r/AmIOverreacting • u/MeanderingDragon • Mar 06 '26
đźwork/career AIO about this text I got from HR?
So to preface, I'm Type 1 diabetic, which means I have to take multiple daily insulin injections to live. I typically take 5-8 shots per day, and while it isn't fun, it is routine and necessary.
I was at work this morning and they had a small amount of food out for some sort of 'employee appreciation' which reminded me I hadn't had any insulin yet and my glucose levels were getting too high. I took a shot of insulin, got some breakfast, and went to my desk. A few minutes later, this text arrives.
I can understand that shots make some people uncomfortable. Trust me, I'm one of those people. But I have to take them anyway. Am I overreacting to think that if you don't want to see me talking a shot, you can turn your head? Should I have to go to the bathroom which only gets cleaned twice a week, and take my shots in secret like it's a drug addiction? Perhaps it is just me, but I feel that not everything in life that makes us a little uncomfortable is something that has to be pushed out of sight. Sometimes we would benefit more from understanding, acceptance, and perhaps acclimation.
Also for the record, while they say they "mentioned this several times", our HR manager scolded me once maybe two or three years ago publicly during lunch in our cafeteria. I ignored it that time, because friends sitting around me supported me after HR walked off.
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u/anneofred Mar 06 '26
Let them know if they are ready to provide a quiet clean space that isnât the bathroom youâre more than happy to use it.
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u/Hott-Gravy Mar 06 '26 edited Mar 07 '26
was just about to comment this, at my work we all told HR we need more areas that are private for those with medical needs sure enough few months later we have quiet rooms, private soundproof phone booth, and are now able to schedule meeting rooms in case those other areas are full
Edit: ty for the award
2nd edit: on lunch break but I did not expect this to get as many upvoted as it did thank you all so much this made my week and again ty for the awards. Only thing id like to add is to never be afraid to make these demands or requests of your employers. if they won't invest in you do not invest in them. you all have a beautiful weekend/life.
Final edit: again thanks for everything I didnt think my comment would get this much traction or attention it genuinely has made my week I even showed my fiance as its the first time I ever got a comment over 10 likes lol. thanks for the awards as well i usually lurk and read posts but this has made me feel confident with engaging more in my communities.
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u/Ecliphon Mar 06 '26
me trying to decipher if you live in Wakanda or Norway
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u/Hott-Gravy Mar 06 '26
Lol I actually live in America but im in a pretty heavily blue state and I also work for a union which helps.
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u/anti__thesis Mar 06 '26
Ah, the secret ingredient is the union!
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u/Hott-Gravy Mar 06 '26
It is the special sauce that helps, hopefully more people can get involved in unions, i used to think they were not great but once i got in one and was active in it, it changed my perspective completely, I don't think I can ever go back to non union work tbh.
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u/Amanda316 Mar 06 '26
I am also very pro-union. They saved my butt big one time. I worked in a research lab with I think 19 different rooms/labs I could be in at any time, let alone doing errands in a massive university hospital, bringing samples to specialty labs etc. I had a manager who constantly wanted to stalk me so she did not like that. Never knew what it was that she didnât like about me, everyone else gave me positive reviews. Letâs just say things got wildly out of hand and the superstar of the lab screamed at her one time defending me. He was a very quiet professional type so it was shocking but insanely appreciated. I heard the president of the union very much wanted to talk to me but they couldnât reach out unless I did first. So I met with them. They had been waiting six months to try and help me â I wish I had done something sooner but I was 19. So by the time we met with my five (!) managers and the union, the president of the union and other high profile union members were there with me at a giant board room table chastising my managers for their behavior towards me.
They later wound up sabotaging my ability to go back to school as revenge so I chose school over them and left after being there for two years, but I will never forget that feeling of winning being at that table and seeing every one of my managers with their tails tucked between their legs. That would have never been possible without the union and it cost me 7-9$ a paycheck for my dues.
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u/Hott-Gravy Mar 06 '26
I'm sorry you went through that sounds crazy, I do not mind my dues specifically for instances like yours, its nice to have someone watching your back since a lot of legal work related things are beyond the average employee. I know I recently just spoke with the president of my union because of a time clock issue we were told we had 5 minutes to fill out punch outs at the end of the day so we all log out fill out our sheet then leave well I lost 2 days of pay because I finished my sheet in like 30 seconds and left. losing 2 days of pay for a 5 minute leave when I have no record of any disciplinary issues had my president furious. Still waiting on results but they did advise me its going to arbitration. I hope things have gotten better for you wherever you landed.
