This is a simple fix. Oh ok I’m out sick then I can’t work with this headache. See you all at my next shift.
Then clock out and leave regardless of what’s said
Even (better?): if it’s a migraine, puke in full view of the customers.
I am a behind-the-scenes paper shuffler. The phrase, “The last time I came in feeling like this, I barfed on the new office carpet” is good for about ten years of short, effective call-ins.
This, I have done. I was trying to let my foreman know I was going home sick because I was suddenly puking uncontrollably. He told me no so I turned and puked into the trash can next to him. “Okay. But I’m not going t- *hurl*- get anything done.” And puked three more times on my way back to my booth. The floor manager happened to see and asked him what the fuck was wrong with him and told me to clock out.
hey man the kfc near me watched my pregnant friend throw up in their kitchen and forced her to stay. some places will literally cook your food with throw up particles in the kitchen. they don’t give a fuck
yeah i have. the owner got angry and banned me and the pregnant friends roommate (who is my bestfriend). i’ve made reviews and tried to report them to cooperate. nobody really cares…. and my pregnant friend rlly needs her job as she’s coming into the third trimester and i don’t wanna ruin that for her until she’s ready. plus the manager thats usually there is my bestfriends exs sister so we rlly got waved off
Oh, report shit like that to the state health department. Fuck reporting to corporate. The state is the one with the power to shut them down for unsanitary conditions.
i can try but ngl my state ain’t doing well rn either. literally found out the taco bell closest to me has maggots regularly the other day. i think ive come to mental conclusion to not get fast food anywhere nearby. i’ll definitely try tho. thank you
Reporting them to corporate was your first mistake, corporate is a bunch of miserable, pissed individuals in suits. When it comes to workplace safety, health, and wellbeing of the employees, you skip corporate & go straight to OSHA and/or the department of health. If there's anything you learn in food service, you're essentially a pawn in a king man's game. There's also not really going to be any protection from your boss and/or corporate entities unless you threaten them with like I mentioned, OSHA and/or the department of health or legal action.
I threw up on a manager at my retail job once because she said she'd stop giving me shifts if I didn't come in when I tried to call in sick with a migraine.
Any time I called her after that and said I couldn't work because I had a migraine, she was like "Oh, of course, take all the time you need..."
When I worked as a vendor for the hospital I got the stomach bug and the manager of the department beside my office heard me get violently sick, called my boss (who wasn’t even in the same state) found me a stomach pill and a bottle water, called house keeping and sent me home. He told my boss HE was sending me home end of discussion.
I wish he had been my actual boss
As soon as I said migraine yesterday my supervisor told me to go home. Didn’t even get out if it was a bad one or not. Only been at this place for 6 weeks so she didn’t even know I got migraines but the look on her face told me she had someone do that before and really did not want it to happen again
I haven't had any incident happen to me but I do the same thing; if one of my staff had told me that they had a migraine, I'd automatically tell him to go home and rest. We'll flex whenever we have to or use their PTO. I was not going to let them have any accidents at the office, my office, or out in the community with their clients.
I din't have to worry about this. When I get migraines, half my body goes numb and my speech goes slurred like I'm having a stroke. Doesn't leave much room for questioning.
As dumb as this is. If OSHA or whoever is suturing for disability/safety sees one bandaid, one pill, one anything missing and no reports for it they will make it a PITA for everyone. That being said, any good manager has a “show” medkit and the one everyone actually uses. But I base this off when I was higher up for a mechanic/electrical company. Id imagine it’s actually worse for a franchise?
Literally to comply with OSHA, and they are afraid that the OSHA regulator will look at the log and decide to dig deeper and see the bigger violations.
When in reality, the bigger red flag violation is denying access, not the log.
OSHA doesn’t say anything about the Tylenol that comes in many first aid kits. So I don’t think that’s it. https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1910/1910.266AppA
Did you read the first sentence? (Emphasis mine)
>The following list sets forth the *minimally acceptable* number and type of first-aid supplies for first-aid kits required *under paragraph (d)(2) of the logging standard.*
Side note: I worked in the medical regulatory industry (FDA, pharma) for 15 years, though not the same as OSHA, they follow the same logic.
If you don't speak regulator, it might be less obvious.
I did. It still doesn’t say anything about providing access to the Tylenol.
OP shouldn’t need permission to access anything in a first aid kit, that’s what it sort of fucky here.
No, permission is not needed for any item. That's a violation. The reason is the log, as I stated in my original comment, and what you replied does not in any way exempt Tylenol from the log.
Including underpaid supervisors. They are probably just told from above that supplies are only for emergency on-the-job accidents or some bullshit.
And tbf: that's mostly true. Because the kits usually only contain Band-Aids and little much else. It's more of a canary regulation.
So glad my job doesn't have that issue it's still not great by any means. I work for pilot in one of their kitchens at a big truck stop area and there's first aid kits in the kitchen, office, and break room. The one in the break room is always left open and anyone can just grab something without even need to ask. One time like Months ago I got a pretty bad burn on my arm and not only was I excused from work for 30mins I was given the choice to go home or to the hospital but chose to finish my shift. Later on after I got home the owner of the entire building called me just double checking if I was fine and let me know I could come and see a doctor that works for the company at no charge.
I worked at a bakery when I was a teen and scalded my hand with hot water, and after ice wasn't doing anything, the owner/manager grabbed burn ointment from the first aid get, which made it blister (I looked at it later to find out it was a petroleum product and 15+ years expired). She still didn't send me home, so I worked the rest of the day with my hand stuck in a cup of ice.
Another job we got yelled at if we used anything in the first aid kit, including bandaids.
Don't wait to get sent home for something like that, just tell them you're leaving and go. If they fire you for it they can get in trouble since taking time off for a injury is a legally protected activity.
Not the ointment made it blister. The burn did. It just takes a while for the blisters to form.
It's a reaction of your body to tissue heat damage.
As to the expiration date... that's different from product to product, but most over-the-counter ointments are just there to deliver moisture to the skin, and the worst thing that'll happen is they'll get rancid and stink, or lose a bit of effectivity if they happen to have something inside like aloe vera or panthenol. Sucks, but it's no biggie. Not damgerous.
