Micro-managing boss wants to fire Gen Z employee for taking mental health leave. But HR’s one statement leaves him speechless.

Mental health at the workplace is just as important as physical well-being, yet employees often hesitate to take mental health leave. Unlike a visible physical illness, stress, burnout and emotional exhaustion can be harder to explain, making employees fear being judged as less committed or productive. This can be particularly relevant for Gen Z employees, who are increasingly vocal about workplace well-being and healthier boundaries. Along similar lines, career coach Simon Ingari recently shared a post on his latest X handle that sparked a conversation around workplace expectations and mental health.

Manager questions Gen Z employee’s mental health leave

As per the post, the manager of a company approached the HR department with an immediate request to terminate a Gen Z employee named Diaz. The Gen Z employee had been absent from work for days, but had informed the manager that the time away was for mental health reasons. When HR questioned whether the Gen Z employee had returned and resumed working, the manager confirmed that she had.

HR then asked the manager whether the Gen Z employee exceeded the approved number of leave days. The question received a negative response. Despite this, the manager argued that the Gen Z employee had taken time off without being physically ill. The manager even questioned the legitimacy of Diaz’s mental health leave because no hospital record or other proof showed that she had sought medical treatment. HR, however, pointed out that the absence of hospitalisation didn’t mean that Diaz had not been struggling mentally.

HR calls out manager’s excessive employee monitoring

According to HR, taking a few days away from work to recover and recharge could also be important for mental well-being. Despite that, the manager continued to complain that the Gen Z employee had started taking occasional 5-to-10-minute breaks after returning. He believed these short pauses meant Diaz was spending less than 8 hours working each day. When HR asked whether he was monitoring the Gen Z employee throughout the day, the manager admitted that he checked her movements every 10 to 15 minutes.

The manager also acknowledged that Diaz’s work was being completed and deadlines were being met. He nevertheless considered the breaks and mental health leave dishonest and described his constant monitoring as good management. The HR challenged this reasoning, asking why a Gen Z employee who completed her responsibilities and met deadlines was being treated as a problem simply for managing her mental health. The conversation ultimately turned the criticism back on the manager, suggesting that excessive monitoring and rigid expectations, rather than the employee’s mental health break, were creating the real workplace problem.