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u/Amanda316 Mar 07 '26
Donât even get me started on time clocks, lol.
Iâm self employed doing something I love so I canât complain! And I make sure if I ever hire people to work for me that itâs under conditions I would want to work under. Hope youâre in a better place too.
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u/SmartTip6131 Mar 06 '26
Unions not only boost the wages of the people in that union, but they increase the wages of other non-union workers. They are good!
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u/McTazzle Mar 06 '26
In Australia the conservative partyâs blue and progressives are red, so the opposite being true in North America always makes me take a step to adjust to. It doesnât help that the name of the conservative party is the Liberals đ
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u/slinkywitch Mar 06 '26
In Canada, Australia and the UK conservatives are blue and the more liberal party is red (probably other places too, I'm just not sure about them). In fact, that used to be true in the US as well, but they flipped it and started consistently using the blue = left, red = right in The US around the year 2000. So, it's really a modern US vs the rest of the world (mostly) thing, not an Australia is backward thing.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_states_and_blue_states
I think it's because traditionally the color red has been associated with socialism and communism.
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u/eattherich-1312 Mar 07 '26
It's actually much dumber than that. I can't remember when exactly, but there was talks about switching them to the same colour system as most of the rest of the world and they decided the American public was essentially too dumb and would always think Republican = Red = Right đ¤Łđ¤Łđ¤Ł
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u/throwaway277252 Mar 06 '26
Gravity is upside down, toilets swirl the other way, you drive on the left side, it's only natural that political parties are inverted as well.
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u/Ecliphon Mar 06 '26
Ahh. Iâm also union (or as my very red-minded mom calls it, âThe mobâ) but I feel like even they would just clean out a closet and put a clean table in it with clorox wipes lol.Â
Then again we also donât have the most active union members or representative, soâŚ
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u/Hott-Gravy Mar 06 '26
I hear ya there, I love most of my union brothers and sisters but a lot of them like to complain but never attend any meetings but want all the benefits, it can be frustrating, hopefully your leadership can try to get more people involved but we do live in crazy times so i also understand not everyone can go each month.
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u/morning_star984 Mar 06 '26
This was my first office when I worked in healthcare. Didn't even have a vent because it was literally a small closet in a hallway.
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u/ImSchizoidMan Mar 06 '26
They exist in the US. My prior employer set up 2 rooms specifically for nursing mothers to pump in.
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u/drekia Mar 06 '26
My workplace has a clinic. Thereâs signs in the bathroom that explicitly state you canât administer medication in the bathroom, you have to go to the clinic because itâs safer and cleaner! I like my workplace.
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u/comicsnerd Mar 06 '26
Not a medical issue, but one of the women at my company had a baby and she needed to (forgot the word) tap her breasts for breastmilk.
She came to me (COO) with the request, we blinded a room and gave her the key. There were a few more requests, but that was it. Since she was very happy with it, the room was dedicated for women as a relax office, no questions asked.
The beautiful thing was, none of the men questioned it. All of them were fathers or uncles.
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u/SisterGoldenHair75 Mar 07 '26 edited Mar 08 '26
âTap her breastsâ has now officially entered my lexicon đ
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u/AsYooouWish Mar 06 '26
âExpressâ or âexpressingâ were the terms used when I had my kid about 15 years ago.
At that time my job, a retail store, gave me the options of A) using the office that used open shelves as the walls, B) going to my car, or C) using the womenâs room
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u/halorbyone Mar 07 '26
Some places have lactation rooms but not enough. This is the sort of thing that is needed for many reasons. Maybe you also just need a second because you got a call about a death in the family and donât want to sob in your cubicle.
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u/PipsqueakPilot Mar 06 '26
Go to HR and talk to them, "I'm so glad you've decided to get involved with facilitating an official ADA accommodation. So what paperwork do we need to fill out?"
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u/BxBae133 Mar 06 '26
Do not go to them! Put it in writing and get your response in writing!
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u/munkyluv08 Mar 06 '26
Thisssss! Always create a paper trail.
I want to add I think itâs wild others being uncomfortable was used as the reason. Iâve been in healthcare 16 years and itâs been ingrained that any biohazard tasks or product immediately are handled separate from regular garbage and tasks- so peopleâs feelings is such a weak reason.
