24-year-old manager informs boss that they've scheduled a surgery to repair their torn meniscus, boss is ‘furious’ and tries to guilt-trip them: ‘I have been struggling bad’

Author image for Lana DeGaetano
Lana DeGaetano • "Show me to me please."
Oct 2, 2025 7:00 AM EDT

Please repeat after me: My health is more important than my job. Again: My health is more important than my job. If we're not alive or well enough to work, what's the point of putting one before the other?

Most people need work to keep their heads above water. Medical emergencies happen, though, and it's important to understand that as an employee, you have the right to take medical leave (whether it is paid or unpaid), and there's nothing anyone can do about it.

The employee in this next story has been suffering from a torn meniscus for months, remaining on their feet several hours a day at the grocery store they manage. It's come time for them to have surgery to repair their torn meniscus, and unsurprisingly, their boss has some ill feelings about it.

You always think your boss is one of the good ones until they hear that you're going to be gone for a while because of health reasons. Any boss who tells you to put your health second isn't a boss you want to work for, period. 

Not all of us get to choose our battles, and this employee doesn't have many options. Health comes before a boss's comfort. Scroll to read the full story.

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sick leave workplace-stories toxic-workplace work askreddit horrible-management PTO workplace Horrible Bosses reddit thread surgery entitled people toxic-work-environment
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