Mike Fuller had only been calling to collect overdue bills for GC Services for five weeks when he decided it was too dangerous — because of the coronavirus pandemic and his underlying health conditions — for him to continue working, side-by-side, nearly elbow-to-elbow, in the call center on Knoxville's North Broadway.

Fuller’s last day was March 23, the same day Knox County leaders announced a “safer at home” order that closed nonessential businesses.

The problem, he told Knox News, was GC Services did not close its office and the company considers its overdue bill collecting essential under the county’s (and now the state’s) provision for “financial services.” But Fuller called it a “health hazard.”

COVID-19:These are businesses and services that Knox County deems essential under coronavirus

“I’m wondering, how in the world does a collection agency get classified as essential in a crisis like this?” he said. “It’s not fair to the people who work there because there’s probably 200 or more people ... they’re in close proximity, so they’re in violation of social distancing. People are sitting in cubicles one to two feet apart.”

Fuller is one of dozens of Tennesseans who took their frustrations about business being open or operating unsafely to the state. From March 18-31, the Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration received 85 complaints about businesses through the state's online portal. Seventy of the complaints were coronavirus-related.

Fuller, 66, told Knox News he is not going back to work. Instead, he’s going to file for unemployment under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, the $2 trillion bill meant to put the nation’s economy on life support while so many industries are shuttered. The law has a provision that gives benefits for employees who had to quit their job because of the virus.

Fuller provided Knox News a doctor’s note from the Department of Veteran Affairs outpatient clinic in West Knoxville, which suggested he self-quarantine 14 days during the pandemic. He said he would ask for an extension.

TOSHA complaints

The Tennessee OSHA office receives workplace safety complaints on a regular basis. Those complaints can include anything and everything.

Knox News requested the description of complaints the office has received from March 18 through the end of the month. What the complaints show is dozens of workers across the state who feel their workplaces aren’t taking the coronavirus seriously or wonder why their company is open at all.

The state Department of Labor and Workforce Development handles the complaints. Spokesman Chris Cannon said the agency cannot require the employer to cease operations. He said the employer is sent a letter informing them that an employee has expressed concerns about continued operations. The letter reiterates the recommendations of the CDC to wash hands, practice cough and sneeze discipline and maintain distance between employees as the workplace allows, he said.

Name of employees and businesses alleged to have violated their safety were not included in the request.

Complaint examples

“Couple of employees have been exposed to the corona virus (sic). Boss was alerted to the confirmed exposure and still required us to work or lose our jobs. I’m seriously concerned with my safety and have repeatedly asked to work from home and not allowed. Upper management has been sent to work from home while we are forced to come in. I have kids at home and I am scared.” — complaint submitted March 26

“The owner is demanding we all come to work, even if we are sick, even if we have letters from schools or other locations letting us know our families have been exposed and we need to quarantine OURSELVES (sic).” — partial complaint submitted March 25

“My office failed to protect me, and put my health, and my life at risk. I was terminated, when I asked to be moved, to a safe work environment, after 22 years of employment, with this company.” — partial complaint submitted March 18

“We are being made to come in close contact with clients to check temps but we are not being provided any PPE and most of us have no medical training other than CPR. Myself and several more employees are ready to quit because we feel very unsafe and feel our concerns are not being taken seriously.” — partial complaint submitted March 18

“A secretary has tested positive for COVID-19 in the office, but the owner has said employees have to go get testing on their own time. There is a point system that reflects on employee records negatively for having to leave work for any reason, so no one is going to get testing.” — complaint submitted March 19

“The employees in this department are asking for gloves and mask but, are being told by management (NAME REDACTED) they can not wear them, even though they are working in the hospital cleaning up after Everyone and nurses and other staff at the hospital are wearing them.” — partial complaint submitted March 20

The calls will go on

Brad Batig is GC Services’ general counsel out of the company’s headquarters in Houston. He said GC Service’s clients — companies like Credit One Bank, Hyundai and credit company Elastic, according to Fuller — have determined they are “critical businesses.” The collections will continue.

But, he said, the company “erred on the side of caution” while deciding whether to keep the call centers open.

“So, these are the types of programs that, as we understand it, that it would be best for us to help out our clients and our clients have an interest in trying to help their customers any kinds of loans they may have at this moment in the event that in all likelihood they are impacted in some way by COVID-19,” he said.

Not every GC Service employee is still working as normal, Batig said. There’s a separate office in Knoxville that collects student loan debt on behalf of the U.S. Department of Education. The government has paused those operations so GC shut down the call center, he said.

Beyond that, Batig said, the company has provided human resource help to employees who can’t work or have extenuating circumstances due to the virus and said the company is working with employees on a one-on-one basis.

He said GC Services is “trying our best” to provide hand sanitizer cleaning supplies for call center workers and trying to have employees practice social distancing, though, he said, “it is a little bit of a challenge.”

GC Services Limited Partnership claims it is the largest privately held call center and collection agency in North America and employs some 8,500 people across the country in more than 30 call centers.

Email Tyler Whetstone at tyler.whetstone@knoxnews.com and follow him on Twitter @tyler_whetstone. If you enjoy Tyler's coverage, support strong local journalism by subscribing for full access to all our content on every platform.