This is your life and daily normal, youâve no choice and no one understands unless they are also living with this medical need . While asking you to take care of your medical needs that do include the possibility of bleeding and of course injecting medication outside of the communal lunch space is an appropriate request, they need to offer a solution and absolutely not the bathroom as was stated many times in the thread.
You deserve to have a clean space that offers access to a sink. Youâre not alone and wonât be the last employee needing the space so itâs worth the investment. We know how employee needs go in the corporate world though.
I hope they meet your needs so you can take care of yourself while working, without any more trouble from anyone.
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u/Hefty_Phase6279 Mar 06 '26
That's not always possible, and sometimes in-person meetings work better. But, there are ways to still 'get it in on record'.
I had a contentious issue at my last job. I live in Canada, which is single consent, so I recorded all meetings I had with HR, my boss, etc. (which I didn't tell them about). Also, I took handwritten notes at every meeting (which I was very obvious about) and, on work time, typed summaries of every meeting on who said what, what was agreed to, what was left to be decided, actions items, etc. I then emailed it to all of the relevant people and said 'this is what the meeting on this date and time with these people was about'. People could then respond or not, but where I live in this context 'silence is consent' so no response is taken as agreement. I stuck to the facts and was as objective as possible so mostly I got 'that sounds right' responses with occasional, very small tweaks noted on particular details - if I agreed with the tweaks I responded to say the update was made, if not, I responded to say that I disagreed with the tweak (because silence would be consent on my part too).
Of course, I saved everything on jump drives and also kept them in a non-work cloud that my employer had no access to as well as having it on the work servers.
So, I had everything on record in ways where I was in control of the record and I had access to it all in the event that I needed it after my employment with them ended.
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u/GigglesBlaze Mar 06 '26 edited Mar 06 '26
Written evidence is just more clear cut to a juror. You don't have to get every interaction in writing but if you can at least get someone admitting to something in writing you can use it to build a much stronger and concise case.
An email from your boss saying they are complacent in the problem is going to hold just as much weight as all those voice memos. You have to make your case concise and easy to understand, no juror is going to be happy about going through pages and pages of evidence.
Also silence is not consent in the eyes of the law/a jury. That's crazy talk.
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u/Heykurat Mar 06 '26
Written evidence is actual evidence. A verbal exchange cannot be proven to have occurred.
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u/nerdthatlift Mar 07 '26
You can do both.
After the talk, write a follow up e-mail and I would also cc'd anyone else who would be involved. "Per our conversation earlier, ...recap..."
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u/mamagrls Mar 06 '26
This right here... by law they need to accommodate this person. The people who have complained are probably chronic complainers and do have anything better to do. I just cant with these type of people.
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u/SoundOfUnder Mar 06 '26
I have a feeling that the only complainer is the person in HR sending the emails
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u/So_Motarded Mar 06 '26
facilitating an official ADA accommodation.
Is OP in the US? It seems likely, but they didn't say for certain in their post.
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u/idiot-princess-33 Mar 06 '26
As someone who has been in HR for 10 years this is the correct answer.
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u/ObjectiveQuail3060 Mar 06 '26
NOR - many companies (Amazon comes to mind) require a separate room that locks from the inside and cannot be a bathroom specifically for instances like this. (Although I personally donât see the fuss about doing it at your desk) Iâd be curious to see what your companies policy is for pumping breast milk, are they expected to do it in the bathroom too?
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u/carr0ts Mar 06 '26
if Amazon is providing that, then other companies need to get their shit together. its not like they are famous for employee ethics.
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u/105_irl Mar 06 '26
Amazon is weirdly great in some superficial ways but then will can you for using the insulin room too often and claim it was performance.
Theyâre super fake basically
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u/Peopletowner Mar 06 '26
Well, HR, if you wanted to buy me an insulin pump, that might work better for everyone :)
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u/Rashkamere Mar 06 '26
Hah best reply. Then go back after receiving the pump to ask for a clean private space to change out your infusion set.
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u/bfromcolorado Mar 06 '26
This. Most places Iâve worked had a âmothers roomâ intended for nursing moms who needed to pump. Over time that term has evolved to health room, or similar. OP if your workplace has such a place you could probably use that. If not, they should definitely establish one. Just keep in mind that you may not have immediate access to such a space if others also use it, so a backup plan would be wise.
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u/JTtheLAR Mar 06 '26
Some of you guys have incredible work places and should be very thankful. Its not very common in my experience. Kudos to wherever you work.
