Employee calls his 45-year-old homeless coworker uncivilized for bringing spoiled food into the store: 'Bathroom sink is full of food debris, and it smells.'

Emmy Pratt • Writer and Editor

Jun 19, 2026 7:45 AM EDT

Was he out of line for saying that?

The majority of businesses don't hire homeless people. They don't trust that they can show up to work on time and maintain good hygiene, especially in customer-facing roles. While many businesses think they don't hire homeless people, they actually do. Their homeless employees are just incredibly skilled at hiding the fact that they are homeless. They shower at the gym every day, couch surf between friends, sleep in their cars, and do whatever they have to do to survive day-to-day. A homeless person who has a network of people who can help them go through life without being identified as homeless at first glance is going to do a lot better in the workforce than someone who hasn't been able to shower for two months and only has shoes that are falling off their feet.

The man in this story likely falls more into the second camp. His bosses knew he was homeless before he was hired, and his food insecurity is becoming a problem in the office. He brings in food from food banks, throws away half of it, and doesn't properly dispose of the half he doesn't eat. That leaves the break room and bathroom disgusting, and one of his coworkers was fed up with having to clean up after his mess.

via Anna Krylova

_{A model representing a homeless man who recently got a new job at a store he hopes will turn his life around.}
Am I the bad guy for telling my homeless coworker he's uncivilized?

via u/Legitimate_Bank_6573
via u/Legitimate_Bank_6573
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via Nico Smit

_{Bags of food donations from a local food bank, which gives food to homeless and food-insecure people who don't know where their next meal will come from.}
via u/Legitimate_Bank_6573
via u/Legitimate_Bank_6573
via u/Legitimate_Bank_6573
via Eric Prouzet

_{Rotted food that stinks up any room it's in, especially if it doesn't get cleaned up for a long time.}
via u/Legitimate_Bank_6573
via u/Legitimate_Bank_6573
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via u/Legitimate_Bank_6573
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via u/Quiet_Classroom_2948
via u/affectionateanarchy8
via u/mdglytt
via u/aeslehcxo
Who is in the right here? Would you talk to management about a coworker who's leaving a mess in the break room for the rest of the employees to clean up, or would you let it go because he's homeless and you don't want to jeopardize the chance he might turn his life around?