“I’ve Never Taken Medication Before”: SA Woman’s Denmark Job Dream Turns Into a Nightmare, SA Reacts

• A South African single mother relocated to Denmark for a job opportunity at Lego Group two years ago, only to face alleged bullying, harassment, and discrimination
• The woman claims she filed formal complaints through management and whistleblowing compliance lines over 11 months, which eventually led to stress leave and medication
• Social media users had mixed reactions to her story, with some expressing heartbreak over her situation while others questioned whether there might be more to the story given labor laws

A South African woman shared her distressing experience after relocating to Denmark for what she thought would be a dream career opportunity. In a heartfelt video, the single mother revealed how her exciting international job opportunity with Lego Group turned into a nightmare of alleged workplace discrimination, leading to her termination without notice and facing the prospect of returning to South Africa financially ruined.

Watch the Instagram clip here.

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From opportunity to ordeal

The woman explained that two years ago, she left behind a comfortable life in South Africa to accept what seemed like an excellent opportunity with Lego in Denmark.

"It's an opportunity they presented me... Thinking it was going to be a great opportunity for her and also to pave the way for other black South African women who also want to make an impact on a global stage," she shared.

However, what followed was far from her expectations. She claims to have experienced bullying, harassment, discrimination based on a disability, stating that she has evidence including emails and recordings. According to her account, she filed multiple complaints through management channels and internal whistleblowing systems over eleven months, but her concerns were allegedly ignored.

"I've been called aggressive, intimidating. I don't know if they ignored my concerns because I'm a black woman, but every time I try to look around, nobody looks like me and nobody could really help me," she stated in the video.

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The situation allegedly became so stressful that it affected her health, forcing her to take sick leave and requiring medication.

"I've never taken medication before, and I had my medication kept increasing for me to be able to do day-to-day things as a normal person," she revealed, but some did not believe her story.

Denmark typically has strict labor laws that protect employees from sudden termination. Under the common funktionærloven legislation, employers must provide notice periods ranging from one month (for those employed less than six months) up to six months (for those employed over nine years). The woman's claim of termination without notice raises questions, as such immediate dismissals in Denmark are usually reserved for serious workplace offenses like theft.

Danish law also prohibits termination due to pregnancy, adoption, demands for equal pay, or discrimination. While employers can terminate employment due to documented financial reasons or cooperation difficulties, they must follow proper procedures. The unusual nature of her termination without notice has led some social media commenters to question whether there might be additional factors at play in this situation.

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Social media weighs in

Social media users had varied reactions to the woman's troubling story:

@bobbyc461 shared:

"I regret moving to the UK. I've got a good job, car, and dog. But the stress and pressure of living abroad makes me feel like crying."

@goddess_tebogo_ expressed:

"My heart breaks for her. I hope she gets legal backing and gets some justice."

@aquamarine_65 noted:

"The grass is greener, but remember there are weeds and thorns."

@reggie.esquire commented:

"Tell me there's more to the story without telling me there's more to the story."

@fitbodies_by_mk cautioned:

"We need to be careful about just criticising companies without knowing their side of the story. I feel really sorry for this young lady cause you can tell her pain, but if she's been unfairly dismissed, she has recourse. Denmark and Europe as a whole have very strict labour laws."

@darlinsargood questioned:

"Surely there must be more to this story, Denmark is a highly progressive country, the company in question will comply with labour laws, etc! Hard to believe you would be terminated with no course or settlement etc? More context is needed!"

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Other foreigners making headlines

• Briefly News recently reported on a Facebook user who captured the exciting moment when clubgoers in Dublin, Ireland, were enthusiastically dancing to amapiano music.
• A quick-witted South African woman turned a simple street interview into comedy gold when she boldly recommended tourists visit the Cape Flats, challenging common misconceptions about the area.
• An American content creator sparked a heated online debate after interviewing a South African woman about her thoughts on Americans, particularly African Americans, relocating to South Africa as digital nomads.

Source: Briefly News