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u/boopboopadoopity Mar 06 '26 edited Mar 06 '26
Based on the info OP has given in the comments, they're not really interested in a private spot to take it. They want the company to be cool with them doing it wherever.
They advised they have ADHD and frequently forgets to take their shots for even a full day. They get by by randomly remembering they need to take it and then preferring to just do it immediately because it can be remembered when the blood sugar is quite high. (Edit: Fixed low to high)
I think OP needs to accept the answer isn't necessarily their preferred method of doing it in front of coworkers wherever they are, and ask for the private room.
Edit: Replies have advised there's no legal requirement to take your insulin in a private place, actually! While I do think they should try to come up with a better method for their health, I do think depending on where they live they can just tell HR to pound sand.
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u/Beneficial_Lie_190 Mar 06 '26
You donât take insulin when blood sugar is low.
You take insulin to lower blood sugar.
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u/_teach_me_your_ways_ Mar 07 '26
Thatâs what I love about the diabetes experts. Always giving advice, never knowing a damn thing.
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u/callyourboyfriend Mar 06 '26
I donât think itâs legal to force someone to administer medicine in private if theyâre not getting naked to do it. I absolutely think they can win this fight with HR.
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u/coyotewildheart Mar 06 '26
I think suggesting you go to a bathroom to give yourself an injection isnt the right alternative. Bathrooms are prime for catching infection.
This happened to me when I was breastfeeding a baby and had to pump while I was at work. There were laws saying the employer had to provide a clean safe private place to do so. Id check your local laws to see how you are protected.
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u/GiraffeandZebra Mar 06 '26
OP is in the right here, but just to be fair, they didn't suggest OP go to the bathroom for shots. OP inferred that as the space. They said "private area". They may be hoping OP just goes to the bathroom so they don't have to provide another space, but you never know, maybe they are willing to accommodate a space other than the bathroom.
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u/HitMePat Mar 07 '26
I don't know what OPs work space is like, but if I had to give myself insulin shots I could surely do it sitting at my own desk with my back turned to the entrance/hallway and no one would see anything or be uncomfortable about it.
It makes me wonder if OP is just whipping his shirt up and giving himself shots in common areas in full view of many coworkers? This email seems to imply its something of a spectacle. I feel like some context is missing from the story. Unless the complaining coworker(s) really just can't mind their own business. If OP is making any effort to be discreet it shouldn't be a big deal or require a dedicated private space (depending on the work environment of course).
Giving yourself an insulin shot isn't a super involved process, in most work places it would be easy enough to do it discreetly without letting anyone see.
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u/speck_tater Mar 07 '26
The way OP describes it, theyâre just pulling a syringe out of their back pocket and giving themselves a shot on the spot. They said people should be able to look away and they shouldnât have to do it in private. I think OP is the one being inconsiderate and mentioning the restroom to be dramatic. HR said a private space, and most jobs have that in order to be complaint with ADA laws.
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u/driftingalong001 Mar 07 '26
I mean. They could also just mean step away from where everyone is congregating. Like a corner near a window or something. Not sure how the office is set up. If they have cubicles, that would be an easy place. Most places now a days though are open concept, so something like what I first suggested would work. I think itâs reasonable to ask OP not to inject right infront of all their coworkers, but itâs on the company to provide a safe space for OP to do injections. It could simply be putting up a small divider and a chair by a window, where they could go to do injections.
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u/megjed Mar 06 '26
Yeah I was thinking itâs similar to pumping. I kinda see the other side of it a smidge because I am very bad with needles so if I saw one unexpectedly I would probably pass out which isnât ideal but it doesnât sound like anyone at OPs work has it to that level. But definitely agree they need a private non bathroom space to do it. One of the places I worked was really small and a coworker was pumping so our boss gave her her office to pump in. Maybe thereâs some sort of solution like that
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u/Practical_Copy1642 Mar 06 '26
you wouldnât see the physical insulin pen needle unless you were breathing down their neck or within maybe a foot of them
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u/BlondeMara Mar 06 '26 edited Mar 06 '26
Youâre not overreacting, and this is an issue that actually sits squarely under U.S. disability law.
The real issue here is that HR assumed there was time to delay treatment.
Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, employees with diabetes must be allowed to manage their condition as needed during the workday. Telling someone to leave and find a âprivate areaâ assumes they can safely postpone treatment, which is a medical judgment HR is not qualified to make.
