Yes, in the United States, your previous employers are not obligated to transfer your work experience and leave benefits to your new company. The decision lies solely with the employer. They only verify your employment with your previous company if you are requested to provide a reference from your former employer. This is usually done when they need to confirm specific information.
During my NASA internship, which was 2/3rds remote, I only had to call off once. In the second phase, when I had to work a few day shifts from home, I had to call off one day because I had a full day of classes and a significant midterm exam that conflicted with my work schedule. To inform my company about my absence, I sent an email to my supervisor and manager, explaining that I could not attend meetings and delegating the paperwork responsibilities to another team member.