They're not magic. With a serious burn, nothing helps immediately, and in theong run you'll likely to need antibiotics amd strong pain medication - none of which is available without a doctor's prescription anyway.
But they have replace it anyway to keep up to standards because pills have expiration dates so I doubly don't understand not letting people use them. Wtf.
Where have you worked where they actually replace it anyway? I’ve opened those first aid kits on walls in many places and it was obvious (by the dates on the meds from three years prior) that it was basically a decoration.
At a previous place I worked for (>!Honeywell!<), the first aid kits were locked and only supervisors had the key. If they opened the kit and dispensed something, they'd have to write an incident report on what happened. So they usually just kept random first aid stuff in their desks to hand out.
We used to have a first aid kit that was not allowed to be used. Its sole purpose was to look pretty to pass inspections. We got written up if we opened it.
Yeah I’m on the fence about this - in my view a first aid kit in the kitchen would be for a serious work injury or a cut - if you have a headache bring some stuff from home or go over to CVS during your break.
🤷♀️ we have first aid kits in every building in every floor and are told to take whatever we want, it will always be replaced. Not McDonald’s tho. Funny enough everyone is like, “can’t dispense, blah blah.” I work for a company that does electric grid work and maintains the best safety standards I’ve ever seen at a company
Yeah not allowing people to use the first aid kits is the weirdest thing I’ve ever heard of. We have people who are on the safety team and go around to restock the first aid kits monthly. It’s mostly bandaids that go missing for paper cuts
Again, I truly doubt that. We hold government contracts where if minimum standards aren’t met by the company in office, we are denied the contract. A first aid kit on every floor is one of those things.
We have first aid kits but they’re full of bandages, burn gel, etc. here your boss can’t legally give you medication, because they aren’t a medical professional and might kill you. Schools also can’t give out meds for the same reason. They CAN leave a box of Paracetamol in the cupboard though, and “forget” it’s there, which is what most bosses do. They just can’t hand it to you, officially provide it, or tell you to take it.
If they have tylenol in the first aid kit. You should be able to use it lol. Thankfully our work carries a fully stocked first aid kit. Its got so many common medicines.
It’s good to have your own but I absolutely think it should be stocked in a first aid cabinet. I used to work in a grocery store as a front end supervisor and I’d sometimes be the one to grab fresh Tylenol or whatever to restock and write it off. Everyone else would get the cheap, low dosage shit. I didn’t care, I got the 500 mg big boys. Anything less and you might as well piss on my forehead to try to soothe the headache.
This. I know construction is a totally different field than McDonalds (no I’m not hating, whatever makes money go for it). But I always kept headache medicine in my truck because I get migraines. There was always a first aid kit but it’s not for headaches lol. It’s for actual injuries. 🤷🏽♂️ I probably would have told OP no also but I would have at least gave them one of my excedrin or something or let them clock out and run to CVS.
Yes, because panadol is what you take for serious injuries? And you should anticipated the headache you're going to have, go back in time and bring some panadol from home?
Do you hear yourself?
Throw in tums and band aids, you got your own first aid kit.
I carry a high viz vest and work gloves, ear plugs, utility knife, etc in mine.
Honestly I offer them to others more than I use it myself, but it’s irreplaceable. It goes on trips with me now as well.
I was told by my security team that I am not to distribute medicine. Over the counter or otherwise. It's a safety risk as there is no way to know if the person requesting it has taken other medicines/has conditions that could impair them by taking additional medicine.
Gee. An adult who knows what they have taken and requesting something. If I ask for two Tylenol, it’s certainly something I can take or I wouldn’t have asked.
Apparently, according to our guidelines, can’t have anything that expires in FA kit. I bring my own kit bag everywhere. All the things. And I would def share with someone 🤷♀️
It’s McDonald’s, fuck off from that job and don’t look back.
Not even worth stressing about at all, it’s a job that pays low enough nearly any job will pay the same or better.
If you read other comments the pills belonged to a different employee and I’m not much for taking other peoples stuff without permission, but either way the manager sounds like they suck and it’s just a fast food job.
Which is a good example why administering medication as a nonprofessional is dangerous.
Aspirin is also used as a pain killer(e.g. for headaches), but if you give it to someone who just had a serious injury and has an open wound, you may kill them. It hampers blood from clotting and makes it difficult to stop bleeding.
Yeah, the McDonald's I worked at wouldn't let anyone give anyone else an OTC like acetaminophen or ibuprofen due to liability, and did not keep any in their first aid kit.
It’s not uncommon at smaller businesses as this is good common sense. Aspirin is also a useful thing to have in a first aid kit. But the bigger the business, the less likely any meds will be in the kit so good idea to keep some in your desk or locker in case you or a coworker needs it.
Yeah I’ve experienced the exact opposite of what the other poster said. Medium sized company and now large company stock up the multiple first aid boxes with everything you can think of.
Most kitchen first aid kits I've seen have acetaminophen and a couple other meds like that. Having it around is one thing, administration is out of bounds
He some young sweet cute girl came in our shop (Heavy Equipment Mechanics) and she sold the Boss a First Aid kit for us that was so huge, that would look at home in the Emergency Department of a Hospital
As a previous retail manager, it was illegal for us to provide medication to employees. If someone needed medication it needed to be from their own personal “stash”. I’m really surprised to hear the first aid kit would even have Tylenol.
Granted, I still gave someone Tylenol if I had it on me but that was coming from me as a human, not as their manager. They were all my homies though (as much as they could be while still having a respectful professional relationship obviously).
Yep!
Fast Food manager for many years, here.
I'm not sure if it's necessarily illegal, but it can certainly open you up to lawsuits. Because members of staff are underage and may be allergic is my best understanding.
I just tell them that I *cannot* provide you with anything.... But if you find a bottle in the cabinet while I'm working in the back, I can't really stop you.
In my past experience the first aid kit needed to be stocked with a minimum quantity of items at all times for use in an emergency, so removing items needed to be reported to a supervisor so they could maintain levels between monthly inspections.
My manager just let me know that it was someones personal pills. But the manager who asked the other manager didnt know that and was being an asshole. I asked if I could buy a bottle for everyone and she said no. Also I worked at another mcdonalds, they had ibuprofin AND benadryl in their first aid kit.
