Essential Workers are Burned Out from working during the pandemic
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/sep/23/us-essential-workers-coronavirus-burnout-stress
I received an enormous response from essential workers about their experiences with burnout during the pandemic, and wanted to include some additional stories I wasn’t able to include in my story published today in The Guardian.
Andrew Markle, Flight Attendant based in Atlanta, Georgia
Looking back to when everything started shutting down back in March work was far more stressful then it is now. I think the overall uncertainty of Covid and the conflicting information we were receiving on the news was anxiety inducing. The was a pretty dramatic drop off in passenger traffic and that was very shocking. We went from full flights to flights with 2 people on them what seemed like overnight.
There was a brief time where there were hardly anyone traveling and in the airports but all the stores and employees were still working. It felt like the twilight zone. Where all the workers were there but no customers. Eventually shops in the airports were closing so we’d be traveling with hardly any passengers and we would get to airports with nothing open. It was just so odd.
The mask wearing has been interesting. At first it was not recommended. And we were not allowed. To then we could were them if we wanted. To wear them while we were in front of customers and passengers needed to wear them too. To it finally being mandatory for everyone.
I took a voluntary leave in July to give myself a break. I think in the span of 3 months I had received about 250 emails with policy changes, different updates to all the places we travel. It was a lot to keep up with.
It’s hard to explain how it feels to be working through everything while you are seeing and hearing about people loosing their jobs while having the feeling that you could be loosing yours at any moment. It would suck to work through all of this to come out on the other side of it unemployed.
Jennifer Green- Advanced Auto Parts manager in Hartford, CT
I’m a parent of 5 little ones. My spouse and I work in the automotive industry. We have a 16yr old girl ,11yr old girl,10yr old girl,9yr old boy and a 1yr old little girl. We are struggling with bills ,car payments ,rent , light bills etc. My spouse and I are both managers and ever since the pandemic we've been working double shifts. There was a time when it first started my spouse and I worked for 3 weeks straight because someone in my store caught covid.
All the company did was give us hand sanitizer and masks. 2 months later we got glass installed in only 2 of our registers out of 5 in the front. Just last month they sent us cloth masks.
My 16 yr old daughter takes care of her other siblings while we are working. My spouse works in the morning while I start to work at 12pm till 9:30 pm. My daughter has taken on the role has parent because we cannot afford a day off. We at least explain to our kids why we are working so much and on payday we can do something has a family. They at least understand that.
We are scared everyday to bring covid home to if children. I have gotten told that I don't need hazard pay because I have a job. That I don't need another stimulus because I have a job. They don't care that we are struggling. People just care that we are open and have what they need.
Anonymous, nursing assistant at nursing home in Ohio
Our guests have deteriorated. The morale is horrible and the compliance with state mandates has been an ever shifting nightmare.
Most of our folks were isolated in their rooms mid March to beginning of August. We were just able to start outdoor visits last week. Several had stopped eating and have grown increasingly confused. We have just started letting the residents into the halls with masks, but still no activities, no dining room. There are increases falls, exit seeking and several with dementia who think they’ve been abandoned.
Stacey Bennett Tretter, Truck driver, Fort Worth, TX
Pay for loads have decreased a lot, so the pay check is awful. In the beginning, truck stops wouldn't let us shower, or use our own cups to get drinks. The loading docks are a joke; you have 20+ drivers in line to check in (no social distancing outside) because they don’t care, but then you go one at a time inside after waiting out in the 90+ degrees heat, with nothing because you aren't allowed to use their facilities..
So you’re at a loading dock for 6+ hours with no restroom. It's unbelievable. Some have put up port a john's but not even 25%, yet we are supposed to be delivering product to help the economy.
Juan Fernando Guerrero, janitor at UCLA Hospital in Los Angeles, CA
We are responsible for cleaning covid rooms after patients are discharged and about 75% of our staff have been infected with covid. When you’re put on quarantine, you are forced to use sick time or vacation time and if you don't have any, you go without pay cause technically you’re still employed. For the elderly staff or staff considered high risk, they been put on special leave which means they are still employed but unless they have and use paid time off, they’re not getting paid.
We are short staffed, pretty much not allowed to go on vacation. We can put in for days off but we get denied. Some of our staff has gotten fired for not wanting to go in to covid rooms so that made us more short staffed. We don't have benefits so all trips to the doctor come out of our pocket.