Imagine being so horribly sick that you can’t stop throwing up. Would you go to work anyway, or would you stay home and rest?

The obvious answer would be to stay home, but in this story, one employee’s horrible manager tells her to go to work anyway.

So she does.

Let’s see how the story plays out.

“Can you please stop throwing up? You’re making the customers uncomfortable.”

I was reading a post on Reddit and was reminded of this anecdote when I worked for a big box retail store.

We had black out days around the holidays where unless you were literally hospitalized, if you didn’t show up to work you were written up twice and at risk of losing your job.

I unfortunately came down with a virus or the flu mid-season and was throwing up constantly.

I tried to call in when I was threatened with the above action so I dragged myself into work and set up a stool and trash can next to me.

I would have to stop mid-interaction with customers to vomit into said trash can, and this went on for a few hours before one of my newer managers approached me.

It’s not like she’s throwing up for the fun of it.

M: What are you doing?

Me: Trying to tough it out until closing.

M: Well…can you please stop throwing up? I’m getting customer complaints and it’s making them uncomfortable.

Me: …I’ll get right on that.

At least the general manager seems like a reasonable human being.

I was so blown away all I could do is just sit there in shock.

I ended up calling my general manager and had the assistant repeat what he just asked me and my GM was like, “What the heck is wrong with you, send her home.”

My shift manager argued he had no one to cover and my GM made him cover my shift so I could leave.

I don’t miss retail.

Nobody should be forced to work when they’re sick.

Let’s see how Reddit reacted to this story.

You definitely wouldn’t want to work with food when you’re sick.

What a horrible way to start your first job!

This person had a great boss.

A supervisor weighs in.

Some retail managers are absolute monsters.

If you liked that story, check out this post about a group of employees who got together and why working from home was a good financial decision.