As helpful and incredibly efficient they can be, most of us sort of have a love-hate relationship with air-conditioning units, especially when the air makes direct contact.
Because too much exposure to chilled air can have quite the effect on our sinuses and lungs, while air conditioning units also uniquely trap and circulate germs, pointed out the members of the “Am I the A**hole?” (AITA) subReddit.
Redditor Slimeyindividual_ did not get along well with one of her male coworkers, and a key culprit was their shared air conditioning unit, which her coworker frequently blasted and made the space unbearably cold.
When her coworker actually caused her to catch a cold and later wanted his work shift covered, the Original Poster (OP) refused, knowing that all of this could have been avoided.
She asked the sub:
“Am I the a**hole for refusing to cover my coworker’s shift after he caused the problem?”
The OP frequently argued with her coworker about how he used the air conditioning unit.
“I (24 Female) work in a small office where we’re constantly short-staffed.”
“One of my coworkers (29 Male) is notorious for blasting the AC year-round, even in winter, despite multiple people asking him to stop because it makes them sick.”
“Management hasn’t really enforced any rules about it.”
Then the OP’s coworker got a taste of his own medicine.
“Last week, he turned the AC on full blast during a cold snap.”
“I ended up getting really sick and had a fever and a sore throat.”
“Now here’s the issue: while I was out sick, he asked me if I could cover his shift this weekend because he ‘really needs a break’ and has plans he doesn’t want to cancel.”
“I said no and pointed out that I wouldn’t even be sick if he hadn’t cranked the AC after everyone asked him not to.”
“He got defensive and said I was being petty and that getting sick ‘isn’t his fault.'”
“AITA for saying no?”
Rellow Redditors weighed in:
- NTA: Not the A**hole
- YTA: You’re the A**hole
- ESH: Everybody Sucks Here
- NAH: No A**holes Here
Some pointed out that the OP had two issues at hand to address with Human Resources.
“NTA, but there was no need to bring up the AC in the context of covering his shift. You can’t cover his shift because you’re sick. Case closed.”
“The blasting of AC is a separate issue. Bring the issue to HR.”
“Being cold doesn’t spontaneously give you a virus. While cold can lower the effectiveness of your immune system, you could have easily gotten sick at a normal room temp.” – YearlyDepression
“Cold air causes damage to the mucous membranes of your nose, which makes you more susceptible to illnesses that are already in the area.”
“There is a reason why people heavily associate the cold with getting sick.” – jverity
“You are not getting sick because of the AC; that is silly.”
“But he is definitely a jerk for making the atmosphere at work uncomfortable. The AC where I work has us so cold that sometimes it is painful, and nothing we do brings the temperature *up to normal levels.”
“I would not have said yes to him either regarding his shift. NTA.” – Hopeful-Material4123
“Being cold does not cause illness. Bacteria and viruses do. He didn’t make you sick. And he’s an AH for controlling the environment for everybody in the office despite objections. And management is an AH for not locking up the thermostat if it’s causing such a rift.” – MollyOMalley99
“Our office flat out told the staff, ‘All those thermostats around the place? They’re just sensors for the centralized BMS. The buttons don’t do a damn thing. Fiddle all you want; it has no effect. If the HVAC is actually not working, file a ticket and the contractor will take a look.'”
“Offices should not give HVAC control in shared spaces to staff. Just set it to 22°C and let the automation do its thing.” – greatlakesailors
“Being cold doesn’t give you a cold. However, it could help to lower your resistance to germs in the area. But it’s germs that get you sick like that, not being cold. Being cold can give you hypothermia.”
“Still, NTA. You’re not under any obligation to cover anyone’s shift, especially someone who hasn’t been receptive to your requests.” – mspolytheist
“It seems to me as if the dude asked OP to do him a favor to make his work life more pleasant. Bringing up another favor to make work life more pleasant (not cranking the AC in winter) seems pretty damn relevant.” – MystifiedBypeople
“NTA. It’s not your responsibility to cover his shifts. Plus, you are sick, and you shouldn’t go into work if you have a fever.”
