Employee with the flu is written up for not coming into work: 'I reminded him of the policy. His response? Well, we still need people to show dedication'

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JR Atkinson • Writer and Editor
Sep 16, 2025 10:00 PM EDT

Nobody likes a germ-spreader. Maybe you have one in your life. They don't let illness stop them from coming out and spreading their sickness all around town. In a certain way, you admire their bravery. In another, much more real way, you wish they would have more consideration for those around them. Nobody wants to be struck down with a case of anything. It's one of those things in life that we would much rather avoid if we have the opportunity. This is why, as a general rule now and forever, we should stay home when we're feeling bad. 

Employers don't always make this easy to do, though. Calling out from work can be a whole ordeal and a half. Maybe you have to find someone to cover for you, and if you can't do that, you're absolutely cooked. You're supposed to be able to do what you need to do, but unfortunately, the world we live in doesn't always give us that opportunity. Sometimes we end up being penalized for things that are out of our control. That's what happened in this story.

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  • A young woman blows her nose into a tissue at work.
    via Unsplash+ (Getty Images)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • After being struck with a common but terrible illness, the employee did the right thing and stayed home from work. But when they returned, they found that their efforts were not appreciated. In fact, they were being written up for what they did. Read on for the full story to see what happened and what advice commenters had to give. 

  • Got written up for not coming in while I had the flu... after being told not to come in sick.

    I had the flu - fever, chills, the whole nine yards. Company handbook said- stay home when sick. So I did..... When I came back, my manager handed me a write-up for "unexcused absence." I reminded him of the policy. His response? Well, we still need people to show dedication.
    via u/Nammmieee
  • So basically come in sick and risk - infecting the office, or stay home and get punished. Either way, you lose... What the h I, I mean seriously......
    via u/Nammmieee

  • Commenters agreed that this was the wrong thing to do.

    . Nammmieee OP • 2h ago We care about your health... unless it costs us productivity
    via u/Nammmieee
  • SkylarMills63 · 2h ago . If you have an HR dept, follow up with HR on the write up. Otherwise.. try and stick up for yourself to management I guess. Let them know that any respectable and reasonable person wouldn't give a writeup for something like that. Idk.
    via u/SkylarMills63
  • Nammmieee OP • 1h ago HR is just there to protect the company, not the employees. Sticking up for yourself usually just means a bigger target on your back.... otherwise I know the process of verbal warning then I'll be their next target...
    via u/Nammmieee
  • A young woman looks upset at her desk, holding a tissue to her face.
    via Unsplash+ (Getty Images)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • miggyhussle • 1h ago . While it is true that HR is going to protect the company you should still email them Cc your manager and BCC your personal email so you have documentation. Just a suggestion.
    via u/miggyhussle
  • toxicdelug3 • 2h ago . Next time, come in and cough around him blow your nose and make sure to leave your tissues in his trash can. Make sure to be near him at all times. And then make sure to faint in front of him
    via u/toxicdelug3
  • ILoveUncommonSe... 2h ago Try emailing him stating something that confirms both that he wanted you to work sick and that the handbook insists otherwise, like "I just wanted to confirm. You wrote me up for..." "Does that rule negate the rulebook which says..." Then make sure to document that and his response, at least by bcc-ing your personal email.
    via u/ILoveUncommonSense
  • DRINK_WINE_PET_C... 1h ago . OP is not clarifying whether they notified work that they wouldn't be coming in due to illness. This is a huge factor Imao
    via u/DRINK_WINE_PET_CATS
  • SomeRagingGamer 1h ago • I know it's not necessarily easy to just "find a new job." But, that's a toxic work environment and I wouldn't want to keep working there myself. It sounds like the "stay home when sick" policy is there just to make it look like a caring environment. In
    via u/SomeRagingGamer
  • reality, they care about numbers over the well being of their employees. And they'll continue to treat you bad because you're viewed as being easily replaceable. If it were me, I would refused to sign the write up and gone directly to HR.
    via u/SomeRagingGamer
  • mozillafirefay · 2h ago That's a tough place to be employed :/ I often have to take sick days because I'm dis ed. If I had the options, I would quit a place like this that clearly would not care the slightest about me and my wellbeing.
    via u/mozillafirefay
  • klezart 52m ago Nah, I'm not signing that write-up and I'm calling HR
    via u/klezart
  • bellabookgirl 1h ago I would definitely send an email along the lines of "Dear Manager, thank you so much for bringing to my attention. that we need to show commitment and show up for work, no matter what. I
    via u/bellabookgirl
  • apologise for not coming in when I had the flu, I read our employee handbook and took sick leave as I was following what I thought it said to do. In future, I will ensure that I come in no matter what, do I have to advise if I'm contagious? Kind regards, plague bearer "
    via u/bellabookgirl
  • Ippus_21 1h ago Like, it's IN WRITING, dude. Do you have an HR or somebody you can appeal the writeup to? That's bulls
    via u/Ippus_21
  • Nammmieee OP · 1h ago HR here is basically just an intern with a new title. No actual experience, no real authority and it's a startup so you can imagine how that goes.
    via u/Nammmieee
  • parkesc 2h ago • Do your coworkers know about this? Spread the word. They can all go to this office with a question or something, and then start coughing uncontrollably...
    via u/parkesc
  • XediDC 1h ago • We had a VP that would make everyone work sick. It was disgusting. (This was before Co id). I and working with some others told my teams all to work from home to avoid getting sick, and we let HR and our CEO know why. Eventually he was forced to stop.
    via u/XediDC
  • Like seriously. If you're sick I do NOT want you around. I mean, I do want you to sleep and get better too — but - selfishly I just don't want you here. Boggles my mind.
    via u/XediDC
  • Sea-Durian555.59m ago Come in, cough all over the manager and spread germs on his desk
    via u/Sea-Durian555
  • heckhammer • 56m ago Our place basically tells you if you don't use your sick time by the end of the year you get paid for it which encourages more ons to come in with 103° fever because they want that sweet extra week of pay at the end of the year. It used to be these were the same guys who would save up all their vacation for years and
    via u/heckhammer
  • keep carrying it over until they could take a month off to go back to their home country for vacation. They changed our policy this year and made all our vacation use it or lose it and it has thrown everybody into an uproar.
    via u/heckhammer
  • Tribblehappy • 55m ago I would have refused to sign such a write up, and taken it over his head if possible.
    via u/Tribblehappy
  • Needketchup • 1h ago You didnt mention how many sick days you get and how many you have taken.... If you've exceeded, then that explains them telling you to stay home, but it doesnt get you out of the accountability you have for your poor attendance overall.
    via u/Needketchup
  • kr4ckenm3fortune 1h ago . Shouldva told him, so...you coming in sick isn't dictation as in the handbook? rules. ...you playing your own
    via u/kr4ckenm3fortune
  • johnb300m 45m ago Welcome to American work life. Don't get sick. Don't be late. Don't be human.
    via u/johnb300m

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