'They fired her to protect the company': Intern fired after cupcakes trigger allergic reaction and land star coworker in hospital

Author image for Isabella Penn
Isabella Penn
Aug 25, 2025 7:00 AM EDT

Starting an internship is always a mix of excitement and low-level terror. You're surrounded by people who all started at the same time and supposedly equals on paper, but sometimes it quickly becomes obvious who the star pupils are in the boss's eyes. You try to focus on your own work, but it's impossible not to notice who's getting praised for the tiniest things while you're scrambling to finish your tasks. Add in the fact that everyone's competing for a very limited number of full-time job offers at the end of the internship, and small mistake feels high stakes.

It's the kind of situation that makes me think of that Friends episode where Chandler tries to break into marketing. He starts as an intern, clueless, awkward, and desperate for recognition, only to find that dealing with office drama when you're starting at the bottom is a lot harder than you'd think. You can't just do the work; you have to manage impressions, form coworker alliances, and make small power plays, all while trying not to burn out.

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  • Which brings us to today’s story of a 19-year-old intern who had a major allergic reaction to a coworker’s cupcakes. Sounds innocent, but was it really?

  • Cheezburger Image 10544474112
    via Getty Images For Unsplash+

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.


     

  • "AITA for getting a coworker fired for “accidentally” making me have an allergic reaction?"

    I 19M am an intern at an office and last week we had a potluck/celebrating a manager coming back from maternity leave. Well my supervisor "Mr.K" is a little creepy but not concerningly he just does weird things like he asked
    via TonightNo4843
  • for my social media which I guess isn't that strange but he comments under everything I post, buys me lunch, calling me outside of work, gives me special treatment etc. It's made some of the other interns not like me...
    via TonightNo4843
  • "Sarah" in particular doesn't like me I think she feels slighted because she definitely works the hardest out of all the interns but I'm given most of the praise and attention for the above reasons. I let everyone
    via TonightNo4843
  • know I'm allergic to milk not lactose intolerant. Guess who made cupcakes that were "dairy free" now I don't know if she intentionally lied but she kept trying to get me to eat one of the red
    via TonightNo4843
  • velvet cupcakes and I had an allergic reaction. I always keep an epi pen but I still had to go to the hospital because I was my throat and tongue swelled. Sarah acted like she was so sorry saying
    via TonightNo4843
  • Cheezburger Image 10544477440
    via luisana zerpa For Unsplash+
  • that she used dairy free cream cheese. Mr.K went with me to the hospital and took me home. I took off a few days and when I came back Sarah was fired, I only knew
    via TonightNo4843
  • after I asked someone I was kind of on good terms with but I was getting the cold shoulder from everyone else. They think Sarah was fired unfairly and if it had been anyone else nothing that
    via TonightNo4843
  • serious would have happened. Either way the only reason I'm happy I got her fired is because of her Mr.K now has my address, and for all we know she could have been fired for something else.
    via TonightNo4843
  • Edit: I guess it's confusing people but I meant I'm happy she got fired because he now knows where I live meaning I DONT want him having my address but because of her he has it now.
    via TonightNo4843
  • Basically I meant she got what she deserved even though I don't have 100 proof it wasn't an accident it's still made my life less private now.
    via TonightNo4843
  • No-Chipmunk-4590 NTA- People have been charged with attempted murder for that sort of thing, or at least aggravated assault by poisoning. She's lucky she
    via No-Chipmunk-4590
  • isn't in prison, being fired is the least of her problems. I'd suggest talking to a labor & personal injury lawyer near you (jurisdictions can vary a little).
    via No-Chipmunk-4590
  • Watch out for that supervisor though. They may have your back right now, but some of what you describe does look like they want to "date" which is ethically inappropriate
    via No-Chipmunk-4590
  • between supervisor and employee and could get him or both of you fired also depending on the company.
    via No-Chipmunk-4590
  • New_Willow_6972 NTA. You are not responsible for your supervisor's actions or your coworker's continued employment.
    via New_Willow_6972
  • Clean_Permit_3791 NTA She made cupcakes that she claimed were dairy free and even convinced you to eat one knowing you had an allergy. If she
    via Clean_Permit_3791
  • hadn't claimed they were dairy free or convinced you to eat them you absolutely wouldn't have touched the cupcakes. She genuinely could have k led you - she would have been charged with man slaughter if you
    via Clean_Permit_3791
  • d d, you could probably take it to the police as assault. It's very clear she did it on purpose. If that had happened to anyone in the company she would have been fired
    via Clean_Permit_3791
  • because if they kept her on they're opening themselves up to a massive lawsuit especially if you were to argue she did it on purpose. They fired her to protect the company.
    via Clean_Permit_3791
  • I would reply to anyone saying it's unfair “I think she was fired to protect the company from being sued for being the cause of my severe allergic reaction and the manslaughter charge she would have faced if I didn't have my EpiPen. I
    via Clean_Permit_3791
  • would hope if she almost k led one of you they would have fired her then too" Also if Mr K is freaking you out please make detailed notes of incidents and let someone know.
    via Clean_Permit_3791
  • You're NTA - you're possibly the victim of attempted poisoning...
    via Clean_Permit_3791
  • justsweetgirl You're not the ah le for having a serious reaction and protecting yourself. If you were
    via justsweetgirl
  • clear about your allergy and she still insisted you eat something with dairy then that's reckless at best and malicious at worst. It s ks that your coworkers are giving you the cold shoulder
    via justsweetgirl
  • but your health has to come first. If someone can't respect a life threatening allergy they shouldn't be handling food for others
    via justsweetgirl

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internship employee job allergies intern work coworkers food allergy fire colleague potluck cupcakes workplace Horrible Bosses
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