Seniority is supposed to mean something — especially in jobs where employees have put in their time.

So when one worker was passed over for a preferred schedule in favor of a single father with less experience, she was made to feel that her child-free life made her time less valuable.

But her HR complaint ended up creating more problems than it solved.

Keep reading for the full story.

AITA For filing an HR grievance at work because I was denied a schedule bid in favor of a coworker with less seniority, just because he has a kid?

I lost a schedule bid at work recently to an employee with far less seniority.

The reason given to me was, “He is a single father, and that schedule works better with his son’s school schedule.”

This child-free employee was less than sympathetic.

Not to be insensitive, but so what? My time is not less valuable because I have no kids.

I get the logic, but I could not give a care about his schedule or his problems. I have done my time, and I earned that bid, plain and simple.

So she decided to push back against HR.

I have filed a grievance with HR. The crux of it is that I was discriminated against for not having kids, in an attempt to get the schedule I bid on.

But some of her other coworkers have made her feel bad about it.

A few coworkers have mentioned off the cuff that I should let it go because he’s a single father.

They’ve said I “don’t get it because I don’t have any kids.”

So, AITA?

No one deserves to feel like their time is less valuable.

What did Reddit think?

This commenter doesn’t think this employee has much of a case.

It’s possible this employee may need accommodations down the road, much like this single father has.

This commenter thinks this is a matter worth looking into.

This commenter agrees the situation does feel a bit unfair.

It’s never fun to feel sidelined at work, no matter the reason.

In this job market, you shouldn’t have to be a parent to be treated fairly.

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