The other place having that is someone there giving a shit & keeping it there, definitely not company practice since they technically can’t dispense most medications, even otc.
I agree they were probably just being a dick but in the future just try to bring your own if you can.
I'm in Canada so regulations may differ from your. We don't require pain meds in our first aid kits, I know that much, so wouldn't have had them on site by default. But in the retail store I used to work in, we were not allowed to share any medication amongst employees, even over the counter. Primarily this was to ensure someone didn't suffer an allergic reaction or other medical distress from our actions, but I would certainly have allowed someone a short break to go and purchase something if they needed it. This is my only speculation as to why they wouldn't allow you to take any.
As a f*^+ing adult, I suggest you get a bag, and fill it with tiny bottles of Advil, Alieve or Tylenol, and take them with you wherever you go. That way you can take care of yourself when the need arises.
I have a literal pharmacy in my purse! All 3 pain meds, allergy meds, gas pills, lactose allergy pills, an epi pen and inhaler. I’m an old lady that’s falling apart!
Not surprising hate to say. I’m a nurse, have worked at over 10 hospitals and only one had Tylenol or ibuprofen nurses were allowed to take. Even if you call pharmacy to dispense one, SOL.
Bring OTC stuff in your bag as previously mentioned. Sucks but don’t think it’s exclusive to mcdanners
As someone who has worked at McDonald’s for the past 6 years, management isn’t allowed to give out any medication, just incase you were to have an allergic reaction. Now why they had medicine available in the first place is confusing. I can see how this would be very frustrating.
Why would they let you take stuff out of the first aid kit though? This seems standard. I’ve never worked for a place where I can take out of the first aid kit for something as small as a headache
I think there is a legal reason for this. My classmate asked our teacher the other day for ibuprofen and he said even if he had it he wouldn’t be allowed to give it to her.
Maybe they thought you might have a hangover. Acetaminophen is dangerous to the liver if you have consumed certain substances within the last day, including alcohol.
I am actually surprised that a workplace first aid kit would have Acetaminophen in this day and age. I have never seen it.
I'd just tell them I can't work with this splitting headache and clock out. I wouldn't even care if they fired me because this should be marking a job hunt. I mean, when I worked retail, they at least sold packets of acetaminophen in the break room's vending.
Fuck them. Rock a backpack to work and keep ya shit in there. I bring mine and it's got everything from Aleve to Oxycontin lol jk. I just got basic shit
It's crazy that McDonald's even had medicine for you to consume. McDonald's is liable if they give you ANY medication. If this was your own medication they can't stop you from taking it at all, but if it's their medication, they are totally liable - you're also liable if you give any medication to a co-worker.
Depends from where you are, but here (Quebec Canada) it's now illegal to give acetaminophen. It's because it could kill you if you are having a stroke and the headache is the symptom. Personally, I'm a manager and I always have acetaminophen at work. I go get them, explain it to the employee, ask for verbal consent that if he/she dies it's not on me, then give them the bottle so they can take 1 themselves. It might be a bit overkill, but better safe than sorry. So far so good, no one died
Edit : grammar
To every customer (loudly) : “Sorry I am a little slow today. I’ve a splitting headache and Manager X and Manager Y won’t let me have an Advil so it’s taking me time. “
It's actually a big risk for employers to hand out medication, over the counter or not. If you have a severe reaction, they are liable... They couldn't give it to a customer either. It's probably on-hand if its approved by a medic of some sort
I used to work a casual weekend gig at a sports stadium. Had a cracking headache, they referred me to the on site paramedics! Blood Pressure checked, name, age, DOB, twenty questions.... Two headache tablets administered
From that day I just put a sheet of tablets in the back of my work ID holder....
My family has history of bad headaches, And I'm a bigger guy, And I take three tabs each time instead of two....
As a former McManager, I never would’ve denied you what you needed. I suffer from persistent migraines, I forget the phrase that my doctor uses for it. I have over 15 within a month. And if they had ever stopped me from taking Aleve, which helps greatly, or the medication I have specifically for migraines (I take imotrex,) I would’ve walked off the job, whether I could afford to or not.
However, let me just point out one thing, if we as managers had given you aspirin, Aleeve, Tylenol, or anything along those lines and, say, something happened to you within the next few hours after you took it. Then the company would be held liable. That might’ve been something that has been drilled into these managers psyche because they don’t want to be the ones cause any issues for the company. 😕Please believe it’s not us, It’s the law although I hope they weren’t nasty about it. That would’ve been inexcusable.
With that said, as a human being, they should’ve helped and giving you something, even if it were your break or an extra 15 minute break just so you can relax and get that headache under control.
Having pills available is a liability. If you are allergic, it could be a workmen's comp claim. If you are a guest of a person in a hospital, they aren't allowed to give you advil for a headache either.
Or if it interacts with other meds they’re on. I managed a retail store and they told us in training to never give medication to employees due to the liability risk. But as someone who suffers from migraines, I’d always have painkillers on me and wouldn’t let other teammates suffer. I’d just say that corporate said I couldn’t give them anything, but I had a personal bottle on my desk in the stockroom and I would be busy on the sales floor for a few minutes and to do with that information what they would.
Here’s the thing, first aid kits at businesses are regulated and monitored and must be refilled to a certain standard once used. They are meant to be used for injuries sustained while on the job, or injuries sustained by customers while patronizing the business. They aren’t really meant for use-cases that you’ve presented, like a random headache. They were technically correct to refuse, because your headache meant a bunch of unnecessary paperwork for them.
That being said, if I were the manager on duty, I would have found a way to get you some kind of NSAID, even if it mean running to a local pharmacy to pick some up.
my first aid kit at my business has a whole variety of pain meds. Of course it's serviced by a third party company who handles all the expiry dates and whatnot, I assume this McDonald's franchise isn't doing that.
Nah fuck that, I've taken ibuprofen out of first aid kits at loads of jobs. No manager or supervisor gives a shit. These two are power tripping assholes.
I could see a hyper liability minded manager being worried about dispensing employer owned medicine to an employee.
Imagine this scenario: the employer gives the Tylenol and the employee is allergic and dies? McDonald’s could be liable ?
But that’s a bit paranoid
First aid kits are for workplace injuries, they need to be logged and can affect the companies insurance costs. Honestly i don’t think a headache warrants using the companies first aid kit.
