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Isn’t it funny how some workplace rules can actually make it harder to take care of yourself?

For one grocery store cashier, that became pretty clear after she became severely dehydrated and was sick for several days.

Once she started feeling better, she began bringing a water bottle to work so it wouldn’t happen again.

Now, technically, employees weren’t supposed to keep them at the registers, but managers had been letting the rule slide.

Still, none of that stopped one of her coworkers from asking questions and reporting her to management.

Read on to see how it all played out.

AITA for bringing a water bottle to work as a cashier still after the fact my coworker confronted me about it?

I’m a cashier at a grocery store. I had just gotten over being severely dehydrated and was sick for about five days. In an attempt to rehydrate myself, I’ve been bringing a water bottle with me to work ever since I got my health slightly better.

I noticed since the pandemic, people have been bringing in water bottles anyway to drink at their registers and have been breaking “more rules,” like wearing hats like we weren’t supposed to before.

My managers have been letting most things slide that they wouldn’t have before.

Suddenly, she could sense the anger in her coworker’s voice.

My one coworker, whom I’ve known for 9 years, saw me drinking water when I had no customers (I only drink it when no one is around), and she asked if we were allowed to have water bottles.

I answered, saying, “Technically no, but most of the managers don’t care since people have been bringing them in. If you bring one, don’t let them see you. I just have to stay hydrated.”

I didn’t get a chance to tell her I was just recovering from dehydration, but my coworker said with hidden anger in her voice, “Oh, but we all do. We all have to stay hydrated,” which I 100% get where she’s coming from.

I think it’s totally unfair and unethical that we aren’t allowed to bring a water bottle… technically.

Luckily, the managers handled it well.

However, we are allowed to get a small cup from the cart room and get water, but that room is so far away from our registers, and we’re not always allowed to go there to get water. Sometimes people get yelled at for doing that.

Anyway, I understood her feelings, but at the time, I decided I’m putting my health first over any dumb rules. Then there was another day at work my coworker saw me with my water, and I could tell she was upset.

Yesterday, I found out she told my managers on me. My two managers told me they didn’t care, and one even said, “I saw nothing.”

I feel hurt my coworker told on me… but at the same time, I understand why she did. I’m not the only one breaking the rules here, though. There’s a lot of my other coworkers bringing water bottles as well to drink. I could understand if I was the only one doing it. I totally get the unfairness.

AITA?

Yikes! It doesn’t seem like that coworker is her friend at all.

Let’s check out what the readers over at Reddit think about this whole thing.

This sounds like the official OSHA rule.

Great questions.

This reader has a different way of looking at it.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about an employee who won’t answer calls after hours since he was switched from salary to hourly pay.

Here’s some good advice.

This really shouldn’t have been an issue in the first place.

If someone has already been sick from dehydration, letting them keep a bottle of water nearby just makes sense.

And given the fact that the managers clearly weren’t bothered by it, what does the coworker’s opinion matter?

There are definitely bigger things to worry about at work than who’s keeping a water bottle at the register.