A Reddit user has claimed she was fired for taking medical leave while battling pneumonia, despite adhering to her employer’s Covid-related sick leave policy.
The viral post, titled “I have pneumonia and my boss is threatening to fire me for not coming in,” has sparked heated debate, with many users condemning what they see as a shocking lack of empathy in the workplace.
In her post, the employee explained that she initially took a week off after testing positive for Covid-19. But instead of improving, her health deteriorated.“I realised I was getting 10 times worse, so I went to urgent care. They misdiagnosed me with just congestion and sent me on my way,” she wrote. She later visited the emergency room with a 103-degree fever and was diagnosed with severe pneumonia and prescribed antibiotics.
A Reddit user has claimed she was fired for taking medical leave while battling pneumonia, despite adhering to her employer’s Covid-related sick leave policy.[Photo: Reddit]
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Despite her worsening condition, her boss pressured her to return.“I told her I needed until Wednesday off just so I can recover, because at this point I can barely breathe standing up,” she said.
Her boss reportedly dismissed the request as “unreasonable” and questioned why she hadn’t started antibiotics earlier. The post ends with a blunt update: “I got fired.”
Outrage filled the comments section.“This is ridiculous,” many users echoed.
One user, identifying as a general manager, wrote:“I tell my employees: Don’t come in if you’re sick. Take care of yourself and we’ll figure it out. I’m sorry. Feel better soon.”
Another added:“This is so sad. Pneumonia is no joke. People die of pneumonia. Take care of yourself because your boss doesn’t care.”
Others advised the user to escalate the situation to HR, suggesting the firing may warrant a formal complaint or legal action.
