US Man Quits 6-Figure Job Claiming Company Denied Paid Leave For Chemo, Internet Reacts

An American man said he has quit his six-figure job at an ad agency, claiming his requests for paid time off (PTO) during brain cancer treatment were denied, despite the company's "unlimited PTO" policy. The man, whose name is Tyler Wells, a social media professional, shared his experience on X (formerly Twitter), saying he was told taking leave would be considered an "abuse of the PTO policy".

"I'm leaving my six-figure ad agency job in social media to go full-time freelance. Why? In 2024 I was diagnosed with brain cancer," he wrote in the post.

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He mentioned that he had requested 2-3 days of paid leave per month for chemotherapy, but was instead asked to take unpaid time off under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).

"I was told I couldn't use that PTO each month while I was on chemo because that 'would be considered abuse of the PTO policy.'"

His request for temporary workplace accommodations was also denied, with HR stating they were "not obligated to help"

See the post here:

I'm leaving my six-figure ad agency job in social media to go full-time freelance. Why? In 2024 I was diagnosed with brain cancer…

We have unlimited PTO where I work.

I was told I couldn't use that PTO each month while I was on chemo because that “would be considered abuse of…

— tyler wells (@tylerdw) January 27, 2026

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"People who are sick are worried about so much already. We shouldn't have to worry about paying bills," Wells said, further adding three points to call for broader workplace reforms.

The points are:

1. The company must reconsider their policies while treating people with illnesses. "How we treat people with illnesses in the workplace," he wrote.

2. There should also be strict laws that would guarantee full pay for those employees who are battling such illnesses. "Laws that guarantee full pay for workers going through chemotherapy or other cancer treatment," he wrote.

3. "Our over-prioritisation of work and productivity above all," he wrote as the third point.

Social Media Reaction

Wells' experience highlights the challenges cancer patients face in balancing work and treatment. His post grabbed traction,

"I was homeless while going through chemo because I couldn't get any help. I know the feeling. I now work as much as possible to prevent others from going through the same thing. If I can help in any way, please reach out," one user wrote in the comment section, sharing their own experience.

"And you should absolutely call this company OUT here," another user suggested, calling the company's policy "wrong".

"It's so upsetting. Thanks for speaking out. I went on my own due to chronic illness. These policies are written to be attractive, but they showed their true colours. We have to keep advocating. Hearing snow day stories where companies want staff to use PTO when the office is closed," a third user said.