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Companies love telling you to take care of yourself — as long as it doesn’t cost them anything, of course.

One employee was told by his manager and HR that he should take time off for his health. But this employee was quick to push back because he’d watched time off turn into termination for plenty of coworkers.

HR insisted that never happened, so the employee decided to take HR’s advice.

When he finally returned, the same two people who’d urged him to take his leave ruthlessly fired him.

So much for peace of mind.

Keep reading for the full story.

“We never fire anyone if they take time off”. Me = Fired

A couple of months ago, I met with my manager and HR to discuss the state of things at work and my health. They recommended I take some time off, to which I told them both that I can’t take time off.

This employee learned quickly that taking time off came with dire consequences.

Nearly 80% of the time, if someone took vacation or a leave, they were fired when they came back.

HR: “We don’t do that. It has never happened. You need to get that out of your head.”

Then they gave me the EAP phone number.

Upon their recommendation, I took a month off work.

But when the employee came back, they were met with a familiar narrative.

When I wanted to come back, the company bungled the return-to-work paperwork and told me to take more time off.

The day I came back to work, the same manager and HR fired me.

Screw working.

HR and leadership are straight up villains.

What did Reddit have to say?

This user brings up an important point.

Maybe it’s time to get a lawyer involved.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a delivery driver who tried warning his boss the truck needed new brakes and tires, only to find his truck sidelined during their busiest season.

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This user recalls a similar experience.

The saddest part of this story is the realization that this employee was right all along.

Anyone would like to believe their employer truly cares about them and has their best interest in mind.

He told HR exactly what happened to people who took leave, got a confident denial, and followed their advice anyway because they held his paycheck.

A company that hands out a hotline number and then shows someone the door has misunderstood what care means.

His instincts deserved far more respect than they got.

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Author

Benjamin Cottrell

Benjamin Cottrell | Assistant Editor, Internet Culture

Benjamin Cottrell is an Assistant Editor and contributing writer at TwistedSifter, specializing in internet culture, viral social dynamics, and the moral complexities of online communities. He brings a highly analytical, editorial voice to his reporting on workplace conflicts, malicious compliance, and interpersonal drama, with a specific focus on nuanced stories that lack an obvious villain.

As a published author of rhetorical criticism, Benjamin leverages his academic background in human communication to dissect and elevate viral social media threads. Instead of simply summarizing events, he provides readers with balanced, deep-dive commentary into why the internet reacts the way it does. In addition to his cultural reporting, he is an experienced fine art photography essayist and video game reviewer.

When he isn’t analyzing the latest viral debates, Benjamin is usually chipping away at his extensive video game backlog, hunting down the best new restaurants, or out exploring the city with a camera in hand.

Connect with Benjamin on Instagram and read more of his essays on Substack.