A man has been urged by the internet to find a new job after his boss expected him to stay at work during a family emergency.
In a viral Reddit post, user u/Cratzx, who is a manager at a franchise restaurant in the United States, said he was at work when his wife called to say that she felt “extremely bad.” She was on her way to the emergency room.
“I had to leave to see my wife [and] when I got there I started getting calls and messages [from] the owner that ‘the store is a responsibility and you cannot leave like that’ and ‘you need to tell me first and make a plan’ and I was warned [that it] is the last time is going to happen,” the Redditor wrote.
The man said his workplace was a little slow at the moment and he was the only person working in the kitchen on the day. However, he was too worried about his spouse and was unable to correspond with his boss as he rushed immediately to the hospital.
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Fortunately, she has since made a full recovery after being diagnosed with high blood pressure and an extreme migraine that led to hallucinations.
“It is generally acceptable for managers and staff to leave work in the case of a genuine emergency. [Human Resources] understands that unforeseen personal crises can arise, and employee well-being is a priority,” Sophie Nutley, the head of recruitment at Protect Line, a United Kingdom-based Life Insurance Brokerages, told Newsweek.
Nutley advises employees to communicate immediately if an emergency arises and follow company procedures.
“Employees should promptly inform their immediate supervisor or HR representative about the situation. If it’s not possible to speak directly, a quick message explaining the emergency is essential,” she said. “Companies often have specific procedures for handling emergencies, including who to notify and how to request leave. Employees should adhere to these procedures whenever possible.
“If feasible, employees should try to complete urgent tasks or delegate them to a colleague before leaving to minimize disruptions to the workflow.”
It sounds like the Redditor was unable to do any of the above as he wanted to quickly vacate the building as soon as the call ended with his wife. Nutley said his manager should have taken the gravity of the situation into consideration.
“Co-workers and managers should be understanding and offer support during such situations. This may include assisting with workload redistribution or covering urgent tasks,” she said.
It is vital that managers respect the privacy and confidentiality of the employee facing the emergency. Nutley advises employers to “avoid discussing the situation with others unless necessary for work-related reasons or with the employee’s consent.”
So far, the post shared on September 3 has racked up 6,400 upvotes and over 800 comments on Reddit.
“One time I had a family member in the hospital. My mother called me to come see him and my job wouldn’t let me leave. He died a couple hours later. I will always regret not leaving that job to go see him.” one comment with 5,400 upvotes said.
“Get a new job, stop worrying about these people. Family first,” a Redditor commented.
Another person wrote: “Next time you respond with ‘My wife is my priority not your business.’ Then walk out the door. Honestly your boss has made it perfectly clear that they do not respect you at all. I would do yourself a favor and find a new job.”
Newsweek reached out to u/Cratzx via Reddit for comment. We could not verify the details of the case.
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