Coworker calls in sick to "recover" from her concert the night before, forcing employee to work without a break for a 12 hour shift: 'She was telling everyone she would fake call in sick, and still got away with it!'

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Ben Weiss • Writer and Editor
Dec 17, 2025 8:00 AM EST

These coworkers ultimately feuded with one another over something that proper management could have easily avoided.

These two women, who worked in an emergency room, were often on the same schedule and were therefore partnered together during long, 12 hour shifts. However, it seems that the author of this anecdote harbors some frustrations that, although understandable, may have been directed at the wrong individual.

The author's coworker had been planning on going to a concert well in advance and requested two days of paid time off for this event: one for the day of the concert and the other for the following day so she could sleep in and recover. Management approved the first day but did not approve the second.

Now, the coworker also had plenty of sick days left that she could use, so she told all her friends at work that she was going to use one of those days for her "recovery" day. No one seemed to take issue with this, except for the author, as it meant that she would likely be overwhelmed and left all alone during her shift.

Keep scrolling below to find out what happened when the coworker did ultimately use that sick day, which quite frankly, she was perfectly entitled to use.

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  • As several members of this online community pointed out, the real culprit here is not the coworker; it's management. Not only did they reject the coworker's valid PTO request, but they also seemed to be unable to cover for her when she called in sick. The fact that the employee wasn't able to take a break says more about management's failure to cover for one absence than anything about the coworker's negligence. It also shows that the author does not feel empowered enough to allow herself to take her well-deserved break, even when things are busy. Again, not the coworker's fault at all!

  • 01

    "Coworker fake called in sick to work night because they went to a concert *yesterday*"

    I work in the ER, and in our role, there are two people assigned per 12 hr shift. My coworker J is a coworker and really s employee for a myriad of reasons, and 5 of my 7 biweekly shifts are with her. Quite a while
    via muleborax
  • 02
    ago, she requested nightshifts for both the 10th and 11th off, as there was a concert she planned to attend on the 10th. The 10th was approved but the 11th wasn't. Despite only having one shift off, she was telling everyone
    via muleborax
  • 03
    last week "she had the whole week off" and telling other staff that she was going to call in sick whether she was sick or not.
    via muleborax
  • 04
    Knowing she was going to do this, I got really annoyed because I knew then I would be alone on my shift and not get a break due to coverage. I *did* get a break,
    via muleborax
  • 05
    but only because another coworker who had already worked a 12 hr day shift worked an extra 6, just so I would be able to take a break.
    via muleborax
  • 06
    I know it's not my business, but I am so annoyed that she was telling everyone she would fake call in sick, and still got away with it. I also think it's dumb to need the night *after* a concert off. If
    via muleborax
  • 07
    it was a day shift, that'd be different, but the shift she called in for started 24 hrs after the concert. It's also in town, no travel needed.
    via muleborax
  • 08
    A young woman dances with friends at a music festival.
    via Unsplash+ (Getty Images)

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

  • 09
    medigapguy I get that she is inconsiderate to her coworkers. But this is really more of a shitty employer story. To be that understaffed for such important positions. I guarantee the patients in the ER are paying enough for an extra nurse.
    via muleborax
  • 10
    OP muleborax Perhaps so, but she's shitty for lots of reasons.
    via muleborax
  • 11
    Ok-Energy-9785 I think your coworker is an idiot for telling on herself but you sound mad jealous ngl. Return the favor to her but be smarter about it.
    via muleborax
  • 12
    duder_1979 Tells me it's an N+1 situation. Management feels one person could do the job but they have to staff with 2 in case one person is absent for whatever reason. If it truly requires two people and is important enough to not be able to close, it would staff 3. OP doesn't like doing the job alone as it requires a crazy 12 hour shift and is mad about it which is fine. Either management is underestimating the need of the unit or OP is overstating how much work is required. The only way it's a
    via muleborax
  • 13
    OP muleborax I'm not jealous, but I am irritated. She slacks off all the time, will take an hour and a half lunch, then immediately after, take a 20- minute smoke break. I'm just exhausted of having to deal with her more than anything. I've talked to my manager several times but nothing changes.
    via muleborax
  • 14
    OP muleborax We don't work as nurses so we aren't the "backbone" of the department, but two people are needed.
    via muleborax
  • 15
    OP muleborax Just for the record, the coworker that did this does police other people's sick time. She'll get pissed at them if they dont call 4 hours ahead (when she calls 1.5 hrs before the shift begins), and insist they tell her why they called in. That hypocrisy is part of what bothers me so much.
    via muleborax
  • 16
    Sensitive_Matter7772 People are entitled to their sick days. It's not their colleagues' job to police whether they're sick or not. The company should have enough staff to cover when people are sick. No one should be working 18 hour shifts so that someone else can take a break. This is a company greed problem. It does not matter why the coworker called in sick.
    via muleborax
  • 17
    OP muleborax There's lots of problems, unfortunately.
    via muleborax
  • 18
    littytitty- i definitely hear you but it sounds like whether she's there are not, you're doing most, if not all, of the work. you have an employer/management problem more than you have a coworker problem. i also work inpatient and my coworkers and i always warn each other when we're calling out "sick"
    via muleborax
  • 19
    OP muleborax She's been talked to many times, but nothing changes. She lies all the time, bosses everyone around and treats everyone like they are lesser, is rude af to patients and other staff etc. She will also give other people shit if they don't call in 4 hours before their shift and tell her the reason they called in (even though it's not her business), but she'll call in 30 mins before a shift so there's no attempt to even get it filled. She constantly slacks off, constantly disappears dur
    via muleborax
  • 20
    KemetMusen How does management feel about it? What are the other reasons she sucks?
    via muleborax
  • 21
    OP muleborax I'm allowed to be annoyed. By the way, this person tries to police other people's sick time and insist she know the reason for calling in, that is why I am annoyed.
    via muleborax
  • 22
    This_Control You need to mind your business.
    via muleborax
  • 23
    wmm339 That's a management issue. They should have approved the 2 days given the advanced notice and found coverage given it was known she wouldn't show up any way.
    via muleborax
  • 24
    tensinahnd Blame management for understaffing you not your co worker
    via muleborax
  • 25
    First-Length6323 Wait until you need days off for something you prioritize and they tell you no.
    via muleborax

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terrible coworkers nurse concert horrible-management PTO sick entitled people
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