A new mother has sparked outrage on Reddit after sharing a shocking story about how her workplace treated her during her pregnancy.
User u/IllSituation6855, who previously enjoyed her job, detailed an alarming experience where she was forced to stay in the office while going through labor.
The 28-year-old posted her story on the ‘AITAH’ (Am I The A******) Subreddit, where it garnered 16,000 upvotes since its publication on July 17.
As the contractions intensified, she informed John that she needed to go to the hospital. To her dismay, he insisted she attend a meeting first, claiming, “It’s not like the baby is going to pop out right now.”
Under pressure and fearing for her job, she reluctantly stayed for the two-hour meeting before driving herself to the hospital, where her daughter was born healthy later that evening.
Her husband was outraged upon learning of the incident and insisted on reporting John to HR. Although she was hesitant, she agreed, resulting in John’s suspension. It was later revealed that, during her labor, he sent an email criticizing her “lack of commitment” to work and accusing her of using pregnancy as an excuse.
Despite John’s suspension, the poster faced backlash at work, with colleagues accusing her of overreacting and ruining John’s career, causing her considerable stress during her early days with her newborn.
‘No Reason To Doubt Her’
Experts commenting on the situation noted that this case reflects significant HR violations, pointing to a lack of managerial training, maturity, and empathy. They raised concerns about what would happen if a colleague experienced a serious health issue requiring immediate attention.
‘Utter Disgrace’
Reddit users rallied behind the mother, many suggesting she consider legal action against her employer. One user remarked that John’s actions were disgraceful and pointed out that her health and her baby’s welfare should come first.
Others advised her to keep thorough records of any negative interactions moving forward and to consult an employment attorney to safeguard against potential issues with HR. Her post drew nearly 5,000 comments, including two poop emojis—indicative of the users’ contempt for her treatment.
As the community responded, it became evident that the workplace environment was toxic, characterized by victim-shaming and sarcastic remarks without consequences—areas that need serious attention to prevent similar incidents in the future.