Getting sick at work is already stressful enough, but it’s even worse when you’re stuck in close quarters with your coworkers.

This cruise ship employee recently caught a cold from their roommate and decided to call out for one day to rest and recover properly. He handed a doctor’s note directly to his manager and kept the situation quiet from everyone else on board.

But things got uncomfortable fast.

After leaving his cabin to get a drink and use the public restroom, another coworker suddenly started accusing him of violating safety protocols and made him think he was risking his job just for being outside.

Now, he’s wondering if the manager crossed a line by sharing personal medical information with the crew.

Read on to hear the full story.

Manager told co workers I was sick without my permission, and now they are saying my job is at stake

I work on a cruise ship and recently came down with a cold that my roommate gave me.

I called out for a day so I can sleep off the cold and not miss any days in the future. I handed my note to my manager, and didn’t talk to anyone else.

Today, I woke up needing to use the bathroom and get a drink. My roommate was hogging the bathroom, so I left my room to use the public one.

There was no TP, so another co-worker went to get some for me.

Suddenly, a coworker appeared and already knew all about his sickness.

As I’m standing there, a girl starts telling me I’m in breach of safety protocols, that I shouldn’t be out of my room, and that “She is just looking out so that I don’t lose my job.”

Just because I had to use the bathroom.

I went back to my room with no drink, so I couldn’t get my fluids. Is she just overreacting? Does this fall under HIPAA?

Am I overreacting?

Wow! That’s actually a really good question.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a woman who reported her manager to HR after being forced to work 24-hours straight.

Let’s see if the readers over at Reddit know the answer.

This person thinks he should’ve just waited in his room.

According to this reader, HIPAA only applies in the US to medical professionals.

Yet another reader who gives the same answer.

Here’s someone who sees fault in both of them.

This situation sounds exhausting more than anything else.

It’s not like the employee was wandering around the ship or attending a party. He literally stepped out to get a drink and use the restroom.

At the same time, the coworker probably thought she was helping by warning him. Cruise ships take illness protocols seriously because sickness can spread quickly in close quarters.

As for his question about HIPAA. Well, his manager isn’t his healthcare provider, so they did nothing wrong.

Ultimately, nobody wants coworkers policing them, and nobody wants to catch someone else’s cold. So, they both acted accordingly.