A long-serving community college teacher has sparked discussion online after sharing her emotional struggle with a supervisor who she felt showed little empathy while her mother was critically ill.
The educator, who has worked at the institution for more than 30 years, described how her relationship with her new boss deteriorated during the final weeks of her mother's life.
According to the account, the teacher's mother became seriously ill in October and passed away the following month.
During this time, her supervisor requested a meeting regarding year-end paperwork. The teacher declined, explaining that the meeting was requested at short notice and coincided with a day when her mother was being evaluated for hospice care.
However, the situation escalated when the supervisor followed up with an email referencing several other meetings the teacher had declined.
In response, the teacher explained that she had stepped away from meetings temporarily because of her mother's condition.
The supervisor maintained that all staff members were expected to meet professional responsibilities regardless of personal circumstances.
According to the teacher, the supervisor stated that the same standards were applied to all employees to ensure that 'contractual obligations were being fulfilled.'
After her mother's passing, the teacher confronted the supervisor in person and expressed disappointment about the lack of empathy during such a painful period.
The supervisor reportedly repeated the same position, saying employees were expected to continue meeting their obligations.
In response to the teacher's concern, advice columnist Philip Galanes acknowledged the emotional difficulty of balancing work responsibilities while caring for an ill parent.
However, he suggested that the conflict may have escalated partly due to a lack of clear communication between both parties.
The advice noted that instead of formally requesting accommodations or rescheduling meetings, the teacher had simply informed the supervisor that she had stepped away from meetings.
While the supervisor's response appeared unsympathetic, the situation may have benefited from a more direct discussion about temporary adjustments during the family emergency.
The advice concluded by encouraging the teacher to prioritise healing and personal wellbeing following her mother's death.
Grief can intensify feelings of anger and frustration, and experts suggest allowing time to process these emotions before revisiting workplace conflicts.
In the long term, open communication and clearer expectations may help rebuild professional relationships while ensuring compassion during difficult personal circumstances.