‘It’s not my problem’: Young co-worker is labelled ‘selfish’ after refusing to take on her pregnant colleague’s workload while she is on unpaid leave
- Woman refused to take on pregnant colleague’s workload while she’s on leave
- Liddy, eight weeks pregnant, decided to take a month off due morning sickness
- HR told her she needed to find someone to cover her work while she’s away
- When HR approached the woman about taking up extra workload, she refused
- The employee has questioned whether she was being selfish for what she did
An office worker has questioned whether she is being selfish for refusing to take over her pregnant colleague’s workload while she goes on unpaid sick leave.
The woman, 30, said her co-worker Liddy, 28, who is eight weeks pregnant, decided to take one month off work due her ‘horrible’ morning sickness.
When the co-worker informed her firm’s human resources department, she was told she could take unpaid leave while ill but needed to find someone to cover her workload while she’s away.
‘Liddy had suggested to them that I take over her work while she takes her leave. When HR approached me with the suggestion, I refused it,’ the woman wrote in a Reddit thread.
‘To put it bluntly, it is not my problem that she wanted to get pregnant and all, even if I am happy for her.’
An office worker has questioned whether she is being selfish for refusing to take over her pregnant colleague’s workload while she goes on unpaid sick leave (stock image)
The woman declined to take on the task because she would not get any extra pay for doing someone else’s work.
‘It will just be me doubling my workload for the same pay. Now HR can’t legally force me to take it, so that’s why they couldn’t do much about it,’ she said.
She explained that Liddy could ‘easily’ work from home or get her assistant to cover her job on her behalf.
After turning down the extra job, the woman said Liddy was ‘p***ed off’ at her.
‘She even tried to turn a few of our co-workers against me for it. They called me an a**hole for not being “considerate”, “helpful” or “a team player”,’ she said.
They were able to come to an agreement after the assistant offered to take over her work while she ‘supervised’ her instead.
‘A solution I had suggested instead of asking me to take over her work while her assistant slacks off,’ the woman said.
‘Am I the a**hole?’
Her post divided readers, with some putting the blame elsewhere.
‘HR is the a**hole here. If they accepted Liddy’s plan to take unpaid leave, the onus was on them to arrange cover, not to leave it up to her. And given that the leave is unpaid, they have money available to pay for overtime,’ one suggested.
‘When your colleagues give you a hard time about not being a team player, ask them why the company should get to pocket the cost of Liddy’s salary while she is on leave while expecting you and Liddy’s assistant to do extra work for free?’
And one added: ‘Liddy is not at fault for needing sick leave. HR and management are the a**holes for not doing their job and pushing drama onto their employees.’
Many defended the woman, saying the pregnant co-worker was being unprofessional for ‘badmouthing’ her and it was her responsibility to find someone who’s happy to cover her workload.
‘You are not obligated to take over anyone’s workload, especially if you do not get anything for doing so,’ one said.
‘I always have to laugh when someone who is pregnant or has children expects others to bend backwards to accommodate their needs.’
