August 26, 2026 at 11:47 am

Coworker Copies Their Germaphobe Boss by Constantly Asking Everyone If They’re Sick, So Employee Gets Fed Up

by Heide Lazaro

Woman wearing a face mask working in front of her laptop in the office

Pexels/Reddit

Coworkers can become irritating when they constantly copy someone else’s behavior.

In this story, an employee noticed her coworker closely imitating their germaphobe boss and repeatedly questioning her about being sick.

When she went to work wearing a face mask, the coworker freaked out and made a scene about it.

Now, she’s thinking about how to shut her up and finally put her in her place.

I guess we all have that annoying coworker, huh? Check out the dull details below.

My coworker keeps asking if I’m sick

I have an annoying coworker who is such a bootlicker of the boss.

She tries to do everything the boss does and be everything like him.

My boss is a germaphobe, but he’s also very polite and gentle.

So she has been pretending to be one as well. It’s so annoying.

This employee went to work with a mask on.

For the past few weeks, every time I go to the office, she asks loudly in front of everyone, “Are you sick?”

Or, “You’re not sick, right?”

One time, I had a mild cold, and knowing what these guys are like, I went to the office with a mask on.

I would’ve happily stayed back, but that was my teammate’s farewell.

She saw me coming in and made a whole show of freaking out.

She told me not to take my mask off and then, she wore a mask as well.

She’s wondering how to respond to her coworker the next time she asks.

What’s a good comeback for when she asks me whether I’m sick again for no good reason?

BTW, she’s such a narcissist and is very bossy with everyone else in the team.

She can’t do that with me since both of us are in the same high-ranking positions for different teams.

I feel like this is her way of getting back at me.

Yeah, I agree that her coworker’s behavior is quite irritating.

OP probably wanted to put her coworker in her place, that’s why she’s thinking about a good comeback.

Perhaps a simple “Why? Are you worried about catching my personality?” could shut down the questioning without turning it into a bigger workplace argument.

What do you think? Let’s see how others reacted to this story.

This user offers a possible response.

Screenshot 2026 08 25 at 9.14.19 AM Coworker Copies Their Germaphobe Boss by Constantly Asking Everyone If They’re Sick, So Employee Gets Fed Up

Short and straightforward.

Screenshot 2026 08 25 at 9.14.57 AM Coworker Copies Their Germaphobe Boss by Constantly Asking Everyone If They’re Sick, So Employee Gets Fed Up

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a company that didn’t expect their work-from-home policy to result in better time off benefits for their employees.

Here’s another suggestion.

Screenshot 2026 08 25 at 9.15.31 AM Coworker Copies Their Germaphobe Boss by Constantly Asking Everyone If They’re Sick, So Employee Gets Fed Up

Finally, a similar thought from this one.

Screenshot 2026 08 25 at 9.15.44 AM Coworker Copies Their Germaphobe Boss by Constantly Asking Everyone If They’re Sick, So Employee Gets Fed Up

Some people copy the boss so closely, they forget to develop their own personality.

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Heide Lazaro is a veteran human-interest writer and digital culture expert with over a decade of experience in editorial strategy. Specializing in lifestyle, social dynamics, and the internet's most compelling stories, Heide has authored and published more than 10 books online. Beyond her daily reporting, she is a dedicated motivational speaker who helps audiences connect through the power of storytelling. When she isn't sifting through the web's wildest real-life drama, Heide is an avid runner, painter, and novel-enthusiast fueled by a truly excellent cup of coffee.