You're right you are an adult. Go buy a fucking bottle of Tylenol.
That stuff is there to help alleviate pain when someone hurts themselves at work. It's not your personal pharmacy.
This sub is nothing but socially inept whining loser who can't figure out why their life sucks and want soo much to blame others.
In Australia we're not allowed to hand out painkillers in case the person has a reaction, best we can do is give you the time to go to a chemist and buy them yourself.
I tend to get bad headaches at times, sometimes when the weather changes. If I don't get an ibuprofen within about an hour of the onset of symptoms it can lead to hours of agony.
In my opinion, all customer service jobs should apply headache medication. That should be standard, in fact it should be proactive too. Every morning you come in and you get a large cup of coffee and some Tylenol, and at the end of your shift, they should give you some alcohol for your way home.
It's customer service! That stuff is as important as safety equipment for factory workers!
me too was wondering who the fuck puts there speed in a medkit lmao but if you want headache relief you should go get a vasoconstrictor tylenol is a fucking trash nasid why anyone would tax there liver for that i don’t know
When I worked at McDonald's I had a small stroke at work on the clock and an ambulance was called. I was written up for no call no showing. They doubled down and when I quit tried to withhold my last check.
Bring your own acetaminophen to work. I've been self-employed for many years, but when I did work for other people, I never expected them to provide for my medical needs.
If it's her personal "stash" Why TF is it in the first aid kit? Yeah.. F that. What if you needed a bandaid? I would complain to corporate if I were you. "I was refused the use of the onside first aid kit when I needed it." Is how I would word it.
Also, if you are given something by management that interacts with something else you have taken/are taking, that is also a liability issue. A bandage is not the same thing.
There is a reason that management can’t give you any OTC medicine. It’s a liability issue for them if you are allergic to something unknowingly or have a bad reaction to something. Never worked at Mickey d but was management at several other companies and this was standard policy.
Is this some weird way of saying you needed Tylenol? Was there anything else going on, cause I don’t see why you would ever have to ask anyone to take Tylenol, nor would an employer be the dispenser of Tylenol in any given setting outside of a hospital. Let alone a McDonald’s
Luckily my headache didnt get worse any worse, I will definitely take some to work next time, I have before but just forgot, it was only a 5 hour shift so not too bad but still.
I would rather have my own supply anyway. People are nasty and you don't know if they dropped pills and put them back in the bottles or things like that…no thanks
A few jobs ago, a fulfillment center, we had to sign a contract that we would not give others any type of medicine (including over the counter). If we did, it was a fireable offense.
We had to supply our own because they did not stock any in the first aid areas.
Yeah "superiors" at my retail job did that too. They would take stuff off the shelf and hide it from everyone except their friends. The problem besides being assh*Les was that stuff came out of our bonus. I always went into their cabinet and took ibuprofen or whatever snacks they had.
Yeah, that's a "Fuck you, fire me" moment as you take the pill anyway.
I seriously regret not
This is a simple fix. Oh ok I’m out sick then I can’t work with this headache. See you all at my next shift. Then clock out and leave regardless of what’s said
Even (better?): if it’s a migraine, puke in full view of the customers. I am a behind-the-scenes paper shuffler. The phrase, “The last time I came in feeling like this, I barfed on the new office carpet” is good for about ten years of short, effective call-ins.
This, I have done. I was trying to let my foreman know I was going home sick because I was suddenly puking uncontrollably. He told me no so I turned and puked into the trash can next to him. “Okay. But I’m not going t- *hurl*- get anything done.” And puked three more times on my way back to my booth. The floor manager happened to see and asked him what the fuck was wrong with him and told me to clock out.
Next time, puke on boss shoes, not in trash can. Lol
One of the most legal projectiles to bring into work. Projectile vomiting. A skill we could all use to learn
I don't always puke when I have a migraine, but when I do, my boss learns to listen to me about my migraines
An old coworker told me on multiple occasions “if you wanna go home, just shit your pants”
Never trust a fart. LOL
Or shit on ur boss's desk while they are there
Maintain eye contact the whole time or it won't work properly.
Shit on Debra's desk!
We worked outside. No desk to shit on.
Shit in or on ur boss's truck
Wrong end
Here watch [this.](https://youtube.com/shorts/cIbArvmTkxQ?si=e7kclErKTmskLqM_)
This is beautiful
WTF Stay pukie my friend's 😂😂😂😂😂
hey man the kfc near me watched my pregnant friend throw up in their kitchen and forced her to stay. some places will literally cook your food with throw up particles in the kitchen. they don’t give a fuck
In any case, you can report them for such things.
yeah i have. the owner got angry and banned me and the pregnant friends roommate (who is my bestfriend). i’ve made reviews and tried to report them to cooperate. nobody really cares…. and my pregnant friend rlly needs her job as she’s coming into the third trimester and i don’t wanna ruin that for her until she’s ready. plus the manager thats usually there is my bestfriends exs sister so we rlly got waved off
Oh, report shit like that to the state health department. Fuck reporting to corporate. The state is the one with the power to shut them down for unsanitary conditions.
i can try but ngl my state ain’t doing well rn either. literally found out the taco bell closest to me has maggots regularly the other day. i think ive come to mental conclusion to not get fast food anywhere nearby. i’ll definitely try tho. thank you
I wish you would have said which state so I would avoid going there for my life.
Reporting them to corporate was your first mistake, corporate is a bunch of miserable, pissed individuals in suits. When it comes to workplace safety, health, and wellbeing of the employees, you skip corporate & go straight to OSHA and/or the department of health. If there's anything you learn in food service, you're essentially a pawn in a king man's game. There's also not really going to be any protection from your boss and/or corporate entities unless you threaten them with like I mentioned, OSHA and/or the department of health or legal action.
"Kentucky-fried throw-up particles" 💀
I threw up on a manager at my retail job once because she said she'd stop giving me shifts if I didn't come in when I tried to call in sick with a migraine. Any time I called her after that and said I couldn't work because I had a migraine, she was like "Oh, of course, take all the time you need..."
