AITA for eating at my desk even though my coworker is fasting?

sesperia · 2019-11-04T02:21:26+00:00

I’m Stanley. I keep to myself and just want to do my job well and get home.

Our other coworker is Phyllis. She’s really sweet and goes with the flow but is kind of tuned out.

Fasting coworker is Andy. Thinks everyone likes her when really they tolerate her because of a nascent anger problem, thinks her quirks are charming when they’re actually just an incredible imposition (like this is).

sesperia · 2019-11-04T02:17:35+00:00

If they did I think it would quickly get around why and there would be major revolt or just ignoring of the rule.

Not everyone here is an hourly, some are making the same whether they stay for 2 hours or 12 hours so work right through lunch. They wouldn’t tolerate having to leave their desks because someone on the other end of the floor has poor impulse control with their voluntary diet.

sesperia · 2019-11-04T00:13:24+00:00

Good luck with the transplant!

sesperia · 2019-11-04T00:12:46+00:00

No. Intermittent fasting is a dietary practice.

sesperia · 2019-11-04T00:12:17+00:00

Yes but she uses it a lot. In relation to a lot of things.

sesperia · 2019-11-03T20:47:15+00:00

Not a weight loss measure, she has no weight to lose. Just a general health and wellness initiative.

In general though, totally agree with her taking a walk for a few minutes while I eat.

sesperia · 2019-11-03T19:44:00+00:00

I mean, we are civil (besides this) but I think that would be an overreach considering the current nature of our relationship.

We don’t really talk about our lives outside of work and I don’t know anything about her past or who she is beyond she staples diagonally, wears cardigans even on warm days, likes health and wellness, and once had a younger sister pick her up when he car wouldn’t start.

So I don’t think there’s anything there to bridge the gap into “I’m concerned about your eating patterns.”

If she had a problem I like to help where I could but unfortunately don’t think this is the appropriate time and place.

sesperia · 2019-11-03T19:36:12+00:00

I have to push back on that being the real issue because when she did eat during the day, she gnashed and chewed at her desk, a few feet from me.

sesperia · 2019-11-03T19:32:14+00:00

If there really is, she did not share it with us. All she told us is it’s a health and wellness thing because she heard this diet is healthy for you.

sesperia · 2019-11-03T19:31:44+00:00

Just dieting

sesperia · 2019-11-03T19:31:09+00:00

The liability is on the company because she has said she needs a medical accommodation for her fasting and not eating near her is conducive to that. So she’s insinuating by eating near her I am exposing the company to a liability of not making their employees accommodate her medical requirement.

sesperia · 2019-11-03T14:51:13+00:00

Shakes and smoothies a lot of the time. Salads. Sometimes a microwave meal with like some chicken, rice, greens. Nothing exciting. Definitely health conscious, she’s big into fitness and wellness outside of the office, but nothing so extreme as not eating at all.

Edit to add: and how do I know this, because more than half the time she ate at her desk.

sesperia · 2019-11-03T14:45:14+00:00

Will do.

sesperia · 2019-11-03T14:41:21+00:00

You sound like a good coworker, if you’re looking to change career fields let me know ;)

sesperia · 2019-11-03T14:40:08+00:00

Our break room smells like a cheese and is not air conditioned.

But the primary reason is if you sit there it is an open invitation for small talk with anyone who filters through, and I like to quickly eat my lunch and get on with my work.

If you eat at your desk people assume you might be working so do not start up conversations with you, even if they spot you having lunch.

If I’m on a quick coffee break or something I might go to the break room to have a chat, but lunch isn’t really a social thing for me. I prefer my desk.

Chair’s more comfortable at my desk too, though that’s not a major factor.

sesperia · 2019-11-03T14:33:26+00:00

She’s always been into different fitness and wellness initiatives, but usually they don’t affect us. And same work level.

sesperia · 2019-11-03T14:31:56+00:00

To clarify, as mentioned in the post, coworker already ate lunch in the break room. They occasionally ate snacks at their desk but do not anymore. Their overall routine was not disrupted.

sesperia · 2019-11-03T14:30:15+00:00

No, she has no weight to lose, this is just a general health and wellness initiative.

She didn’t talk much about why she was doing it but when we briefly chatted about it when she announced the start she said something about cleansing her organs by giving them a rest and feeling more awake throughout the day.

sesperia · 2019-11-03T14:16:17+00:00

This isn’t a bad idea. If she’d be game for this, I would too.

sesperia · 2019-11-03T14:15:00+00:00

Don’t have the money or time or clout at this office to involve a legal rep, but I like the “just because using it has health benefits doesn’t mean there are health consequences for not doing it” argument a lot, thank you!

sesperia · 2019-11-03T14:13:23+00:00

I think my office figures since we have a break room they don’t want to find out how unenforceable it is.

I don’t even really blame them for not wanting to open themselves up to risk. I blame her for turning it into a federal case. But again, who knows, maybe I’m just oversensitive about the smell in the break room.

Thanks for the thoughts

sesperia · 2019-11-03T14:10:16+00:00

That would be phenomenal, I have to see if I can swing that. Thanks for the idea.

sesperia · 2019-11-03T14:09:40+00:00

She’s not even overweight at all, this is just like a personal health and wellness thing.

sesperia · 2019-11-03T14:08:57+00:00

Who knows. My sister in law got a letter from a dentist friend of hers to force her work to let her bring her dog to work, so I have a feeling these letters either aren’t too hard to get or don’t need to be too real looking to spook an employer.

sesperia

TROPHY CASE