If blood sugar needs to be treated immediately, delaying even briefly could lead to dizziness or fainting. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission guidance on diabetes specifically recognizes that insulin administration may need to happen as needed, not when itâs convenient for others.
Furthermore:
Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), diabetes is considered a disability because it affects the endocrine system. Employers with 15+ employees must provide reasonable accommodations for employees managing medical conditions.
The federal agency that enforces this law, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, has specific guidance for diabetes in the workplace. That guidance explicitly states that employees with diabetes may need to:
⢠check blood glucose ⢠take insulin injections ⢠eat or drink to correct blood sugar ⢠take short breaks for treatment
and employers are required to allow these unless there is a legitimate safety issue.
The key issue in your screenshot is the justification HR gave: that other employees feel âstress or discomfort.â
That is not a legally valid reason to restrict a disability accommodation. Courts and the EEOC have consistently held that coworker discomfort is not a legitimate basis to deny or limit disability accommodations.
There is another problem here: forcing someone to use a bathroom for medical injections.
Bathrooms are generally not considered appropriate medical spaces because they are unsanitary and increase infection risk. In ADA cases, requiring a disabled employee to treat their condition in a restroom has often been cited as failure to reasonably accommodate.
If an employer wants injections done in private, the ADA approach is:
⢠offer a clean private space (office, wellness room, break room area) ⢠but do not force the employee into a restroom
They also cannot discipline or publicly shame someone for managing their disability, which can become harassment under the ADA.
So legally speaking:
⢠You have the right to administer insulin as medically required ⢠Coworker discomfort is not a valid justification to restrict that ⢠A bathroom is not an appropriate required location for injections ⢠Employers should instead offer a clean private space if privacy is desired
The American Diabetes Association has published guidance saying the same thing: employees should be able to treat diabetes where needed, and if privacy is requested the employer should provide a suitable location other than a restroom.
If HR keeps pushing this, the next step is usually to formally request a reasonable accommodation under the ADA so itâs documented.
But based on what you posted, HR is skating very close to disability discrimination territory here.
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u/1GamingAngel Mar 06 '26 edited Mar 07 '26
I have Addisonâs Disease and sometimes have to self-inject Solu-Cortef. I wish people understood Adrenal Insufficiency like they do Diabetes. My employers and peers have just stared at me with wide eyes as Iâve self-administered steroid while waiting for an ambulance. I wish they better understood what I was going through, and why.
This write up is very helpful to me. Thank you. đ
Edit: Okay, Iâll explain why Addisonâs Disease freaks people out. When you have a crisis, your blood pressure bottoms out, your vision blurs, your heart races, you turn confused and have difficulty speaking/communicating much less self-administering an injection, youâre vomiting and trying not to poop your pants from the diarrhea, and your hands shake violently. Itâs kind of similar to what a T1 goes through when theyâre in the verge of a coma. The symptoms are extremely visible, but nothing youâre doing or babbling about makes any sense to people. Itâs honestly best, despite wanting to protect personal health information, if you have a âbuddyâ at work who might recognize what is happening.
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u/Morpherman Mar 07 '26
People do not understand type 1 diabetes and have a precarious understanding of type 2 diabetes. Frankly the conflating of the two undermines the severity of type 1.
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u/BlazerStoner Mar 06 '26
i wish people understood Adrenal Insufficiency like they do diabetes
You really donât. The very vast majority of people have absolutely no clue about what T1D is, how it works and how to manage it. It isnât any better on that side at all.
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u/ClumsyRaccoonPants Mar 06 '26
Thank you for this! Iâm no lawyer but I was thinking this sounds like a discrimination case.
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u/DishRevolutionary593 Mar 06 '26 edited Mar 06 '26
Iâm also Type 1 Diabetic and been in similar issues throughout jobs/careers.
If youâre in the U.S. you have protection rights in the work place and against discrimination. If anyone in your company has sent you any written messaging through email, text, letter, ect, SAVE it. You cannot be fired for any of it. Management or HR equivalent is required for discreet discussion with the sole purpose of accommodating you. Any other colleague has the right to submit a complaint to management/HR, but any sort of act, discrimination or retaliatory you are 100% legally protected and can have a legal suit if warranted.
This is also assuming you arenât dropping trousers and injecting a bolus into your butt.
If you want to passively throw a book at them, they are legally required to provide reasonable accommodations. If You need 15 minutes to step away to a private room or bathroom anytime you want with the assumption to check your bg or give injection, you got it. You are actually doing them a favor by remaining productive where you are when you need to inject. So let them feel the pain and stop working (while getting paid).