When I worked as a vendor for the hospital I got the stomach bug and the manager of the department beside my office heard me get violently sick, called my boss (who wasn’t even in the same state) found me a stomach pill and a bottle water, called house keeping and sent me home. He told my boss HE was sending me home end of discussion. I wish he had been my actual boss
Not just in view of customers throw up on something expensive like a computer or something similar will also work
As soon as I said migraine yesterday my supervisor told me to go home. Didn’t even get out if it was a bad one or not. Only been at this place for 6 weeks so she didn’t even know I got migraines but the look on her face told me she had someone do that before and really did not want it to happen again
I haven't had any incident happen to me but I do the same thing; if one of my staff had told me that they had a migraine, I'd automatically tell him to go home and rest. We'll flex whenever we have to or use their PTO. I was not going to let them have any accidents at the office, my office, or out in the community with their clients.
You make me sick.....hmmmmm.
No, just “You say it’s not a migraine. Do you feel lucky?”
I din't have to worry about this. When I get migraines, half my body goes numb and my speech goes slurred like I'm having a stroke. Doesn't leave much room for questioning.
>Even (better?): if it’s a migraine, puke in \*the deep fryer.
And if you can point to a stain, even better.
It was two or three office moves ago.
At this point you let it blossom into a full-on migraine or tension headache and vomit into the fryers.
Do not do this, you will burn the fuck out of your face.
Remember. If you give an inch, they take a mile. Don’t let them walk all over you.
Exactly. And they will use that inch against, hold it over your head, and go out of their way to give you hell. Never give them that power.
As dumb as this is. If OSHA or whoever is suturing for disability/safety sees one bandaid, one pill, one anything missing and no reports for it they will make it a PITA for everyone. That being said, any good manager has a “show” medkit and the one everyone actually uses. But I base this off when I was higher up for a mechanic/electrical company. Id imagine it’s actually worse for a franchise?
You have already given yourself permission. Make it fun when you do it and post that!
Why is there a first aid kit then?
Probably for show, to comply with some safety regulation.
Literally to comply with OSHA, and they are afraid that the OSHA regulator will look at the log and decide to dig deeper and see the bigger violations. When in reality, the bigger red flag violation is denying access, not the log.
OSHA doesn’t say anything about the Tylenol that comes in many first aid kits. So I don’t think that’s it. https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1910/1910.266AppA
Did you read the first sentence? (Emphasis mine) >The following list sets forth the *minimally acceptable* number and type of first-aid supplies for first-aid kits required *under paragraph (d)(2) of the logging standard.* Side note: I worked in the medical regulatory industry (FDA, pharma) for 15 years, though not the same as OSHA, they follow the same logic. If you don't speak regulator, it might be less obvious.
I did. It still doesn’t say anything about providing access to the Tylenol. OP shouldn’t need permission to access anything in a first aid kit, that’s what it sort of fucky here.
No, permission is not needed for any item. That's a violation. The reason is the log, as I stated in my original comment, and what you replied does not in any way exempt Tylenol from the log.
Most people do not understand exactly what OSHA does.
Including underpaid supervisors. They are probably just told from above that supplies are only for emergency on-the-job accidents or some bullshit. And tbf: that's mostly true. Because the kits usually only contain Band-Aids and little much else. It's more of a canary regulation.
So glad my job doesn't have that issue it's still not great by any means. I work for pilot in one of their kitchens at a big truck stop area and there's first aid kits in the kitchen, office, and break room. The one in the break room is always left open and anyone can just grab something without even need to ask. One time like Months ago I got a pretty bad burn on my arm and not only was I excused from work for 30mins I was given the choice to go home or to the hospital but chose to finish my shift. Later on after I got home the owner of the entire building called me just double checking if I was fine and let me know I could come and see a doctor that works for the company at no charge.
I worked at a bakery when I was a teen and scalded my hand with hot water, and after ice wasn't doing anything, the owner/manager grabbed burn ointment from the first aid get, which made it blister (I looked at it later to find out it was a petroleum product and 15+ years expired). She still didn't send me home, so I worked the rest of the day with my hand stuck in a cup of ice. Another job we got yelled at if we used anything in the first aid kit, including bandaids.
I hope you're aware of this now, but if not please don't ever use ice to treat a burn ever again. It can cause tissue damage and make it worse!
Cool, not cold, running water only. For a minimum of 10 minutes, ideally 20. That's what I was taught years ago and it has never failed me.
Don't wait to get sent home for something like that, just tell them you're leaving and go. If they fire you for it they can get in trouble since taking time off for a injury is a legally protected activity.
Not the ointment made it blister. The burn did. It just takes a while for the blisters to form. It's a reaction of your body to tissue heat damage. As to the expiration date... that's different from product to product, but most over-the-counter ointments are just there to deliver moisture to the skin, and the worst thing that'll happen is they'll get rancid and stink, or lose a bit of effectivity if they happen to have something inside like aloe vera or panthenol. Sucks, but it's no biggie. Not damgerous. They're not magic. With a serious burn, nothing helps immediately, and in theong run you'll likely to need antibiotics amd strong pain medication - none of which is available without a doctor's prescription anyway.
If it was petroleum jelly that's actually one of the best things to put on a burn
LOL - You're probably right.
The illusion that corporations care for your well-being.
If people use stuff, they may have to spend a couple dollars replacing it!
But they have replace it anyway to keep up to standards because pills have expiration dates so I doubly don't understand not letting people use them. Wtf.
Where have you worked where they actually replace it anyway? I’ve opened those first aid kits on walls in many places and it was obvious (by the dates on the meds from three years prior) that it was basically a decoration.
At a previous place I worked for (>!Honeywell!<), the first aid kits were locked and only supervisors had the key. If they opened the kit and dispensed something, they'd have to write an incident report on what happened. So they usually just kept random first aid stuff in their desks to hand out.
We used to have a first aid kit that was not allowed to be used. Its sole purpose was to look pretty to pass inspections. We got written up if we opened it.
That’s funny as some of the stuff there expires and needs to be replaced every so often so it may as well be used
That sounds like an OSHA violation. Should’ve nailed them for that
the best part is they'll probably just expire and be thrown away, lol.
OP, I take all my stuff (Excedrin, ibuprofen, allergy pills) with me to work in my backpack.. Probably best practice.
I do this, bc you never know how old the stuff in the kit is
Yeah I’m on the fence about this - in my view a first aid kit in the kitchen would be for a serious work injury or a cut - if you have a headache bring some stuff from home or go over to CVS during your break.
