Mark’s vacation was months in the making—flights, hotels, and activities all carefully planned and approved. But when Lisa, a mom in his office, realized her kids’ break overlapped with his time off, she asked him to swap. Mark explained his non-refundable bookings, but Lisa’s response was sharp: “You can’t be flexible? It’s just you.”
The comment rubbed Mark the wrong way. “Just because I don’t have kids doesn’t mean my plans are less important,” he fired back. The exchange left their work relationship strained, and when their boss suggested Mark should have been more understanding, the frustration only grew.
Was Lisa entitled to expect Mark to rearrange his life for her family’s convenience? Or was Mark right to stand his ground? The debate over workplace fairness and parental privilege rages on.
