You really cannot be too careful when someone’s health is at risk.

So, what would you do if you made a simple food safety request for someone with a medical condition and were met with attitude and mockery? Would you just let it go? Or would you consider reporting it because more training is needed?

In the following story, one woman is torn between empathy for service workers and concern over food handling. Here’s her story.

WIBTA for complaining to customer service about deli worker.

I do the grocery shopping for my partner and me.

My partner has celiac disease. For those who don’t know what that is, it’s a serious autoimmune disease triggered by gluten (found in wheat and some other grains).

I was out getting us groceries and went to the deli counter for one of my items.

She immediately asked him to change gloves.

The person who came to help me was just handling rolls. I ask him to please change his gloves and tell him the food is for someone with celiac disease, and they cannot have any wheat.

The threshold for a celiac’s flare is so low that even simple cross-contamination can trigger a reaction. The deli clerk lets out a loud sigh and rolls his eyes. He does change his gloves.

But a couple of seconds later, he goes, “Ya know, I guess I get it, my brother is a germaphobe too,” which I found to be pretty underhanded, but that’s more or less whatever. People have bad days.

Now, she’s unsure if filing a complaint is the best move.

But the problem with this is that it shows a clear lack of understanding of critical food safety and cross-contamination protocols.

Not really a big deal for a typical grocery worker, but for someone who’s handling ingredients it seems like a pretty egregious oversight that this person 1) found issue with the request in the first place, and 2) expressed a fundamental lack of understanding of food safety for allergies (note – celiacs isn’t an allergy but when it comes to cross contamination the same type of safety protocols apply, please excuse my brevity).

I’m struggling because at 32, I’ve never filed a complaint about a service industry worker before. I’ve worked retail, and I know how much the work can suck. I empathize with that. But I’m strongly considering it, given the health implications involved in this particular instance.

AITA?

Yikes! She does have a good point, but it may not be his fault exactly.

Let’s check out what the readers over at Reddit have to say.

This reader thinks it’s all about how she frames it.

According to this person, it’s a learning opportunity for the guy.

Here’s someone who thinks reporting is the right thing to do.

Yet another reader who would report.

She must speak up, because the store clearly needs better training.

If you liked this post, you might want to read this story about a teacher who taught the school’s administration a lesson after they made a sick kid take a final exam.