Working in the restaurant industry is anything but easy. Good service can be hard to come by, which is why one server was stunned to learn that she had been fired from her job for simply attending her grandfather’s funeral.
The anonymous woman, who described herself as a “great waitress,” took to Reddit to voice her frustrations about her boss’ lack of compassion during her time of grief.
The Server Took Her Job Seriously
In a post made to the r/ServerLife subreddit, the woman explained in a post how she was an exemplary employee before being unexpectedly let go from her job for attending her grandfather’s funeral.
“I had worked there over a year, made a slightly higher tip percentage than the other girls (tips were pooled), was always on time, and had NEVER … no showed,” she wrote.
She Had Just Gotten a Promotion
As evidence of her work ethic, the woman shared that she had recently been given a raise and had “been promoted to a shift lead position of sorts.”
According to the former server, the restaurant was planning a festive Halloween party and she was “excited for it.” However, everything suddenly changed.
Her Boss Wouldn’t Let Her Skip Her Shift
The woman detailed how her grandfather was receiving hospice care and ultimately passed away. “As soon as I knew when his funeral was, I asked if I could have the day off,” she wrote.
“They said NO (insane) because all waitresses are needed to work the Halloween party.” While she was denied a bereavement day, she insisted that another server “wasn’t comfortable working a party yet” and was given the day off.
She Needed Some Time to Mourn
The woman was expected to attend her grandfather’s funeral in the morning and then clock into work later that day, but she was understandably emotional.
“Well, flash forward to the day of the funeral, and I just could not bring myself to rush home, put makeup and slutty costume on, and go be high energy with strangers, a mere three hours after burying my grandpa,” she wrote. She decided to text her boss and be honest about how she was feeling.
The Restaurant Was Busy and Understaffed
The woman’s shift was supposed to start at 5 p.m., and she texted her boss, Hannah, at 1 p.m. to let her know that she would not be coming in.
While she needed some time to process the death of her grandfather, she felt guilty about calling out of work on a busy night. “It was rainy that night and from what I could see from their Instagram it wasn’t the absolute mad house that needed everyone on board,” she wrote.
Family Comes First
In the text exchange, the grief-stricken server politely explained that she was emotionally drained following her grandfather’s funeral.
“I’m not going to be coming in tonight,” she wrote. “I need to be with my family today, and I need to be there to support my mom and grandma needing me.” She acknowledged how her absence would impact the restaurant’s service, saying, “I know this will be putting you guys in a rough spot, and I’m genuinely sorry.” She added, “Family is more important to me in this moment.”
An Unexpected Wave of Emotions
The woman was faced with the difficult decision of staying home with her loved ones or waiting tables at a Halloween party.
She explained to her boss, “I would have let you know sooner had I known that I’d be feeling this … but I did not, the funeral has been more emotional for everyone than I thought it would be.”
She Didn’t Want to Disappoint Her Boss
The server was aware that she could be in trouble for showing up for her scheduled shift, telling her boss, “I recognize this might come with consequences” before ending her text with “I hope you understand.”
Instead of understanding the difficult situation she was faced with, her boss threatened to fire her.
An Icy Exchange
The woman’s heartfelt plea to her boss was met with a cold response. “Sorry, unfortunately, if you can’t make it tonight, you no longer have a job here,” wrote the woman’s superior.
The former server was initially in disbelief, writing, “It was really unfortunate because I considered my manager a true friend, but this really showed their true colors.”
The Comment Section Went Wild With Support for the Server
The woman’s post received more than 2,300 comments with many offering words of encouragement and support.
“How insensitive! I understand she and you both have jobs to do but to be this cold over a time of loss and grief?!” wrote one Reddit user. Another person added, “Getting fired over texts is peak.”
A Valuable Lesson Was Learned
One commenter offered some words of wisdom to anyone who was willing to listen. “Your boss isn’t your friend and they don’t give a sh*t about you or your personal life, they only care that you show up so that the company can make money,” they wrote (via The Daily Mail).
“No matter how friendly they are, they only care about business and they will replace you in an instant if needed.”
