Intern Reports Discrimination Over Food Aversions, Regularly Documents His Coworkers' Food Sharing, And Contacts HR

"Brice went to HR and then HR put a stop to the pitch ins."

Damjan

• Published in Interesting
• January 5, 2024

In the bustling world of office life, the introduction of summer interns often brings a fresh dynamic, but sometimes, it can also lead to unforeseen conflicts.

This story centers around OP, an employee in an office where a tradition of food and snack sharing among coworkers had long been established. The arrival of Brice, a new intern, sets off a chain of events that disrupts this well-loved practice.

Brice, with his unique food aversions related to both smell and texture, found himself at odds with the office's communal food culture. Initially, his complaints were seen as minor since the food sharing wasn't an official office activity.

However, his persistent dissatisfaction with the lack of options catering to his needs led him to take the matter to HR. The decision by HR to halt the food-sharing tradition as a response to Brice's complaints caused a significant shift in the office atmosphere.

Colleagues who once enjoyed this communal activity began to ostracize Brice, viewing him as the reason for the loss of their cherished tradition. The situation escalated when OP, while introducing a new coworker, made a comment about resuming the food-sharing after the departure of the current interns, including Brice.

Overhearing this, Brice confronted OP and reported the incident to their manager. This confrontation resulted in OP being sent home early, a move by the management to placate Brice, who was perceived as being increasingly sensitive and vigilant about how others treated him.

OP's manager revealed a concerning detail: Brice was keeping a meticulous record of his interactions with colleagues, regularly contacting HR to report perceived slights or instances of discrimination.

The arrival of a new intern named Brice at OP's office, where a longstanding tradition of communal food sharing existed, sparked unexpected tensions

Brice, who had significant food aversions, felt excluded from the snack-sharing practice.

His complaints to HR led to the suspension of the food-sharing tradition, causing resentment among the staff.

The manager later informed OP that Brice was closely documenting interactions and frequently contacting HR, indicating a deep sense of alienation.

OP has offered the following explanation for why they think they might be the asshole:

My comment could have come off as bullying so that’s why I could be an asshole about it

This sounds about right:

So does this:

"I would definitely listen to your manager and watch what you say around him."

This Redditor is also a summer intern:

"What a baby."

OP should strike first.

"When does Brice have time to work?"

Everyone is out to get him

Entitled people are, unfortunately, very common.

The saga of Brice, the intern with food aversions, has stirred a potent debate about workplace accommodations and behavior. From the perspective of OP and their colleagues, Brice's actions are seen as disproportionate and exhausting.

The sentiment among many is that OP is not at fault and that the office is overindulging an intern who seems to be exploiting the situation for personal gain. Several comments suggest the possibility of nepotism or speculate that Brice might be positioning himself for a discrimination lawsuit.

This suspicion has led to a cautious approach from management, seemingly trying to avoid any legal entanglements. However, this strategy of appeasement has resulted in frustration among the staff, who view Brice's behavior as overly sensitive and disruptive.

The general consensus seems to be that Brice's internship will not lead to a full-time offer, given his behavior and the tension it has caused. Some advise OP to remain cautious and avoid any further conflict until Brice's internship ends.

There's a shared view that if Brice continues this pattern of behavior in his future career, it could lead to significant challenges for him.

Damjan