I woke up with a fever so strong I could barely stand. I called HR to say I needed sick leave. Instead of concern, I got:
“First, you need to find someone to cover you. Your job is your duty.”
“I’m too sick,” I whispered.
“Then your leave is denied.”
I hung up shaking — from fever and anger. So I sent an email to my team, explaining why I wouldn’t be online:
“F told me I’m not allowed to take sick leave unless I find my own replacement.”
I expected silence. Instead, the replies poured in like an avalanche. People were shocked. Some shared similar experiences. Others demanded clarity. My inbox exploded.
Thirty minutes later, HR called back — frantic.
By midmorning, my manager phoned me personally, apologizing over and over. “You don’t need to find coverage. That’s not policy. Rest. We’re handling it.” He told me my email had triggered an emergency meeting with department heads.
By afternoon, the head of HR emailed a formal statement thanking me for “bringing awareness to an oversight” and promising to create a written sick-leave protocol. For the first time, employees openly discussed burnout and boundaries — not in whispers, but together.
All from one feverish email I sent while half-asleep.
As I lay wrapped in blankets, I realized something: real change doesn’t always start with a hero. Sometimes, it starts with someone too sick to pretend everything is fine.
And by the time I finally fell asleep, I knew tomorrow’s workplace would be better than today’s.
