A college student’s online post has sparked outrage after revealing her mother’s manager pressured her to return to work despite battling stage 4 cancer for 18 months.
The user, @disneydoll96, shared a screenshot of an email from her mother’s supervisor requesting a doctor’s note confirming her fitness to work, along with details of her limitations and treatment plan. The email also demanded her presence at a meeting the next day, disregarding her illness and offering no flexibility.
The post, originating from Ireland, highlights the emotional and financial strain placed on the family. The mother, a shop supervisor, aspires to return someday but currently faces financial hardship after losing her husband. The daughter is completing her studies before seeking employment to support the family.
My Mum has stage 4 cancer in 5 areas and her boss has been pressuring her to come back to work.
byu/disneydoll96 inmildlyinfuriating
In the comment section, the user further details the mother’s condition, saying that “she has been claiming illness benefit, which is approximately 200 euros a week since her diagnosis, and recently swapped to disability allowance as you cannot be on illness benefit past a certain period of time.”
“She can claim these allowances while holding her job, which is always protected here, unless she decides to leave herself.”
“She does hope to work again some day. Her team of doctors is always telling us, “Yes, it’s still stage 4, but you’re a fighter who’s staying stable on treatment. She has been on chemotherapy for a long time now, but I genuinely believe she will make a recovery. She had a lot of fight left in her.”
Social media users expressed anger at the manager’s insensitivity. Comments ranged from suggesting the employee record meetings to expose the company’s behavior to condemning the lack of empathy.
“I wish karma had real power. Like bullying a disabled person, karma gives you nightmares based on that disability until you’ve learned your lesson. Every night, horrid nightmares occur. People would certainly be nicer to each other,” commented a user.
“I am so incredibly sorry about your mother. I just noticed you’re also from Ireland. I am from Cork. You should post this in the Ireland sub and the county sub too,” wrote another user.
