Ruby Barker talks lack of mental health support in the workplace

[winter_lace]

https://instagram.com/p/CzCo69yB31U
- Ruby Barker who plays the role of Marina Thompson on Bridgerton was on the LOAF podcast talking about her experiences on Bridgerton and her mental health

Comments

Eep sorry, this is long.

[drakefn]

ONTD... does your workplace care about your mental health?

Nope. I've been having a rough time because my boss won't accept we need higher starting wages (I'm a store manager and we start at MINIMUM wage.) He expects me to have fully trained and dedicated staff. HA.

I herniated a disc two weeks ago and am off work after trying "modified duties" for a week because they sent no help and expected me to keep to deadlines. The doctor was pissed and said nope, you're ordered off. They've treated me like shit and act like I asked to be off. (I actually begged not to be because I was already stressed about falling behind.) When I spoke to him when I we given the doctors note I told him I'd send him the next schedule and he said, "That's the least you can do."

They offer free counseling for store managers but the company they use is shit. I tried them last year. I have anxiety and I have ok coping mechanisms but it was getting to be too much. Instead of listening to me the counselor just kept sending me breathing exercises.

I found a decent counselor in my town finally and my benefits don't cover it. Figured after a year I'd try the free one again, got matched with the same counselor. Tried to send a thing to support through the app to request a different counselor and I keep getting error messages.

My boss is treating my staff like crap because they're not fully trained, but most of them are still brand new. The ones who are trained only stay because they like me as a manager, not the job, but he doesn't see that. He thinks I'm shit at my job because I can't keep people but I've given him a list of almost every place in town and their starting wage to show that we have the lowest. He thinks I don't know what I'm talking about. I'm so stressed that we're going into Christmas season and I'm going to return to no staff.

Sorry for the long comment but I'm dealing with this right now and it's just too much. I don't have the money to move and nowhere around here will pay what I'm earning now (my salary is ok for the 45 hours a week I'm supposed to do, shit for the 60+ 6 days a week I've been doing.)

The sad part is I like my job, but their expectations are ridiculous. I used to be a manager at a Walmart, I can't believe I found a worse company!!!

Re: Eep sorry, this is long.

[drakefn]

I didn't think this would be the first comment, sorry for the novel. 😳

Re: Eep sorry, this is long.

[winter_lace]

I 100% made this post so people could vent about their shitty work places. You're good. I hope things improve for you.

Re: Eep sorry, this is long.

[ty]

FUCK, I am so mad for you. If you are in US, you may consider getting an attorney at some point. You may be protected by FMLA laws.

As no one's mom except here, PLEASE TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF FIRST. Please. Please do not fuck herniated disks - you will regret it the entire rest of your life. Also, start applying at the other places that pay more to their staff, it may be good for your salary and life too.

Also, if you want to talk private about my experience with herniated disks, work, etc. please feel free to DM here on discord. There is a great Venting forum there that is very loving
https://discord.gg/E6vZwf6f

Re: Eep sorry, this is long.

[drakefn]

I'm in Canada so it'll still be an issue for them. I also herniated the disc AT WORK so it's a wcb matter. Just waiting for them to contact me.

Unfortunately applying elsewhere would still be a drastic pay cut to me going from my management salary, and we can't afford that. The only place currently hiring for manager, and admittedly quite a bit higher than my current pay, is the one place in town having a harder time keeping staff than I do. And I've heard nothing but horror stories of the owners.

I go for an MRI on Thursday (was supposed to go last Friday but it's out of town and I need my husband to drive home as I'll need anxiety meds for it.) I'm definitely nervous as I saw the doctor on Wednesday and was called Thursday to go in the next day. Health care here is wait list after wait list so I'm worried the doctor is looking for something serious if they could have got me in that quickly!

I will be having the doctor detail exactly what I can and cannot do and I will be following it to a T.

Thanks for the discord link, I'll definitely look into that!

Re: Eep sorry, this is long.

[bluestoplights]

good luck with your mri! i'm sorry you have to deal with all of this

Re: Eep sorry, this is long.

[ty]

Good you are getting the anti-anxiety. Never be afraid to get meds when these things happen. I do not know how CA Worker's Comp works, I hope if you need it, they can help with disability funds for your time off. Your employer has balls fucking with you when you have a job-related injury.

I have heard though that people who work in stores will often stay BECAUSE of their direct manager, so kudos to you for being the kind of manager people want to stay with as long as they are able.

Re: Eep sorry, this is long.

[drakefn]

WCB here pays you directly for time lost. I still haven't heard from them but my head office just informed me they will be paying me until they hear from wcb which is surprising and helpful. 😳

RE: Eep sorry, this is long.

[theactualworst]

Talk to a workers comp attorney!

Re: Eep sorry, this is long.

[drakefn]

I might. So far they have actually left me alone while I've been off, they didn't even do that with my vacation time, so I'm just enjoying having a break. When I go back, if they try to ignore restrictions, I will be doing so.

RE: Re: Eep sorry, this is long.

[theactualworst]

If your job is also impacting your mental health you can also claim that under comp just FYI.

Re: Eep sorry, this is long.

[drakefn]

Much more difficult where I am. They don't even offer stress leave here.

Re: Eep sorry, this is long.

[tillychar]

hey, i'm a day late to this post but i see you're in AB -- i have experience with WCB here and, while stress leave might not be on the table, i would still bring up job-related mental health struggles with a case manager once you are assigned one for your herniated disc. i can't say for sure if that would be added to your claim, but it's absolutely worth at least discussing (particularly since they're dismissive of your needs to the point that they could be making your physical injury worse, by both not giving proper modified duties and trying to ignore your doctor's orders to take time off). not trying to be pushy, just want to encourage you that you're well within your rights to bring it up! best of luck <3

Re: Eep sorry, this is long.

[drakefn]

Thanks! I heard from WCB today. I emphasized the way my boss and head office had reacted and how stressed and depressed I've been due to everything. I expect to hear from them again tomorrow or Friday and we'll see how it goes.

RE: Eep sorry, this is long.

[umilicious]

omg, that is worse than Walmart. My condolences as a fellow Walmart vet. I hope you can recover soon so you can have one less thing on your mind. You have to be tough as nails to work retail, but people don’t respect that at all.

Did you hurt yourself at work? I’m assuming not because your doctor seems like they would take more direct action knowing that.

Anyway, I hope that things go up from here and that every manager that is making your life miserable gets nasty feedback from corporate during every walkthrough.

Re: Eep sorry, this is long.

[drakefn]

I did hurt myself at work! Initially it was a smaller injury and I kept telling them it was getting worse and they needed to get me help but they ignored me, then I felt this pressure and terrible pain lifting a box of pillows. To be fair my injury report probably sounded like bs at first but why would I make that up? 😂 The first doctor I saw offered me a week off but I said I didn't want to be off so he gave me restrictions, they didn't follow them. The second doctor I saw was posed I ever went back and ordered me off immediately.

I desperately want to find something that's work from home but anytime I try to find something it's all scam ads or call centers that don't pay nearly enough. 😔