Company bans parents from taking leave for sick children: 'We don't employ your children'

A company memo banning employees time off for sick children has sparked social media outrage, with users criticising its harsh stance on work-life balance.

A company’s internal note prohibiting employees from taking leave to care for their sick children has sparked widespread backlash on social media. The memo, which surfaced Reddit , outlined that employees would no longer be permitted to miss work for a child's illness, stirring intense debate about work-life balance.

An internal memo banning leave for sick children sparked outrage on Reddit. Critics slam the policy, calling it a work-life imbalance and promoting dishonesty.

The controversial memo

Where would you report this kind of behaviour
byu/__7_7_7__ inantiwork

The memo in question, which a user shared on subreddit “antiwork”, read: “Calling out because your child is sick is no longer a valid excuse to miss work and will now result in a write-up. We do not employ your children and, as such, their sickness is not an excuse for you to miss work. Go, team!”

The company’s stance was condemned, with critics accusing the employer of showing a blatant disregard for employees' family responsibilities and overall well-being. Many users suggested that such policies would force parents to make difficult decisions, potentially bringing sick children to work, risking the health of other employees.

Outrage on social media

Social media was flooded with outraged responses, as users vented their frustrations. One Reddit user sarcastically remarked, "Legit. I would leave a response to this note saying, 'Whatever my kids get, I end up catching. But if you want five staff members to end up calling in sick instead of one because I gave everyone Covid, then fine. Your loss.’”

Another expressed dismay at the employer’s lack of compassion, commenting, “We do not employ your children? Well, you don’t employ my partner, parents, or friends either. All of whom could need my help. Time to only hire orphans with no relationships whatsoever. Idiot employer.”

Another user pointed out how the policy might lead to dishonesty, stating, "This is ridiculous. Policies like this only push people to lie. Instead of saying ‘my child is unwell, and I need to stay home,’ they’ll claim ‘I’m feeling sick myself and can’t come in.’” Similarly, another commenter noted, “Some rules make you shrug and comply, but others stir up real resentment and push employees to work against the company. This is definitely one of those."