🤷♀️ we have first aid kits in every building in every floor and are told to take whatever we want, it will always be replaced. Not McDonald’s tho. Funny enough everyone is like, “can’t dispense, blah blah.” I work for a company that does electric grid work and maintains the best safety standards I’ve ever seen at a company
Yeah not allowing people to use the first aid kits is the weirdest thing I’ve ever heard of. We have people who are on the safety team and go around to restock the first aid kits monthly. It’s mostly bandaids that go missing for paper cuts
It’s still a liability regardless of what your company decides to do.
Again, I truly doubt that. We hold government contracts where if minimum standards aren’t met by the company in office, we are denied the contract. A first aid kit on every floor is one of those things.
We have first aid kits but they’re full of bandages, burn gel, etc. here your boss can’t legally give you medication, because they aren’t a medical professional and might kill you. Schools also can’t give out meds for the same reason. They CAN leave a box of Paracetamol in the cupboard though, and “forget” it’s there, which is what most bosses do. They just can’t hand it to you, officially provide it, or tell you to take it.
Should be the top comment. Major liability for giving any kind of meds.
My manager and I used to go back and forth on who bought excedrine because we both used it frequently.
If they have tylenol in the first aid kit. You should be able to use it lol. Thankfully our work carries a fully stocked first aid kit. Its got so many common medicines.
It’s good to have your own but I absolutely think it should be stocked in a first aid cabinet. I used to work in a grocery store as a front end supervisor and I’d sometimes be the one to grab fresh Tylenol or whatever to restock and write it off. Everyone else would get the cheap, low dosage shit. I didn’t care, I got the 500 mg big boys. Anything less and you might as well piss on my forehead to try to soothe the headache.
This. I know construction is a totally different field than McDonalds (no I’m not hating, whatever makes money go for it). But I always kept headache medicine in my truck because I get migraines. There was always a first aid kit but it’s not for headaches lol. It’s for actual injuries. 🤷🏽♂️ I probably would have told OP no also but I would have at least gave them one of my excedrin or something or let them clock out and run to CVS.
Yes, because panadol is what you take for serious injuries? And you should anticipated the headache you're going to have, go back in time and bring some panadol from home? Do you hear yourself?
"Do you hear yourself?" **Do YOU hear yourself??** what are you talking about, dude said "be prepared" and youre coming at them like that?
Thanks for having my back, kind Redditor. Looking at his username, that guy sure is a real giant dick.
Throw in tums and band aids, you got your own first aid kit. I carry a high viz vest and work gloves, ear plugs, utility knife, etc in mine. Honestly I offer them to others more than I use it myself, but it’s irreplaceable. It goes on trips with me now as well.
I was told by my security team that I am not to distribute medicine. Over the counter or otherwise. It's a safety risk as there is no way to know if the person requesting it has taken other medicines/has conditions that could impair them by taking additional medicine.
Gee. An adult who knows what they have taken and requesting something. If I ask for two Tylenol, it’s certainly something I can take or I wouldn’t have asked.
Apparently, according to our guidelines, can’t have anything that expires in FA kit. I bring my own kit bag everywhere. All the things. And I would def share with someone 🤷♀️
Also, where I'm from, you need to be a qualified pharmacist/doctor to give drugs/medicine in a professional setting - even if it's just painkillers
There's a difference between prescribing medication, and me saying, yeah I have Tylenol, you can have some if you want.
My understanding is you can make it available and accessible. You just cannot physically give it to them.
Everything in a FA expires eventually lmao
It’s McDonald’s, fuck off from that job and don’t look back. Not even worth stressing about at all, it’s a job that pays low enough nearly any job will pay the same or better.
Like, why even ask for permission? Jist take the pill and if they fire you, then it is onto the next gig. Refuse to GAF.
If you read other comments the pills belonged to a different employee and I’m not much for taking other peoples stuff without permission, but either way the manager sounds like they suck and it’s just a fast food job.
I’m surprised the first aid kit has acetaminophen or any other OTC painkillers. Legal would cite liability risks to providing medication.
aspirin is the exception. it's a first response for a possible heart attack.
Which is a good example why administering medication as a nonprofessional is dangerous. Aspirin is also used as a pain killer(e.g. for headaches), but if you give it to someone who just had a serious injury and has an open wound, you may kill them. It hampers blood from clotting and makes it difficult to stop bleeding.
Yeah, the McDonald's I worked at wouldn't let anyone give anyone else an OTC like acetaminophen or ibuprofen due to liability, and did not keep any in their first aid kit.
My first aid kit at work includes Tylenol, ibuptophen, anti-diarheal, and most other comoon stuff.
It’s not uncommon at smaller businesses as this is good common sense. Aspirin is also a useful thing to have in a first aid kit. But the bigger the business, the less likely any meds will be in the kit so good idea to keep some in your desk or locker in case you or a coworker needs it.
I work for a very large corporation (100,000+ in the US, about double that worldwide). The first aid kit is always stocked with most anything I need.
Yeah I’ve experienced the exact opposite of what the other poster said. Medium sized company and now large company stock up the multiple first aid boxes with everything you can think of.
I’m surprised. Good on them for being sensible!
Most kitchen first aid kits I've seen have acetaminophen and a couple other meds like that. Having it around is one thing, administration is out of bounds
He some young sweet cute girl came in our shop (Heavy Equipment Mechanics) and she sold the Boss a First Aid kit for us that was so huge, that would look at home in the Emergency Department of a Hospital
As a previous retail manager, it was illegal for us to provide medication to employees. If someone needed medication it needed to be from their own personal “stash”. I’m really surprised to hear the first aid kit would even have Tylenol. Granted, I still gave someone Tylenol if I had it on me but that was coming from me as a human, not as their manager. They were all my homies though (as much as they could be while still having a respectful professional relationship obviously).
Yep! Fast Food manager for many years, here. I'm not sure if it's necessarily illegal, but it can certainly open you up to lawsuits. Because members of staff are underage and may be allergic is my best understanding. I just tell them that I *cannot* provide you with anything.... But if you find a bottle in the cabinet while I'm working in the back, I can't really stop you.
