Woman Gets Friend Fired from Job After Telling Manager She Lied About Reason for Day Off

In the fast-paced world of retail, bonds often form over shared exhaustion and unpredictable customer interactions. But what happens when loyalty to a friend collides with responsibility at work?

A 22-year-old retail worker recently shared her story on Reddit, describing how a seemingly harmless favor turned into a fallout she never saw coming.

She explained that both she and her friend were working weekend shifts at the same store. After planning a trip home with her boyfriend — a 4-5 hour drive — she was looking forward to her day off. Everything was set until her friend called with a last-minute request.

“Two weeks ago on Friday my friend called me and told me that the guy she was speaking to had invited her last minute to a desert party and she wouldn’t be able to make her shift, so she asked me to cover it for her,” she wrote. Since she had already arranged time off and didn’t want to change her plans, she politely declined.

Her friend didn’t take that refusal well.

Instead of accepting the answer, the coworker allegedly told their manager she had a family emergency — and falsely claimed the Reddit user agreed to take her shift. When the store opened, no one showed up.

“So when my manager called me and asked me why I wasn’t at work since my friend said I would be working her shift, I told her the truth and my friend ended up getting fired,” she added.

Now facing backlash from her former friend, she asked the Reddit community: “AITA?”

The overwhelming response was supportive. Many users pointed out that honesty is required in a job where shift communication keeps businesses running smoothly.

One commenter summed up the consensus: “Your ‘friend’ is not a friend. She lied and used you. If anything she threw you — and your workplace — under the bus. You had every right to say no. She might have some nice qualities, but if I were you, I would not consider her a friend anymore.”