Redditor With Diabetes Doesn't Want To Give Up Her Lunch Hour To Mother Of 4 Kids

OP has to have lunch at the same time every day because of their diabetes.

Senad

• Published in Interesting
• February 27, 2023

In today's world of remote work, lunch breaks are still an important aspect of the workday. But what happens when a new employee tries to infringe upon a long-standing tradition?

One Reddit user found themselves in this situation recently, and they are wondering if they were in the wrong for not accommodating their coworker's request. The situation is as follows: a small department of around 10 people, with only four people working each day, has a unique way of handling lunch breaks.

Instead of set times, employees claim their lunch hour via chat in the morning. The employees who have been there for years have their own verbally agreed-upon times.

The Reddit user in question usually goes last because they are T2 diabetic and need to maintain their blood sugar levels by eating on time. When the new employee started, they messaged OP and asked them to move their lunch hour so that they could eat lunch with their children.

However, OP declined, explaining their situation as a diabetic and the need to eat at a specific time. The new employee became hostile and called the Reddit user an asshole, claiming that if her kids don't eat on time, it will be their fault.

In an update to the original story, OP informs us that management has had a formal chat with the new employee and clarified that the lunchtime slots claimed by others are not up for grabs. They hope that this will discourage the new employee from any further attempts to take the user's lunchtime.

As for OP, they have made an appointment with their doctor to get a doctor's note to submit to HR. This suggests that they are taking the situation seriously and are taking steps to protect their rights as an employee with a medical condition.

The question here is, was the Reddit user in the wrong for not accommodating the new employee's request? Scroll down to see what the people of Reddit had to say.

OP works at a company where lunchtime is defined in a different, they claim their lunch hours in the morning via chat messages

OP usually goes last because they're a T2 diabetic and it's not recommended for them to starve themselves or stay hungry for longer periods of time

The new employee messaged OP, asking them if they could have OP's lunch hour

OP had to refuse the coworkers request but they weren't happy with that decision

The people of Reddit advised OP to talk to HR about this

OP provided us with an update to the original story

Sound advice

Find a new to keep your kids fed

Throwing a tantrum

A reasonable accommodation

In conclusion, OP was not in the wrong for declining to accommodate the new employee's request to change their lunch hour. They have a medical condition that requires them to eat at a specific time, and that takes priority over someone else's personal needs.

It's important for all employees to respect long-standing traditions and agreements made by their coworkers.

Senad