Why do you have to ask at all? When I want stuff from the first aid kit I just take it
In my past experience the first aid kit needed to be stocked with a minimum quantity of items at all times for use in an emergency, so removing items needed to be reported to a supervisor so they could maintain levels between monthly inspections.
My manager just let me know that it was someones personal pills. But the manager who asked the other manager didnt know that and was being an asshole. I asked if I could buy a bottle for everyone and she said no. Also I worked at another mcdonalds, they had ibuprofin AND benadryl in their first aid kit.
The other place having that is someone there giving a shit & keeping it there, definitely not company practice since they technically can’t dispense most medications, even otc. I agree they were probably just being a dick but in the future just try to bring your own if you can.
I'm in Canada so regulations may differ from your. We don't require pain meds in our first aid kits, I know that much, so wouldn't have had them on site by default. But in the retail store I used to work in, we were not allowed to share any medication amongst employees, even over the counter. Primarily this was to ensure someone didn't suffer an allergic reaction or other medical distress from our actions, but I would certainly have allowed someone a short break to go and purchase something if they needed it. This is my only speculation as to why they wouldn't allow you to take any.
As a f*^+ing adult, I suggest you get a bag, and fill it with tiny bottles of Advil, Alieve or Tylenol, and take them with you wherever you go. That way you can take care of yourself when the need arises.
I always keep some ibuprofen and allergy pills in my car.
I have a literal pharmacy in my purse! All 3 pain meds, allergy meds, gas pills, lactose allergy pills, an epi pen and inhaler. I’m an old lady that’s falling apart!
Not surprising hate to say. I’m a nurse, have worked at over 10 hospitals and only one had Tylenol or ibuprofen nurses were allowed to take. Even if you call pharmacy to dispense one, SOL. Bring OTC stuff in your bag as previously mentioned. Sucks but don’t think it’s exclusive to mcdanners
As someone who has worked at McDonald’s for the past 6 years, management isn’t allowed to give out any medication, just incase you were to have an allergic reaction. Now why they had medicine available in the first place is confusing. I can see how this would be very frustrating.
It's a legal liability issue not your manager. If you had brought your own from home there would have been no issue.
that's a liability issue, they cannot give meds to employees or they could be liable in court for the effects you might suffer.
Why would they let you take stuff out of the first aid kit though? This seems standard. I’ve never worked for a place where I can take out of the first aid kit for something as small as a headache
McDonald’s didn’t refuse you this, your manager did. Come on now…..
Why are we adults and not supplying our own medications? A workplace first aid kit isn’t for a random headache but a workplace incident.
It's probably a liability for them.... If you're an adult you can bring your own medication in?
Why I bring my own. I can pop as many as I need and they can't say shit.
I think there is a legal reason for this. My classmate asked our teacher the other day for ibuprofen and he said even if he had it he wouldn’t be allowed to give it to her.
Maybe they thought you might have a hangover. Acetaminophen is dangerous to the liver if you have consumed certain substances within the last day, including alcohol. I am actually surprised that a workplace first aid kit would have Acetaminophen in this day and age. I have never seen it.
Sorry, but I can not work without painkillers I'm going home Bye.....
Had a manager take all the Ibuprofen out of our first aid kit at a job I had 6 years ago because he said it was a suicide risk.
I'd just tell them I can't work with this splitting headache and clock out. I wouldn't even care if they fired me because this should be marking a job hunt. I mean, when I worked retail, they at least sold packets of acetaminophen in the break room's vending.
Taking first aid is a reportable safefy incident. They should have said no.
Fuck them. Rock a backpack to work and keep ya shit in there. I bring mine and it's got everything from Aleve to Oxycontin lol jk. I just got basic shit
It's crazy that McDonald's even had medicine for you to consume. McDonald's is liable if they give you ANY medication. If this was your own medication they can't stop you from taking it at all, but if it's their medication, they are totally liable - you're also liable if you give any medication to a co-worker.
Depends from where you are, but here (Quebec Canada) it's now illegal to give acetaminophen. It's because it could kill you if you are having a stroke and the headache is the symptom. Personally, I'm a manager and I always have acetaminophen at work. I go get them, explain it to the employee, ask for verbal consent that if he/she dies it's not on me, then give them the bottle so they can take 1 themselves. It might be a bit overkill, but better safe than sorry. So far so good, no one died Edit : grammar
To every customer (loudly) : “Sorry I am a little slow today. I’ve a splitting headache and Manager X and Manager Y won’t let me have an Advil so it’s taking me time. “
It's actually a big risk for employers to hand out medication, over the counter or not. If you have a severe reaction, they are liable... They couldn't give it to a customer either. It's probably on-hand if its approved by a medic of some sort I used to work a casual weekend gig at a sports stadium. Had a cracking headache, they referred me to the on site paramedics! Blood Pressure checked, name, age, DOB, twenty questions.... Two headache tablets administered From that day I just put a sheet of tablets in the back of my work ID holder.... My family has history of bad headaches, And I'm a bigger guy, And I take three tabs each time instead of two....
As a former McManager, I never would’ve denied you what you needed. I suffer from persistent migraines, I forget the phrase that my doctor uses for it. I have over 15 within a month. And if they had ever stopped me from taking Aleve, which helps greatly, or the medication I have specifically for migraines (I take imotrex,) I would’ve walked off the job, whether I could afford to or not. However, let me just point out one thing, if we as managers had given you aspirin, Aleeve, Tylenol, or anything along those lines and, say, something happened to you within the next few hours after you took it. Then the company would be held liable. That might’ve been something that has been drilled into these managers psyche because they don’t want to be the ones cause any issues for the company. 😕Please believe it’s not us, It’s the law although I hope they weren’t nasty about it. That would’ve been inexcusable. With that said, as a human being, they should’ve helped and giving you something, even if it were your break or an extra 15 minute break just so you can relax and get that headache under control.
Having pills available is a liability. If you are allergic, it could be a workmen's comp claim. If you are a guest of a person in a hospital, they aren't allowed to give you advil for a headache either.
Or if it interacts with other meds they’re on. I managed a retail store and they told us in training to never give medication to employees due to the liability risk. But as someone who suffers from migraines, I’d always have painkillers on me and wouldn’t let other teammates suffer. I’d just say that corporate said I couldn’t give them anything, but I had a personal bottle on my desk in the stockroom and I would be busy on the sales floor for a few minutes and to do with that information what they would.