“That being said, the cold air AC did NOT make you sick. It’s the gross germy air blowing around in the winter at the end of January, the peak time for sickness. Honestly, your office needs a deep clean and sanitizing. No shame in wearing a mask if you are able.”
“It sounds like you should bring in some sweaters. I’ve seen people with space heaters under their desks or heating pads on their chairs. Warm drinks are perfect for this scenario. Do whatever you need to warm up.”
“Have you asked your coworker why he blasts the air? Does he have a condition or medication that makes him hot/sweaty? You would be surprised how many meds make you sweat. I’d involve HR in that conversation, though.” – spaceghost260
“A coworker who prioritizes his comfort over everyone else’s health. And he has the audacity of asking you, the person who got sick to cover his weekend plans because he “needs a break” is… wild.”
“Also, his argument that he didn’t get you sick is weak. Turning on the AC in winter does these things:”
“Dries out your mucous membranes, cold air constricts blood vessels, recirculates germs, triggers inflammation, and causes temperature shock (which causes stress to the body). All can contribute to getting sick, especially the recirculating germs.”
“NTA.” – EtherealMoonGoddess
Others pointed out the problem the OP’s coworker was causing by constantly blasting the AC.
“I’m an HVAC tech. You wouldn’t believe how filthy an AC unit running in cooling mode constantly can get without regular servicing. They’re traps for skin flakes and dust and have a convenient drain pan in them that the coil drips condensate over so the fan can sweep up the mould spores and expel it into the room.”
“They’re like the perfect petri dish, the only way you could design it to be better for growth is if you put a heating element in the drain to keep it warm, too.” – torolf_212
“We had the HVAC at our house cleaned 10 years after we bought it, and the technician started gagging when he discovered a pile of moldy and dusty beer cans with expiration dates around the time the house was built (it was finished roughly 5 months or so before we bought it).”
“One of the best things you can do when buying a house is getting someone to run a camera through the HVAC apparently, never know what kinda shit is hiding in there.” – drvelo
“People can be contagious when they don’t have symptoms. Sometimes people are carriers and never develop symptoms. Sometimes people become infectious before their symptoms really develop.”
“Staying home while actively sick IS important. So, a quality HVAC system adds ventilation and filtration so folks aren’t just rebreathing each other’s nastiness. The immunocompromised need HEPAs and N95s (at least that’s what I do).” – lilgreenglobe
“NTA. Some people have pointed out that it’s not cold that makes you seek, but bacteria, viruses, etc. But being cold does lower the effectiveness of your immune system and makes respiratory illnesses easier to contract.”
“Also, there have been academic studies that show that women are more affected by the cold than men.” – Emergency_Charge_262
“The cold can absolutely increase the probability of contracting an illness. For starters, many viruses, including the rhinovirus responsible for the common cold, survive more easily and replicate more readily in cold, dry environments. Being cold also dries out mucous membranes, which are a critical part of the body’s first line of defense.”
“Exposure to cold can also decrease the response of one’s immune system, making it less efficient at fighting illness. So, while OP cannot conclude that being cold made them ill directly, it may well have contributed to them developing an illness.”
“NTA. OP isn’t required to help anyone, particularly while they’re ill.”
“Furthermore, whether OP’s illness was assisted by the AC situation, it’s clear the co-worker has no respect for his fellow employees, or he wouldn’t insist on blasting the AC all winter despite complaints. Why would OP help someone who treats them with indifference at best?” – RogueSlytherin
While the subreddit pointed out that the OP didn’t get sick from the chilled air itself, they agreed it likely didn’t help her avoid illness, and it was definitely an issue to take to HR to avoid further discomfort around the office.
As for covering his shift, the OP was never required to do that, but if her coworker really wanted something from her, the least he could do was make sure she was at least somewhat comfortable at work.