Warehouse supervisor tells employees to use Kleenex instead of toilet paper because he forgot to order it: 'Don't mention this issue to any female so no one calls off tomorrow'

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JR Atkinson • Writer and Editor
Nov 18, 2025 10:00 AM EST

If you've ever been made to suffer through subpar toilet tissue, then you know how annoying it can be. It may seem like a small price in the grand scheme of things, but it isn't. It adds up over time. Little things can come together to be big things, and that can take a toll on your well-being. Using paper-thin, rough toilet paper might not seem like a big deal, but it is. You deserve to be taken care of in all aspects of your life. This is especially true at work. Okay, maybe they're not shelling out for the extra-plush Charmin that feels like a pillow for your behind, but you expect at least a little bit of comfort. And if not, you certainly expect to have some toilet paper at all. 

But what if you didn't? What if your employer cared so little about your personal well-being that they wanted you to go without one of the most basic parts of human decency? That's what happened in this story, after an employer's error caused major upset in the company. 

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  • The sink and paper towel dispenser at an office bathroom.
    via José Martínez

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

  • One employee tried to take matters into their own hands and then realized they were coming up against a lot of incompetence in their workplace. They were trying to look out for their fellow employees but came up short in the process. Read on to see what happened in this story and decide what you would have done. 

  • We are out of toilet paper at work starting tomorrow and were told to use Kleenex.

    No, this isn't a joke and I am not writing for fun. I work at the front desk of a large warehouse (70 employees). The janitor and I are in close communication since his closet is near my desk. He told me he placed an order for toilet paper with the warehouse supervisor last week and it should have been in by Friday. The supply orders do not go through me but the janitor told me he knew it was getting low as he tracks the rolls daily.
    via u/sonofacrakr
  • Sure enough, our supervisor didn't place the order at all. We have three industrial rolls left. There are two bathrooms at each end of the warehouse (4 in total) and these rolls will run out by tomorrow morning.
    via u/sonofacrakr
  • What we DO have are tons of paper towels and Kleenex. The supervisor demands we all use Kleenex instead which will absolutely not happen since they're one ply off-brand generics. The warehouse manager is male and told me absolutely don't mention this issue to any female so no one calls off tomorrow.
    via u/sonofacrakr
  • Basically, everyone is going to come running to me (front desk) tomorrow and the janitor asking why there is no TP while the warehouse supervisor locks himself in his office playing dumb. Toilets WILL clog. I sit right outside the bathroom on the far side of the warehouse and I imagine people will just use paper towels which are conveniently located in the women's room.
    via u/sonofacrakr
  • Any thoughts on this asinine situation I've been placed in?
    via u/sonofacrakr

  • Commenters gave their ideas.

    Lil_Brown_Bat • 19h ago Warehouse super. needs to go out and buy TP from the store with either a company cc or submit to the company for reimbursement. Even if he did place an order and it didn't come in in time, this would still be his responsibility.
    via u/Lil_Brown_Bat
  • Traditional-Quit-7... . • 19h ago You should go over the supervisor's head and email his boss or the owner and let them know they are going to have a huge plumbing bill if people start using the Kleenex and paper towels.
    via u/Traditional-Quit-792
  • Craw_ . 19h ago Facial tissues are designed to not break up in water like toilet paper does. It's not going to do your plumbing any good.
    via u/Craw__
  • freudmv • 19h ago Tell him the charge for the plumber to unclog the drain will be more expensive than the TP he needs to purchase.
    via u/freudmv
  • A row of sinks in a public restroom.
    via Kenny Miller

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

  • RadLabDad • 19h ago Warehouse supervisor likely has a P-Card and could solve this issue by dropping by the store, so he's just plain dumb.
    via u/RadLabDad
  • ElTupacabraXXX • 19h ago Drop a dime to OSHA, seems like your boss is creating an unsafe work environment.
    via u/ElTupacabraXXX
  • Brianthelion83 18h ago My old workplace, that happened and we were psychopaths and we used a roll of brown paper towels. Messed the plumbing up so bad they had to dig up the parking lot and replace like 25 feet of pipe, after spending. thousands on getting the drains snaked like a dozen times. Boss was bitching all in it cost the shop like 60 grand
    via u/Brianthelion83
  • -mrhyde 19h ago I used to bring 2-ply into work because our company would only supply 1-ply. I worked for the DoD.
    via u/-mrhyde_
  • GuerrillaPrincess • 18h ago This whole thing is fucked but it's wild to me that they specifically say to not tell the women
    via u/GuerrillaPrincess
  • JustmyOpinion444 • 18h ago Tell everyone. Tell the women twice. And call out yourself.
    via u/JustmyOpinion444
  • Party-Objective94... . 19h ago Yep, toilets will clog. TP is designed to break down, while kleenex and paper towels are designed to stay intact.
    via u/Party-Objective9466
  • Finwolven 19h ago Warehouse manager has a superior manager. When (not if) toilets clog, email warehouse manager and his superior, informing them that you've called an emergency plumber because toilets are overflowing with shit and kleenex. Mention that as per managers instruction, warehouse staff has been using the supply of non-toilet paper...
    via u/Finwolven
  • PigslsEqual ⚫ 19h ago . Bring in a few 24-packs of Charmin and make yourself. some money selling it - to that supervisor
    via u/PigslsEqual
  • 2sticksandsomest... 17h ago I think you should email the warehouse supervisor on Monday morning. CC his boss. "Hi super,
    via u/2sticksandsomestring
  • Confirming per our conversation Friday that you did not order the toilet paper that Janitor submitted, and that your instructions are for everyone to use the Kleenex and paper towels instead until you submit the next supply order. I just want to make sure we are all understanding the situation the same way. I also want to confirm that you specifically instructed me not to advise any of our female employees of the situation".
    via u/2sticksandsomestring
  • That way you and the janitor are in the clear, and his boss gets a complete picture of the gender discrimination and intolerable work environment the super just created.
    via u/2sticksandsomestring
  • bikemikeasaurus • 18h ago Once told my boss's boss "| will gladly drive home and use my bathroom if that's what I'm forced to do. You still gotta pay me" on a jobsite that had repeated TP issues. Thankfully that got the point. across.
    via u/bikemikeasaurus
  • My_Carrot_Bro • 19h ago Send a mass email to the entire company letting them know of the toilet paper shortage and cc your personal email so you have a paper trail in the likely case they retaliate. Fuck bad bosses to the end of the earth.
    via u/My_Carrot_Bro
  • OkManufacturer767 19h ago. . Walk up to your boss and say you or someone needs to go buy a case of TP on the company card.
    via u/OkManufacturer767
  • • cryssHappy 18h ago Tell the women - who knows, maybe they'll use pads to dry off and flush them. Call the Dept of Health - today, tomorrow morning and every hour on the hour until your AH of a sup buys TP.
    via u/cryssHappy
  • Buy the way, if the supervisor has their own bathroom, borrow all the TP from there. Make sure staff knows it was the supervisor and he can use kleenex.
    via u/cryssHappy

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boss antiwork workplace-stories toxic-workplace job bosses work coworkers working reddit story toxic-boss workplace reddit thread bad bosses Reddit toxic-work-environment
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