I’m in my first job out of college as a software developer and am adapting to how workplaces work. One of my co-workers is clearly having personal problems and is taking a lot of time off. Problems with his wife, mental health, etc. He has taken about 5 weeks of in the past 6-9.
My colleagues used to respect this guy, even in private conversations. Now, they bash him, hate on him, and several have publicly agitated that he be fired and replaced with someone more reliable.
This didn’t happen when another colleague took maternity leave. Why does it happen to people who take sick/personal leave?
I get that it is a burden for everyone else, but so is maternity leave. Why is there such a harsh reaction to this? Is physical illness typically treated the same way?