I had an employer in my late teens that wanted to let me go for bathroom breaks ato inject or check my sugar, or to have food with me and treat lows, reminded them of the law, forced their hand to give me those breaks. This company was awful, but I definitely made them regret it.
*Iâm just adding this here, and love the engagement from other Type1 people out there. Living with Type1 diabetes is like living life on hard mode. We just want as normal a life we can get. Vast majority do not try to take advantage of anything. OP seems to had just tried coexisting as a normal person, was pointed out their disability impacted others (that takes a mental toll on us as well to even think about, OP is obviously insecure and that sucks). My post, and many others are pointing out for OP to know their rights and ask for those reasonable accommodations if theyâre gonna be such a hard time for trying to survive and work.
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u/Triggr Mar 06 '26
In my experience they wont be fired for using insulin injections. They will get all the worst assignments and extra scrutiny to the point of making work intolerable so they quit. Or alternatively fired for something unrelated that would have normally been overlooked.
Edit: Before I get downvoted Iâm not saying this is correct or how a company SHOULD be run. Just what Iâve literally seen from companies I no longer work for because they pull shit like that.
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u/avidtravelerhtx Mar 06 '26
Still sounds like grounds for an ADA claim. Work in HR here. This message never would have gone out if legal had reviewed it.
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u/Triggr Mar 06 '26
Yeah itâll just take actually fighting it out in court because on paper they will have a valid reason for the termination. Which will be hard to deal with while unemployed with no income. I had a boss once that wanted me to write up the pregnant employee we had after he changed her schedule to a time he knew she wouldnât be able to make it to work on time because of childcare issues. He scheduled her to come in at 3 instead of 4. His plan was to fire her for chronic tardiness with write-ups to prove she was spoken to about it. Turns out she was never late on any of my shifts (at least not that he ever found out about).
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u/Lewa358 Mar 06 '26
The EEOC is the one actually doing the legwork in disability rights violation cases. OP wouldn't be going to court directly.
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u/bebetaian Mar 06 '26
This is exactly my worry. No one wants to FIRE you when it could be actionable. They do all kinds of things to make you QUIT, which ALSO disqualifies you from state benefits.
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u/WellFluxMe Mar 06 '26
op please read through this. you have rights, probably (sad we need to say that nowadays)
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u/deathbylasersss Mar 06 '26
The ADA is one of the few remaining worker safeguards we still have. Everything else has been or is currently being dismantled.
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u/iprizefighter Mar 06 '26
ADA just saved me an immense amount of stress at work after a critical surgery. I went from being scared I was going to lose my job to having the freedom to attend doctor's appointments and take sick days without worry over my employment, all because I spoke up, asked questions, and followed through on paperwork.
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u/pikazec Mar 06 '26
Had an employer tell one of my friends I would be next in line for promotion but because Iâm diabetic they couldnât trust me to be in the store alone (promotion would have required it) funny how fast I got promoted when I talked to her boss. NOR. This is discrimination if they donât offer you accommodations
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u/CerseiBluth Mar 06 '26
A manager once told me they werenât going to select a coworker for a supervisor position because she had an old injury to her hip that sometimes caused pain - nothing that impeded her work, she just complained about it hurting.
The manager told me she didnât think she could be a supervisor because âwhat ifâ her hip got worse and it did affect her work? I was like, âuhh why are you telling me this, thatâs literally medical discrimination.â
(IIRC her pregnancy had exacerbated the hip issue, so thatâs actually a two-pronged medical discrimination issue since she kept talking about wanting a second baby now that the first one was too old to snuggle lol)
But I shouldnât have been shocked since this was the same manager who made some comment about all black people being on welfare, so not exactly the best person.
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u/petunia1994 Mar 06 '26
THIS. I am also a type 1 diabetic and I am an attorney in the US. There are protections in place in the US, and I don't know specifically about other countries, but many other countries have protections as well. u/DishRevolutionary593 is spot on about reasonable accommodations. OP, please look at this!!
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u/boomzgoesthedynamite Mar 06 '26
This. Iâm an employment lawyer. You need to get full 15 minute breaks whenever you need to check your blood sugar or inject insulin, which is many times a day. The area they provide must be clean and private, with a lock on the door. They should also provide a sharps container.
While it may not take a full 15 min, treating a low does, so id need that accommodation in there.
