Woman said no to working on day off. Reddit thinks what her manager did next crossed a line

A retail employee’s post on Reddit has gone viral after she detailed a confrontation with her manager over refusing to work on her scheduled day off. The 22-year-old woman, using the username AliceWillxo, works at a small clothing store in a shopping mall and shared her experience on the r/antiwork subreddit. Her post has drawn widespread attention, amassing over 22,000 upvotes in just four days.

According to her account, the incident unfolded shortly after the company laid off three of the store’s six employees without prior notice, leaving only the manager, the woman, and one part-time worker to run the store. She noted that the day in question—Thursday—was her first scheduled day off in over a week, and she had made personal plans including errands, a doctor’s appointment, and rest.

Manager's Message and Social Media Response

Despite not being scheduled to work, she received a text from her manager at 8 a.m. asking her to come in because the store was “slammed.” The employee declined, citing her prior commitments and the fact that she wasn’t on the schedule. The manager did not reply to her message.

Later that same day, the employee noticed her manager had posted an Instagram story stating, “Some people only care about themselves.” The employee believed this message was directed at her.

In-Person Confrontation and Online Reaction

The next day, during her shift, the manager confronted her about the situation and expressed doubt about her reliability, saying, “Real team players step up when it’s hard.” The employee responded by pointing out that she earns $15 an hour without benefits or paid time off and that half the team had been let go. She added, “You don’t get to guilt me into unpaid loyalty.” Since then, the manager has reportedly been giving her the silent treatment.

Reddit users have rallied in support of the employee, sharing similar experiences and criticizing the manager’s behavior. One user noted, “The whole problem of giving your availability, and then they schedule you at that unavailable time, but you’re the bad guy for not being flexible.” Another questioned, “I’m still trying to figure out how they were slammed at a mall store at 8 a.m.”

Many commenters used the post as an opportunity to discuss toxic work culture and unrealistic expectations from employers. One wrote, “These all are potential Hitlers to me. So many people are not fit for power or any authority over others.” Others pointed out the dangers of connecting with managers on social media, with one saying, “It’s ripe for abuse. So immature and unprofessional for her to post a story like that.”

Another user remarked, “Wait until she finds out how much of a team player you are when you get a better job and quit.” Some even suggested that the silent treatment from such a manager might actually be a “perk.”

The viral post has struck a chord with many who feel overworked and underappreciated, especially in industries where staffing is tight and wages are low.