HomeNewsTrendsEmployee took 8-minute bathroom break during WFH. 'Take sick leave,' said boss.

Employee took 8-minute bathroom break during WFH. 'Take sick leave,' said boss.

The story unfolds with a routine bathroom break that took an unexpected turn, plunging the individual into a Kafkaesque scenario.

December 29, 2023 / 20:44 IST
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The individual's bathroom break became an eyesore for their manager. (Representational)
The individual's bathroom break became an eyesore for their manager. (Representational)

In an unprecedented tale of workplace absurdity, a disillusioned employee working remotely shared a jaw-dropping encounter on Reddit that has ignited a discourse on the evolving dynamics of work-from-home expectations.

The story unfolds with a routine bathroom break that took an unexpected turn, plunging the individual into a Kafkaesque scenario that reveals the darker side of corporate demands.

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The Redditor detailed stepping away from their workstation for a mere 8-minute bathroom break during their work-from-home schedule. To their astonishment, a voicemail from their boss awaited them midway through, insisting that they either call in sick, use paid time off, or promptly return to their online duties.

The frustration in the post extends beyond the bathroom break dilemma, shedding light on the deteriorating work environment. The employee describes a workplace that has seemingly surpassed the challenges of retail, citing worse customer interactions, indifferent supervisors, unpredictable schedule changes, and an inadequate compensation structure.

“I frequently skip breaks and work past when my shift is set to end. I got this job my second year in college because I was sick of working retail. This job has slowly gotten much worse than retail. The customers are worse, the supervisors don’t care if they verbally abuse you, your schedule can get changed without any notification, they give people work that they legally can’t be asked to do because the company won’t foot the bill to give employees proper qualifications and we get paid less than we would working at McDonalds,” the employee vented.

My boss wanted me to use a sick day to use the bathroom.
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