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u/Viperbunny Mar 06 '26
Exactly this! If they are going to make an issue out of doing something you are legally protected to do, insisting it makes others uncomfortable, it is on them to make better accommodations. I would email them back about how excited you are that they are taking your medically protected condition seriously and you look forward to having proper accommodations. Make them squirm. They wanted to put it on OP. If they want to push the issue they have to make the situation better, not OP.
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u/Hippie-Farts Mar 06 '26
KEEP THIS in writing in case something happens in the future. I would write back via email or text that they are required to provide you with a private sanitary space, as others have mentioned. Ask when this accommodation will be ready.
Personally, I would do 1 phone call with a lawyer for advice as well.
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u/chichicupcake Mar 06 '26
Sounds like, you need an accommodation. A nice private room ( NOT a bathroom) where you can give yourself a shot in peace.
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u/LizWaits410 Mar 06 '26
This. Reply to the text asking about the steps needed to request an ADA accommodation and watch their tune change.
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u/Ill_Garbage4225 Mar 06 '26
NOR. HR here. Go to your doctor and tell them you need a reasonable accommodation in place for a quiet and clean place to administer your medication. Bring this text.
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u/lizzyote Mar 06 '26
Do not do this in a bathroom. Thats super unhygienic. If they require that you use a private space, they have to provide you with a private space.
Neat that you got this demand in writing tho.
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u/Efficient_Hyena_7476 Mar 06 '26
If this happened in the UK they would be breaking the law under disability discrimination. (A long term health condition that impacts daily living counts as a disability.)
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u/Upset-Wolf-7508 Mar 06 '26 edited Mar 06 '26
Sometimes a "private space" that is well lit and fairly clean is difficult to find. When one requires life saving medicine to survive, my survival outweighs your feelings. If you're that distressed, walk on by.
I've been in a position where I took my shot on the sidewalk to a shopping center. I hope that's not necessary in the future but this is life saving medicine, not dope.
Edit - thank you for the award đÂ
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u/MeanderingDragon Mar 06 '26
Yes, this pretty much exactly encompasses how I feel about it, I am having some trouble understanding how some would prefer I be in a coma rather than take insulin where a couple people might see me.
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u/cheeky_sugar Mar 06 '26
What about just doing it at your desk? Would they have an issue with that? At your desk, youâd be able to say âjust donât lookâ with more logic on your side than out at a break room or open area. Like in those areas everyone is looking and walking where they walk, which would be the argument, âpeople deserve the right to be at the snack table without seeing this or having to turn awayâ or whatever.
At your desk, no one needs to be looking over there so that would be your argument. âItâs my private cubicle, people can look elsewhereâ or whatever language describes your desk situation?
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u/h3x13s3x13 Mar 06 '26
Is anybody else weirded out that HR texted OP what is essentially flagrant disregard for the ADA?
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u/ayemimi Mar 06 '26
Just go to them to get an accommodation. This should be something relatively easy for them to accommodate, Iâd think.
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u/Minecraftfinn Mar 06 '26
I have a severe phobia of needles and shots, and I have a friend who needs to take shots regularily. But I discovered this great trick where if I lower my top eyelids while simultaneously raising my lower eyelids, the result of that combined movement, with enough practice, completely obscures my field of vision, in a sort of "closing of the eyes" if you will. It really helps. I have gotten so good at it that I can close and open my eyes in the blink of an eye now.
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u/3godeth Mar 06 '26
The bathroom is not a good place for administering injections. Ask them to show you what sanitary private area is being provided to allow you to do these shots. Are motherâs rooms available at your workplace?
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u/bootyprincess666 Mar 06 '26
Fuck a text. Copy and paste this verbatim in COMPANY EMAIL and respond asking for clarification. âGood morning, Please advise in the employee handbook any rules about medical interventions. Please let me know where you will be providing me somewhere private to take my life saving and 100% necessary medication. Thanks!â when they say âGo to the bathroomâ or WHATEVER, tell them thatâs not acceptable (and see if itâs legal) and ask for them to provide you a private place to take your insulin. Also maybe get a good lawyer. NOR
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u/Tibby20 Mar 06 '26
Agree with others that a private, clean space (not the bathroom) is a good compromise that keeps you safe. However, Iâd also be concerned that HR is taking this combative tone. And why are they communicating over text rather than email?
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u/Outrageous_Topic_879 Mar 06 '26
Legally, they should have a space for mothers to pump. Could you not go there? There should be a fridge to store your insulin too if needed.
