There are definitely unwritten rules about using the communal microwave in an office. If you're heating up your lunch during an in-demand time and it's a frozen meal that takes more than five minutes to cook, you might want to step back and let other people use it first. Furthermore, if you're eating something particularly aromatic, consider eating in the break room and not right at your desk. This also applies when you're eating a messy meal. I cannot tell you the number of times I have seen chewing that I do not wish to witness at my desk.
This thread was posted to Reddit's r/AmITheA**hole subreddit, and let's just say that the reactions were a bit split about how OP handled the situation. One commenter put it well when they said that everyone in the situation is at fault here. The coworker should have been more considerate, the employee could have been less confrontational, and HR should realize that if everyone has to eat within the same hour, they should invest in a second microwave. Keep scrolling below for the full reactions. For more content like this, here is a story about an employee's payback after being promised a promotion.
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