In a striking display of a toxic workplace culture, a Reddit user shared a screenshot of their boss's response after they called in sick.
The screenshot has sparked outrage and a deeper conversation about workplace mental health in the post that has received over 22,000 upvotes. The boss's message, which included the phrases like, "dude, you suck" and "I haven't called out for a long time, had a record of over a decade of no sick days … just remember if you're not here, you don't get paid," has been met with a wave of condemnation online.
Newsweek spoke to licensed workplace mental-health expert Christina Muller about the situation, and how the poster should move forward.
The Internet's Reaction
The original post quickly went viral, with thousands of users decrying the boss's behavior as inappropriate and unprofessional.
The comments section filled with a mix of shared outrage and practical advice. Many users pointed out the absurdity of boasting about perfect attendance, especially in the context of public health.
"Having perfect attendance is nothing to brag about, just makes [you the a******] for getting the whole place sick," one Reddit user wrote. "Take your sick day then I would go to human resources. Not OK for your manager to talk to you like that."
Another comment highlighted the flawed logic behind the manager's boast: "Imagine bragging about never taking a sick day and thinking it makes you look like a hero instead of someone who does not value their health," the poster wrote.
An Expert Opinion
To provide professional insight into the incident, Muller offered her analysis on the situation.
She immediately categorized the manager's actions: "What's going on here isn't leadership; it's bullying," she said. According to Muller, this behavior is an indicator of a much-larger issue.
"It's symptomatic of a broader societal issue: valuing productivity over people," Muller added. "That mindset supplants self‑care and advances guilt when basic human needs arise. What we end up seeing is burnout: people get sicker, more disengaged and produce lower-quality work as a result."
Muller noted that this kind of toxic behavior can have serious consequences for the company's bottom line.
For employees who find themselves in a similar situation, Muller advised a clear and measured approach. "Document everything. And lean on already established policies, which many organizations have, that pertain to sick leave. Reach out to human resources for clarity if needed," she said.
Finally, Muller's message reinforced the need for a healthier, more human-centric approach to management.
"Ultimately remember this: healthy workplaces need healthy people to sustain itself," she concluded. "And we can only achieve this with common-sense approaches that benefit everyone."
Newsweek reached out to u/SIN0FWRVTH for comment for Reddit.