Employee quits after manager asks them to work on a day off due to being 'single'

The power dynamics in a toxic workplace are one-sided. Despite giving all, employees often find themselves exploited in one way or the other. It is easy to go with the flow and let things slide by. Individuals must understand where to draw the line and get out of the situation for their own sake. Reddit user u/Feggy_JVS shared an incident where they felt so disrespected that they had to resign from their job of 4 years. Not only were they asked to come on their off day, but they were also targeted because of their single status. It combined with the the tone in which the message was given turned out to be the last straw, causing them to walk out.

The employee shared the messages with their manager about the issue. The individual had taken an off and as they were sorting through their plans, they received the message, "We're gonna need you to cover the 7 am shift tomorrow since Justin called out. Be here at 6.15 for prep." It was a little shocking for them and just when they were collecting their thoughts, the manager wrote that since the message showed read, they were taking it as a yes. The employee replied politely, "Sorry, I won't be able to come in tomorrow." They suggested another co-worker, Brian, to chime in tomorrow. 

The manager replied, "Brian is married with a kid. I'm not asking him on short notice. You're single, why can't you come in?" It offended the employee, as it was an unfair argument. Just because they were single does not mean their free time was of any less value than a married individual. Still, they kept calm and wrote, "It's my only day off this week and I have plans." They offered a helping hand by clearing up their schedule in the afternoon to help at work, which, unfortunately, was not enough for the manager.

The manager replied, "We need someone to cover the early morning shift. The afternoon isn't going to work. What do you have planned that you can't come in?" It crossed the line, as the manager was invading the employee's privacy. It is where the employee's patience gave up and they gave a stern response. "Helping a friend move in the morning but that isn't important. I have plans on my day off and cannot come in," they shared. "You trying to mandate this at almost 10 pm the night before is ridiculous. You know I'm a hard worker and I'm loyal, but I would ask for some respect as well."

This message caused the manager to stoop too low into using the most typical threat in every company's arsenal. He threatened to fire the employee in not-so-direct terms. "I would caution you to choose your next words very carefully. I know you're strapped for money this month," he wrote. This thinly veiled threat pushed the employee over the edge and they gave their two-week notice. They concluded, "I'm sorry, but I cannot work for you anymore. This is ridiculous that you are saying these things. We've known each other for almost 4 years and you know I'm a good worker. Consider this my two-week notice."

The comment section supported the employee in their decision. u/spongeworthy90 shared how they had a similar experience and commented, "My manager is the same. I am single with no kids and my boss has said so many times he values employees and applicants with kids, arguing if someone is a parent then that indicates dedication." u/GravitonM1 gave a simple suggestion and commented, "Never ever share any information. Immediately disqualify yourself and don't argue over reasons. All you need to say is, 'Sorry, I already made plans last week,' then ignore every single text after that."