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u/raconian-moon Mar 07 '26
A lot of people in these comments are making a very big deal about people with severe needle phobias and vasovagal responses. I have both to the point where I've lost conciousness while there was a needle inside me before. It's not fun!
I'm also a type one diabetic. Sometimes life ain't fair. Needle phobias are the worst but type one diabetes can straight up take multiple decades off your life expectancy if you're not extremely careful about treating highs as fast as possible every time they happen. Every minute a high goes untreated does more and more tiny bits of cumulative damage to your kidneys and heart and eyes and nerves, and it builds up fast over the course of a lifetime. Poor treatment means blindness, it means amputated fingers and toes, it means kindey failure and no longer being able to use your hands because the nerves have all died. Expecting us to leave to a private room who knows how far away which may or may not be occupied every single time we medically need to take an injection is cruel.
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u/hospicedoc Mar 06 '26
NOR, but maybe just taking the shot at your desk would be acceptable to everyone?
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u/harleenquinzel044 Mar 06 '26
Ugh. I don't blame you on not wanting to use the bathroom. Supposedly we have a cleaning crew come clean our office, but I looked at the toilet bowl yesterday and it was still filthy. I would ask for a private space to be able to go do your shot, that's the least they could do. When my coworker was breastfeeding she got to go into one of the meeting rooms while she did so and lock the door.
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u/Smyley12345 Mar 06 '26
INFO - Have both instances been when you are doing it in the vicinity of food and/or people eating? Where do you typically do it?
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u/JWB6123 Mar 06 '26
What level of human experiences âstress and discomfortâ at seeing someone inject a lifesaving drug into their skin
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u/CoconutxKitten Mar 07 '26
Someone who passes out or vomits at the sight of needles
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u/Normie-scum Mar 06 '26
What country do you live in? As far as I can see, in Canada and employer is required to provide a sanitary and private space, in the US, they are required to provide one if requested by the employee. From what I've read, in either country it could be seen as discriminatory to mandate the employee uses this space instead of a public/conspicuous space unless there is a sanitation/safety risk
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u/66clicketyclick Mar 07 '26
It nuts how you need to tread delicately to âmanage their emotionsâ while they âexperience discomfortâ meanwhile youâre the one in actual discomfort with these health challenges, not them.
Strikes me as âgo hide your disability because it grosses people outâ meanwhile it is a life-saving treatment.
Would they also tell someone passed out on the floor receiving CPR from paramedics to âplease remove themself because itâs bothering peopleâ? This looks to me like discrimination against disability, making it potentially ableism. This is what irks me.
Feel free to ask folks at r/disability their thoughts on this. The more abled/healthy speak down to those not health-privileged and tell them to bend & contort because it challenges their notion of âpwd over there and not applicable to me, that will never happen to me, I canât bare to look.â Meanwhile, they can become disabled overnight, and they can also develop T1D post-covid (which is ongoing).
NOR.
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u/scccorpio Mar 07 '26
I think the people who get upset about some insuline shots needs to cope. The needle isnât even that big so I donât see whatâs the problem and why some people whine about it. One doesnât have to look at it. Type 1 diabetes is difficult enough as itâs serious chronical disease so no you donât have to go to unclean toilet for that everytime you must take insuline.
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u/ay0h Mar 07 '26
Love that itâs a text and not an official work email because they know that is the #1 way for them to get fired or have a suit against them.
Ask for a private, hygienic area that is not a closet. Refrigerator to store medication that is private only to you, proper red bin to dispose of sharps. AND ask for them to only communicate in writing via email using work issued addresses.
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u/CrowMeris Mar 07 '26
What the hell...NOR. Of course your HR/fellow employees are.
The Venn diagram of people like that and people who are upset seeing a mother breastfeeding is virtually a circle.
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u/TheJenniMae Mar 08 '26
âThank you for sending this in a text. I will be keeping it in case any other retaliation in regards to my medical condition happens in the future. :)â
Anyone in HR should know better.
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u/liseski Mar 08 '26
your coworkers need to suck it up. injecting insulin isnât an optional exercise.
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u/Remote_Development62 Mar 06 '26
MOR
You should be injecting insulin in a clean private space (we have a bunch of those at our office) not a bathroom. But it's also quite inconsiderate to inject insulin right infront of your coworkers. Like it's not so extremely urgent that you cannot take the extra minute to inject in said clean private space.
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u/kr4sviests Mar 06 '26
Ask them for a private space, bathrooms are unsanitary.