“Paying A Living Wage”: People Are Sharing Company Perks That Show They Care About Their Employees

25.

“I had an uncle who was like my second dad. He had been battling leukemia on and off for 13 years. He had another cancer scare, and his doctor gave him a week to live. Friends and family were coming from all over the country to see him one last time. I had taken three days off of work. When I went back to work, I was called into my boss’s office and was told it was unacceptable. He told me that he was actively going through a divorce, which is the same thing, and he was able to go to work. Then HR called me into their office and said that because he was my uncle, it didn’t classify under bereavement. I quit not too long after for other reasons.”

“My uncle lasted another six months before he passed. By that time, I had been with my new company for about four months. Everyone at my new job knew what was going on. I called my boss, crying that I had a family emergency, and he was completely understanding and told me to let him know if I needed anything. I went to my next working shift, and my boss called me into his office. Instead of reprimanding me, he asked how I was doing, if I was OK with working that day, and if I needed more time. They even gave me bereavement for the day he passed and the day of his funeral. That was probably the best company I worked for.”

—u/Kooky_Inevitable_373