because they have no choice. How many cleaning ladies are afraid to take a sick day because they are worried about getting fired? Or called a liar (so many threads on here about their lying cleaning ladies!). Its a lose-lose!

And by the way, your kid's teachers - they all come to work sick.

If you were SO WORRIED, you would call the store, school, whatever and speak to the manager on their behalf. Implore them to get more paid days off.

amother

Lawngreen

Thu, Nov 15 2018, 2:53 pm

zaq wrote:

So does that mean restaurants and groceries shouldn’t enforce any hygiene policies??

I understand your main point that many times it’s out of our control, but that doesn’t mean stores shouldn’t implement basic common sense hygiene policies, especially with employees that are in close contact with food.

pesek zman

Thu, Nov 15 2018, 2:54 pm

Sorry but leaving your house in the winter means encountering sick people. I ride the subway: cough and sneezes are everywhere (including me and my child because unless we are febrile, we go to school and work) Bank tellers, waiters/waitresses, toll booth workers: assume everyone you encounter has a cold. All you can do is wash your hands often and hope for the best. Build your immunity by taking multivitamin and trying to sleep well.

amother

Lawngreen

Thu, Nov 15 2018, 2:56 pm

watergirl wrote:

And by the way, your kid's teachers - they all come to work sick.

If you were SO WORRIED, you would call the store, school, whatever and speak to the manager on their behalf. Implore them to get more paid days off.

As I said, other types of employees and workplaces are debatable. But a grocery cashier who handles all your food should be a no brainer..
And what about a restaurant (or school) chef, should we give them a pass too??

watergirl

Thu, Nov 15 2018, 3:03 pm

amother wrote:

Well, I was actually typing a reply... I used to work at a kosher fast food place when I was in high school. I touched all of the money and a lot of the food. Yeah, I had gloves on. Great. Yeah, I sneezed into my shoulder. Fab. If I called in sick, I'd get fired. Never called in sick. So think about those sneeze burgers next time you go out to eat. I promise, the conditions that minimum wage workers have to show up to work in have not changed.

Who said anything about a free pass? I suggested you call the manager and implore them to give the workers a few paid days off so they can stay home.

Or would you rather gripe on imamother?

And as Zaq said, there are many other things that you come into contact with daily that are FAR worse than her grimy snot sleeve.

amother

Beige

Thu, Nov 15 2018, 3:03 pm

I was once at a local bagel store, and the guy making sushi was definitely under the weather, to the point that his nose was DRIPPING into the sushi he was making as he wrapped it.
It was a sight I cannot unsee.
I ran out of the store so fast, maybe I should have said something but I was just too horrified.

amother

Lawngreen

Thu, Nov 15 2018, 3:11 pm

amother wrote:

EWWWWW.. it’s really not fair for management to let such a guy work like that. And as you see, they lost your business-rightfully so.

naturalmom5

Thu, Nov 15 2018, 3:17 pm

YO... OP Are you paying her bills...

We had the mi camecha thread a while back, and it sounded so nice and upbeat for a change,,, I was getting nervous..

Since then there have been over 20 threads to offset and defuse whatever positive there was in that thread....

THANK YOU IMAMOTHERS......

I kjnew I could count on you

amother

Lawngreen

Thu, Nov 15 2018, 3:36 pm

naturalmom5 wrote:

Whoa.. I’m sorry if this thread gave you a negative vibe, but I was just raising a legitimate concern and venting about my gross experience- not attacking any individual group of people or specific mentality.
I don’t think this thread fits into the stereotype threads you are referring to, but if it makes you feel better to vent here, go right ahead!! Very Happy

amother

Tan

Thu, Nov 15 2018, 3:43 pm

watergirl wrote:

They can learn basic hygiene. I won't pay them to stay home because they touch their snot. I wouldn't take sick time for sniffles. Your suggestion is ridiculous.

How many sick days should they get? Or should it be unlimited?

BTW, I did pay her for a week when her daughter was hospitalized. She is not fulltime.

FranticFrummie

Thu, Nov 15 2018, 3:51 pm

I agree with the posters who said that if you have a problem, take it up with management.

Maybe this woman is a single mother, and has been taking days off when her kids were sick, doctor's appointments, parent teacher meetings, etc. Her boss got mad and said "One more sick day and you are out of here! I don't care what your excuse is."

I used to work at a law firm where calling in sick was a firing offense. Everyone was expected to suck it up and get on with it, there was work to be done, no excuses. One day I had a massive case of the flu, and a temperature of 104.

I was shaking and nauseated and on the verge of passing out, so I had to call in sick. My manager was furious, and screamed at me "don't bother coming back". Then they couldn't find a temp, so they called me to come in. I was so afraid of being fired again that I took a bunch of cold medicine and went in to work. In the meantime, they found a temp, so when I arrived there was a pink slip on my desk, and I was told to clean out my desk.

They even refused to give me a reference for another job.

Cheiny

Thu, Nov 15 2018, 4:05 pm

amother wrote:

Cheiny

Thu, Nov 15 2018, 4:07 pm

amother wrote:

I’ve experienced the same and agree with you! Only the person was serving me from a takeout place! I ended up getting grossed out and didn’t purchase what I ordered! I feel the same when they don’t wear gloves, wipe their nose with their hand (!) or scratch their head (yes I’ve seen both) and then touch your food..,.yuch. I’ve actually gone to the manager of the store to tell him his employees aren’t wearing gloves, which is the law when serving food....