An Australian supermarket worker has ignited a heated debate after sharing the unusual response he received from a manager when calling in sick just 20 minutes before the start of his shift. The 29-year-old employee, who had never called in sick before, said the conversation left him questioning his desire to remain at the store.
The Incident
Posting on Reddit, the worker explained that he was scheduled for a 6am shift but called the store at 5:40am after waking up feeling unwell. 'I appreciate it can be a pain when someone calls in sick but the response I got was weird,' he wrote. According to the employee, the manager's first reaction was: 'Oh you're sick, well you were meant to start in 20 minutes, so I can understand sickness, but that's not good timing. What was your original plan... to wake up now and come to work?' The worker replied simply, 'Nah, I'm sick,' before hanging up. He later added that he lived just a three-minute drive from the store and had worked the previous five consecutive days. 'I started feeling sick when I first woke up and I called in after my shower because I wasn't getting better,' he explained.
Online Reactions
The post quickly divided Australians online. Many sympathised with the worker, while others argued that 20 minutes' notice was insufficient. 'Who calls in sick 20 minutes before their shift starts? You would have known sooner,' one person wrote. Another agreed: 'I mean 20 minutes is not great. You should let them know as early as possible.' However, defenders argued that illness can strike suddenly. 'Sometimes you don't realise you are unwell until you've had time to get up and prepare and then slowly realise your body isn't up to the task,' one commenter noted. Another emphasised that sick workers should not feel pressured to show up: 'Sick people shouldn't be coming anywhere near work. If one person being sick ruins the whole system then that's a staffing planning issue for the store, not a staff issue for the individual.'
Workplace Culture Context
Some suggested the manager's reaction reflected broader frustrations in Australian workplaces, particularly in industries struggling with staff shortages and burnout. 'Managers get grumpy at short notice because they have to make quick decisions on top of their daily stuff. But that's a them issue and they should have some degree of contingency plans,' one person commented. The worker also noted that texting was not allowed; staff were required to call in, adding pressure during early morning shifts. The debate comes amid ongoing conversations about workplace culture, burnout and sick leave etiquette in Australia, with many younger workers pushing back against expectations to 'push through' illness for productivity. While some urged the employee not to worry, others highlighted the awkward balancing act between staff wellbeing and operational realities faced by managers trying to fill last-minute gaps.
