A gas station worker hung a sign on a door that claims management forced them to work while they have COVID, according to a now-viral TikTok. Viewers are praising the worker for warning customers.
TikToker @therealnurik’s video begins with a shot of a sign they posted on the store that states, “I have Covid, but management says its ok to work.” It then cuts to a video of the employee giving the peace sign before transitioning to a middle finger.
@therealnuriko Yup you read that right. #gasstation #gasstationlife #gasstationstorytime #covid #sick #forcedlabor #workingwhilesick #whileworking #sick ♬ Circus Music – The Hit Crew Kids
The video was viewed over 1.2 million times. Viewers said they were grateful the worker notified customers of his condition so that they could take necessary precautions while shopping.
“As a parent of a toddler, I really appreciate this,” one of the top comments reads.
“Thank you for being a decent human being and letting customers know before entering!! this is how it should be if people are forced to work with covid,” another said.
Others urged the worker to “call the health department” and claimed “positive change is only ever occurred when those with power were publicly redrum’d.”
@therealnuriko posted a follow-up TikTok in which they detail what happened. They say they weren’t feeling too well before heading into a shift, and, at first, attributed it to their A/C being cranked up all night because of the summer heat wave hitting many parts of the country. However, by the time their relief came in at the gas station, the manager, they say they had a fever in the triple digits and felt even worse. The worker says they could “barely move” and was “coughing” and had a “stuffy nose.”
The worker says they tested positive for COVID when they got home and notified their manager, who, they say, informed them that they needed to get a doctor’s note in order to have their sick time approved.
They say they went to the doctor the following day because they “could barely move,” and sure enough, the test verified a second time he had COVID. They say they received the doctor’s note and sent it to their manager.
The TikToker says they continued to experience symptoms all week but that their manager was constantly calling to see if they were better. On Saturday, they say they took another test and that it came back positive.
They say their manager told them she spoke to a regional manager, who allegedly said that since the worker’s been vaccinated and boosted, they only needs to self-isolate for five days as stipulated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The TikToker says they told her the rules also state that those who tested positive also must be “symptom free for two days with no medication.”
The worker says they were still experiencing symptoms but that she assured them everything was OK and that they were needed at work. The TikToker says they ultimately went to work but decided to put up the sign because they didn’t want to be one of those “assholes” who treats the illness like it isn’t a big deal while potentially putting others at risk.
The worker added that they have some “80 plus hours of sick time” available, but the business didn’t want the worker to stay home because it didn’t have anyone else to cover the shift.
The TikToker appears to have “Mobil” on their name tag in their latest video. They also indicated that they would have an update on Monday.
“Please let us know how you are feeling and how your manager responded to the note,” one viewer commented, to which the TikToker said: “I still feel like crap. I haven’t heard anything yet. It won’t be till Monday. management doesn’t work sundays. Ever.”
The Daily Dot reached out to @therealnuriko via TikTok comment. The Daily Dot also reached out to Mobil via email.
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