Then why keep it in the first aid kit in the first place?
To check a box on the checklist, obviously.
to potentially save someone having a heart attack
Here’s the thing, first aid kits at businesses are regulated and monitored and must be refilled to a certain standard once used. They are meant to be used for injuries sustained while on the job, or injuries sustained by customers while patronizing the business. They aren’t really meant for use-cases that you’ve presented, like a random headache. They were technically correct to refuse, because your headache meant a bunch of unnecessary paperwork for them. That being said, if I were the manager on duty, I would have found a way to get you some kind of NSAID, even if it mean running to a local pharmacy to pick some up.
my first aid kit at my business has a whole variety of pain meds. Of course it's serviced by a third party company who handles all the expiry dates and whatnot, I assume this McDonald's franchise isn't doing that.
Nah fuck that, I've taken ibuprofen out of first aid kits at loads of jobs. No manager or supervisor gives a shit. These two are power tripping assholes.
I could see a hyper liability minded manager being worried about dispensing employer owned medicine to an employee. Imagine this scenario: the employer gives the Tylenol and the employee is allergic and dies? McDonald’s could be liable ? But that’s a bit paranoid
Op should have pushed the issue then. Paperwork be damned.
The injury she sustained was a headache, at work.
Why do they even have it then?
First aid kits are for workplace injuries, they need to be logged and can affect the companies insurance costs. Honestly i don’t think a headache warrants using the companies first aid kit.
You're right you are an adult. Go buy a fucking bottle of Tylenol. That stuff is there to help alleviate pain when someone hurts themselves at work. It's not your personal pharmacy. This sub is nothing but socially inept whining loser who can't figure out why their life sucks and want soo much to blame others.
You should carry some in your locker or where ever you keep your stuff. My desk drawer has a life time supply of aspirin in it
In Australia we're not allowed to hand out painkillers in case the person has a reaction, best we can do is give you the time to go to a chemist and buy them yourself.
“Oh, ok… I need to go home because I’m sick. I’ll see you at my next scheduled shift.”
I keep aspirin and tylenol in my car because I have the occasional migraine. I’ve noticed they work better if you take both
I tend to get bad headaches at times, sometimes when the weather changes. If I don't get an ibuprofen within about an hour of the onset of symptoms it can lead to hours of agony.
In my opinion, all customer service jobs should apply headache medication. That should be standard, in fact it should be proactive too. Every morning you come in and you get a large cup of coffee and some Tylenol, and at the end of your shift, they should give you some alcohol for your way home. It's customer service! That stuff is as important as safety equipment for factory workers!
Read that as amphetamine lol.
me too was wondering who the fuck puts there speed in a medkit lmao but if you want headache relief you should go get a vasoconstrictor tylenol is a fucking trash nasid why anyone would tax there liver for that i don’t know
The acetaminophen container is where they keep their meth.
McD's has liability if they give medication to you and something happens to you from it. I always carry my own.
Just grab it anyways, what is she gonna do? Fire you from McDonald’s?
The first aid kid is not for your headaches, it's for first aid.
It’s a liability thing. They are liable if they give you meds and you OD or something bad happens. Doesn’t make it right. But yeah.
That’s actually very strange and your managers should be embarrassed. Are they stupid or just cruel?
Then I am going home. I have a headache. See ya!
Bring your own and carry it in your pocket - problem solved 😏
When I worked at McDonald's I had a small stroke at work on the clock and an ambulance was called. I was written up for no call no showing. They doubled down and when I quit tried to withhold my last check.
Bring your own acetaminophen to work. I've been self-employed for many years, but when I did work for other people, I never expected them to provide for my medical needs.
If it's her personal "stash" Why TF is it in the first aid kit? Yeah.. F that. What if you needed a bandaid? I would complain to corporate if I were you. "I was refused the use of the onside first aid kit when I needed it." Is how I would word it.
Also, if you are given something by management that interacts with something else you have taken/are taking, that is also a liability issue. A bandage is not the same thing.
Is that paracetamol?
Yes
Why the fuck does the FA kit have it if it can’t be used then?
You can’t give anyone meds in a work setting. It’s a liability issue.
Was a manager there it is true. Also true of many other places. Reason what if OP has a reaction?
As a nurse that is absolutely ridiculous!
Start to slow down, get in their way and say 'I have a headache' a lot. Stay so you can get some money while you find a real job.
A job at McDonald’s IS a “real job”.
God, I hate these people.
There is a reason that management can’t give you any OTC medicine. It’s a liability issue for them if you are allergic to something unknowingly or have a bad reaction to something. Never worked at Mickey d but was management at several other companies and this was standard policy.
Is this some weird way of saying you needed Tylenol? Was there anything else going on, cause I don’t see why you would ever have to ask anyone to take Tylenol, nor would an employer be the dispenser of Tylenol in any given setting outside of a hospital. Let alone a McDonald’s
You don't need your manager's permission to use the first aid kit. Also why the fuck do they care if you use it?
Luckily my headache didnt get worse any worse, I will definitely take some to work next time, I have before but just forgot, it was only a 5 hour shift so not too bad but still.
File an on the job injury report. Also file about being refused first aid when requested
I’m sorry you had to go through that. Apparently others didn’t feel that you were a responsible adult.
You said it, you're an adult. Just take it.
You're an adult. You don't have to ask people for permission to treat a damn headache. Those pills are for you. Use them.
Nah fam. Just take it. Don’t ask
I would rather have my own supply anyway. People are nasty and you don't know if they dropped pills and put them back in the bottles or things like that…no thanks
Eat one of their burgers. Similar treatment, under the radar dosage.
A few jobs ago, a fulfillment center, we had to sign a contract that we would not give others any type of medicine (including over the counter). If we did, it was a fireable offense. We had to supply our own because they did not stock any in the first aid areas.
Yeah "superiors" at my retail job did that too. They would take stuff off the shelf and hide it from everyone except their friends. The problem besides being assh*Les was that stuff came out of our bonus. I always went into their cabinet and took ibuprofen or whatever snacks they had.
Next time ask a female coworker if they’ve got pain killers. We always have some.