'Spiteful' Woman Ripped for Exposing Sister's Addiction History to New Boss

Members of a popular internet forum were appalled after a woman revealed why she thought it necessary to inform her sister's employer of her history with addiction.

In a viral Reddit post published on r/AmITheA******, Redditor u/aita8374938 (otherwise referred to as the original poster, or OP) said her sister recently started a new job, but chronicled her concerns over whether her sibling is qualified for the position.

Titled, "[Am I the a******] for telling my sister's new boss about her historic drug use?" the post has received nearly 6,000 upvotes in the last day.

"My (29F) sister (26F) has just landed a job that she is seriously underqualified and unprepared for," OP began. "It's a senior position that means she would be in direct contact with highly vulnerable people."

Continuing to explain that her sister persevered through a brutal recruitment process, the original poster said the 26-year-old has a history of substance abuse, and overdosed multiple times from age 16 to 22.

The original poster also said that, despite her sister's four years in recovery, she thought it necessary to inform her new employer of her riddled past.

"She has relapsed many times and it is highly likely that she will again," OP wrote. "She has also stolen from me and my husband in the past to fund her habit.

"My concern is that someone of her character should not be in a position of power over people and particularly those in vulnerable situations," OP continued. "[So] I sent an email to the company [just to] let them know what kind of person they are dealing with. I think it's important for them to know the full story.

"She called me and screamed down the phone saying that I was trying to destroy her life. She said I just didn't like the thought of her earning more than me even though I have a degree," OP added. "I explained my reasons and that I only told them so that they could decide if she was a good fit."

In the U.S., roughly 20 million adults meet the criteria for a substance abuse disorder, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

Data published by the Recovery Research Institute shows there are also 22.5 million Americans who have resolved a substance abuse problem.

In spite of such resolution, those in recovery are faced with a unique set of obstacles, often magnified when attempting to secure steady employment.

"In recent years, with more and more individuals achieving long-term recovery, the stigma surrounding addiction is still alive and well," Todd Garlington, clinical lead therapist at Greenhouse Treatment Center, told Newsweek.

"The criminalization of addiction and the bias towards those in recovery continues to be a barrier and a hindrance to those seeking to piece their lives back together," he added.

While companies are not legally allowed to discriminate against prospective employees based on substance abuse disorders, negative attitudes towards addiction—and those recovering from it—can pose even greater challenges in finding employment.

"People are hesitant to hire those who have been through treatment," Renaissance Recovery CEO Kevin Cataldi told Newsweek. "Whether it is because they are afraid they might relapse and lose an employee, or they are worried by the stigma of addiction in general, people can definitely be overlooked.

"The disconnect that some people may feel may act like a barrier when they are actually searching for a job," Cataldi added. "Knowing that they might have to bring it up in an interview or have to list their criminal record on their application can be a big blow to their confidence, leading them to not even applying in the first place."

Along with employers hesitant to hire individuals recovering from substance abuse, and employers who simply refuse to do so, family members who have endured the fallout from a loved one's addictive behavior can also put up barriers to protect themselves and others from experiencing the same.

Throughout the comment section of the viral Reddit post, however, many Redditors speculated that the original poster's intentions were never to protect herself, but rather to tear her sister down, despite her recovery.

"This had zero effect on you. The company would have done a background check on your sister and would have already known about her history," Redditor u/leannmanderson wrote in the post's top comment, which has received more than 25,000 upvotes.

"It's not up to you who they decide is qualified," they added. "In fact, her struggles may have been the thing that got her the job because she knows what it's like...you are being petty for all the wrong reasons."

Redditor u/likecommentsurvive, whose comment has received more than 8,500 upvotes, echoed that sentiment.

"So she's [four] years clean and you decided to drudge up the past because she has a job that you're jealous of?" they questioned. "Yikes."

"You sound jealous and horribly spiteful," Redditor u/lihzee commented, receiving more than 5,000 upvotes.

"Rather than giving your sister a chance to turn her life around, you actively sabotaged her chance at a stable income in a position where she could potentially do a lot of good," Redditor u/angelaheidt chimed in. "Rather than giving her the benefit of the doubt, you interfered."

Newsweek has reached out to u/aita8374938 for comment. We could not verify the details of the case.