Retail Employee Called ‘Not a Team Player’ for Declining to Work on Scheduled Day Off After Layoffs

The Reddit post quickly went viral, drawing hundreds of comments from users who shared their own stories of being guilt-tripped into working under poor conditions.

A 22-year-old retail worker, with username ‘AliceWillxo’ on Reddit, at a mall-based clothing store has shared her frustration after being labeled “not a team player” for choosing not to come in on her day off—just days after her employer abruptly laid off half the team.

Posting her story on Reddit’s r/antiwork community, she recounted how her manager criticized her for refusing to cover a shift on her scheduled day off, shortly after three out of six employees were suddenly let go without any notice.

“I (22F) work at a small clothing store in a mall. Last week, the corporation laid off three people from our six-person staff – no warning, just “cutbacks”. It’s now basically me, one other part-timer, and my manager.

ALSO READ: Everyday Movement Can Help Cut Cancer Risk, Says New Study

I was scheduled off Thursday. First one in over a week. I had errands, and a doctor’s appointment, and planned to finally sleep in. At 8 AM, I got a text from my manager: “Hey, can you come in? It’s just me here and we’re slammed.”

I replied: “Sorry, I can’t today. I have plans and wasn’t scheduled.”

She left me on read. That night, I saw she’d posted a passive-aggressive story on IG about “some people only caring about themselves.”

Then yesterday, during my shift, she told me she’s “reconsidering my reliability” and that real team players step up when it’s hard.

Sorry, but I’m paid $15/hr. I don’t get benefits, I don’t get PTO, and you fired half the team. You don’t get to guilt me into unpaid loyalty.

And now she’s giving me the silent treatment,” is her post.

The incident happened on a Thursday, her designated day off. 

The Reddit post quickly went viral, drawing hundreds of comments from users who shared their own stories of being guilt-tripped into working under poor conditions. Many rallied behind the employee, criticizing toxic workplace culture and poor management practices.

My manager said I “Wasn’t a team player” for not coming in on my day off after they fired half our team
byu/AliceWillxo inantiwork

 “I had a business owner threaten me with hints that maybe I wasn’t going to ‘work out’ because I didn’t bend to their every whim. I no longer work for that person,”  said one user.