Typically, it’s ideal for healthy employees without contagious illnesses to work in a kitchen that serves customers, but Raising Cane’s allegedly thinks otherwise. In a post shared on r/RaisingCanes, Reddit user North_anxiety0 shared a work notice announcing that a doctor’s note isn’t accepted for absences. On top of that, people with COVID, the flu, or food poisoning aren’t excused from work either, and North_anxiety0 felt this was outrageous.
North_anxiety0 explained that they had just gotten sick, so they hoped to recover at home and would hand in a doctor’s note. However, this notice meant they couldn’t call in sick properly, essentially compelling them to still work. Countless users in the comments expressed that this sort of policy is unacceptable.
“On top of Raising Canes being mediocre at best, this is inexcusable and dangerous,” remarked a Redditor. “People really shouldn’t eat at raising canes, this is tantamount to encouraging sick people to work,” added another. “Ahh yes, please have your sick employees sneeze on my food. One more reason not to eat your slop,” expressed a third.
However, this sort of lack of accommodation for sick employees isn’t unique to Raising Cane’s; as one person put it, “this comes down to state laws.” A commenter from Florida claimed their daughter was working at Subway and developed strep throat. “Subway said, ‘Come in to work or quit.’ She quit,” they recalled. As to which state OP lives in, they didn’t specify but instead answered with, “Unfortunately a state where this is legal.”
This employee notice about sick leave isn’t news either, as it’s been a controversial topic among company workers for a while now. In a separate post from two months ago in r/RaisingCanes, a different employee began a debate about the attendance point system the company has in place for people calling in sick. Another post from two years ago in the same subreddit also complained about the doctor’s note policy.
Some Redditors Claim They’ll Avoid The Chicken Chain Over the Sick-Day Policy
While most consumers don’t know or care about the inner workings of a fast-food restaurant’s policies, those who claimed to be customers said they wouldn’t buy Raising Cane’s after OP’s reveal. “I will not be eating Canes anymore. Employee Safety is #1,” said a user. “So a Raising Canes opened up in my city finally and I was wanting to try them… until I come across this post and see this and all the comments,” wrote another.
Raising Cane’s is reported to be the No. 3 chicken chain in the country, according to CNBC. Sick-day policy disagreements or not, people are still very fond of the chicken.
