Employee goes to work with limp after leave request rebuffed by boss: 'treated like a pest'

The Reddit post included a screenshot of the text exchange with his boss, highlighting the lack of empathy. (Image: @thrown-all-the-way/Reddit)

Social media, particularly Reddit, has become a haven for employees to air grievances and seek solidarity when it comes to bosses, managers and workplaces. Recently, a maintenance worker's post about being rebuffed by his boss after requesting time off due to a leg injury sparked a wave of outrage and empathy online.

The employee, who works maintenance for several large private schools, shared his experience just a few days back. After suffering a torn ligament, he sought time off to recover. The response from his 70-year-old manager was anything but supportive. “You're making it really hard to get general jobs done,” the manager replied, dismissing the injury's severity and the doctor's recommendation for rest.

“So background, I work maintenance for a couple of big private schools, my manager is 70,” the employee wrote in his Reddit post under the “anti-work” subreddit.

“I'm full time, we hired another guy to work three days and he immediately cut down to one day, that guy only does projects, no general maintenance, so we hired another casual too, that was two weeks ago and he has called in sick every day. So I basically by myself hold it together, I rolled my ankle today at work and can't walk without a nasty limp. Instead of acknowledging how valuable I am, I get treated like a pest for being injured.”

The Reddit post included a screenshot of the text exchange with his boss, highlighting the lack of empathy. “Have been trying to call but can't get through, just left the doctor, he wants me off my feet till Tuesday based on a torn ligament in my left foot. I can come by in the morning and drop the certificate and fill out whatever paperwork needed,” the employee texted.

The manager’s terse response read, “I've been in a planning meeting. You're making it really hard to get general jobs done. I'm tied up Thursday with WHS tours and meetings.”

Great response boss byu/thrown-all-the-way inantiwork

The post quickly gained traction, prompting a slew of reactions. “Respond with ‘Oh, thanks for letting me know about your schedule. I’ll drop it off’, “one user suggested. Another suggested a different reply, “If me being there is so important to anything getting done, then I think you should pay me more.”

Echoing the frustration, another commenter wrote, “Even that isn't enough here. A doctor's request is more important than a boss's request. If the doctor says that the person needs to be off their feet, then the hourly doesn’t matter. I would rather have an intact foot 20 years down the line than another few dollars today.”

The post also triggered discussions about broader workplace issues. “All the stuff about the recent new hires and them calling out sick has nothing to do with you and everything to do with the company and their hiring practices. Your manager is garbage, but they're also 70, so hopefully they'll be leaving soon,” another user expressed.

Since being posted, it has garnered over 2,900 upvotes.