Empathy 101

By Anonymous - 16/05/2022 04:00

Today, I was supposed to attend my best friend's funeral. When I asked my boss for time off, she actually said friends don't justify having the day off, unlike say a blood relative. My boss is autistic, so she struggles to understand certain things, but even for her that was a real prick thing to say. FML
I agree, your life sucks 1 838
You deserved it 300

Same thing different taste

Top comments

Take a sick day. Bereavement policies usually only cover family. Think about it -- how do they know if someone is a best friend, a close friend or an acquaintance?

I mean, from a bureaucracy POV, she's right. As Richard said, most companies will only allow bereavement days for family, and even then, usually only close family (parent, sibling) though some will stretch and allow for aunt/uncle/grandparent. Otherwise there's no way for them to prove you're not just dicking them over for the day off. Obviously it sounds like she could have explained herself better and been more sympathetic, but it doesn't sound like she was in the wrong.

Comments

Take a sick day. Bereavement policies usually only cover family. Think about it -- how do they know if someone is a best friend, a close friend or an acquaintance?

VnD 12

Omg, what kind of a sick policy is this? In my country, bereavement leave can be taken for anyone, your friend, your aunty, uncle, your cousin, cousins friend, uncles friend, if you've got the leave, you have the right to use it, no questions asked, policies in overseas suck

Management is always distrustful of labor. They think that workers will take bereavement leave when fictional characters die off.

I mean, from a bureaucracy POV, she's right. As Richard said, most companies will only allow bereavement days for family, and even then, usually only close family (parent, sibling) though some will stretch and allow for aunt/uncle/grandparent. Otherwise there's no way for them to prove you're not just dicking them over for the day off. Obviously it sounds like she could have explained herself better and been more sympathetic, but it doesn't sound like she was in the wrong.

your friend wasn't family, but your boss was being an ass.

I may have ASD, but I understand why someone would want to attend a friend's funeral. That said, if I were your boss, I'd give you the time off with the understanding that it's coming out of your PTO. Bereavement leave only applies to family step-family, and in-laws. I'm sorry for your loss.

I didnt think autistic people could become boss for this very reason 🤔🤔