Condescending Boss Making Light of My Tinnitus

Over the years I've called in sick only two times because of my tinnitus. While I'm somewhat habituated to the base noise, during evenings when I come home and sometimes in the mornings, it crosses a very ear-shattering threshold.

When I told my boss about my ailment, he said to me that I'm just so sensitive, as if tinnitus had anything to do with being sensitive. And I told him that I'm going to call in sick. After trying to talk me out of it and saying how rash I was acting, next he just acted as if I had never informed him, and when next Monday I emailed him a doctor's certificate, he was suddenly panicked about getting someone to do the shift. Still he tried to make light of it and asked me if the "rock music" was any good.

Consequence: After such condescension, I've reflected about another approach. I've felt that I shall be committed, not call in sick again. Whatever ails me, whatever my situation, as long as I'm able to move out of my apartment, I will go to work. I will say, regardless if I'm interacting there with a few hundred customers a day: I'm not ill, I'm sensitive. Be it COVID-19, it'll be on him. I am like Pilate, my hands are clean. What's the worst thing that can happen? Like he's gonna fire me. Legally it wouldn't fly, as soon as we start talking about tinnitus. All these years I've been told that there is nothing to do but to wait. But by the personal choices I make, it's evident that I don't need to feel powerless. We'll see about that then?

 

If that was a boss of mine, I would tell him to suck a fat co*** and die from cancer. Then I would give him my resignation and not show up at work again, regardless of whether I had a notice or not.

 

You just don't tell your creditors (mortgage) you resigned because of your boss, and apart from that bit, it's the least stressful job I've done. And I've done a lot of odd jobs, they're all stressful in comparison, and noisier. The onset of my tinnitus occurred in telemarketing by the way. But you don't have to call in sick ever again, and who's gonna physically remove you if you have exhibit some alerting symptoms? For instance, you're not supposed to show up at work if you have COVID-19 (I am fairly sure that I haven't gone through it, as of yet), least of all when there's lots of people bustling around you. I'm sure I've discovered the best way to clear up everything, so let's see how sensitive I am once the reputation of the company is compromised.

 

Tie him down to a chair and blast both of his ears with an air horn. Call him a baby when he gets debilitating tinnitus.

 

It's such a shame not to have a caring professional hierarchy.

My former manager (who is also the director of my company) was compassionate when I told her about my tinnitus.

I never miss work either because I stay strong despite the lack of sleep (in 4 years I only had to ask twice to stay at home because before I took the antidepressants I didn't sleep more than 1 or 2 hours a night).

I don't know if it's possible in your country, but in mine (I'm French) I've been recognised as a disabled worker because of my tinnitus. This protects me from dismissal and gives me quite a few rights, such as adjusting my working hours, organising my workstation, doing more teleworking and retiring early.

For the moment I have never claimed my rights because I remain strong and dignified, but it is reassuring to feel protected professionally.

Try to find out if this type of recognition exists in your country.

 

I don't think that many workplaces would be understanding for calling in sick, due to tinnitus. Personnel could easily check the statistics and show that a large percentage of people have it, but ignore the severity level factor. In your case, you have not taken advantage and have been honest with them, so they should not have a problem with the very limited amount of sick days you have taken, for tinnitus.

 

That is what I call

Libertè
Egalitè
Fraternitè



(And let's not forget... Mbappè).

 

I think there's the idea that sick leave is supposed to have obvious benefits. In my case there's not many. Sure, the tinnitus feels more manageable when I spend 48 hours in a silent room, but my work performance doesn't vary and I don't have depression/anxiety, just frustration. I've taken antidepressants long ago; the SSRIs didn't make me more relaxed, while the opioids did. (But so does heroin.) If I would make as much money being homebound (I work a lot on weekends), I might have reconsidered. Being a Swede, I haven't got a clue about the French, although j'ai pas mal de compétences en français.