'If you’re sick or your dog died... prove it’: Restaurant manager fired for sending threatening letter to staff

A restaurant manager at an Italian-food chain in Kansas has been fired after he sent a threatening letter to employees asking them to bring proof if they need an off. Reportedly, the manager's patience ran thin and he started asking for proof of sickness, dead dogs or family emergencies.

The Olive Garden restaurant’s manager had sent a message to employees about the number of times they were taking time off work. The restaurant manager had asked employees in a written note that if anyone calls out, "you might as well go out and look for another job," reported a US-based news agency KCTV5.

According to the news report, the now-fired manager had demanded reasons for any inconvenience that stops the restaurant staff from showing up to their shift. The manager said, "If you’re sick, you need to come prove it to us. If your dog died, you need to bring him in and prove it to us.”

The manager, in a heated note to his employees, said, "I came in sick. I got in a wreck literally on my way to work on time, airbags went off and my car was totaled, but you know what, I made it to work, ON TIME!”

He further added, “There are no more excuses. If you’re here to work and want to work, then work.” "If you can’t say, too bad," the manager wrote, before adding that "if anyone calls out more than ONCE in the next 30 days, you will not have a job.”

Reportedly, the manager had also slammed those who ask for morning shifts and said "If you only want morning shifts, too bad go work at a bank."

Darden, Olive Garden restaurant’s parent company, confirmed to the outlet that the manager has been fired. “We strive to provide a caring and respectful work environment for our team members. This message is not aligned with our company’s values. We can confirm we have parted ways with this manager,” the company said.