Manager denies work-from-home to female employee, equates menstrual cramps with headache
She said she was denied the option because an urgent plant visit had been scheduled and could not be postponed.
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A woman’s account on Reddit describing how her manager compared her severe menstrual cramps to a headache while refusing her request to work from home has prompted widespread discussion on workplace empathy and health-related accommodations. She posted a screenshot of their chat along with a detailed explanation, stating that despite being in significant pain, her request for remote work was rejected.
According to her Reddit post, she informed her manager that her period symptoms were debilitating and that while she could work from home using a heat pad and necessary support, it was physically difficult to sit at an office desk. She said she was denied the option because an urgent plant visit had been scheduled and could not be postponed. As she was responsible for the area, she stated that she did not want to miss critical updates and therefore forced herself to travel to the office, based on her manager’s assurance that she would be allowed to work from home the following day.
Manager thinks headache and period cramps are the same
byu/Difficult_City1514 inIndianWorkplace
She recounted that after she reached the office and worked through the pain, the manager ultimately did not conduct the plant visit as he had been too busy. She said he then asked her to report again the next day, promising the visit would take place then. When she explained that her cramps were still severe and that travelling again would be highly uncomfortable, she stated that he responded with what she described as a “legendary line”, telling her he understood because he also had a headache. She wrote that the comparison left her stunned and upset.
The post, shared under the headline “Manager thinks headache and period cramps are the same”, drew a wave of critical comments from Reddit users, many of whom condemned the manager’s remark as dismissive and lacking in empathy. Some users urged her to raise the matter with HR or seek clarity on workplace policies, while others shared similar experiences or advised her to ignore the behaviour, remarking that such attitudes were unfortunately common.
