Update: 'I said, "Guess I’m not a team player"': Boss floods security guard employee with texts and emails while she's on vacation, employee brings in HR

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Remy Millisky • Writer and Editor
Jul 15, 2023 3:00 PM EDT

It would take a lot for you to block your boss's phone number, but this woman had to do exactly that. Her boss just wouldn't leave her be as he tried his hardest to interrupt her vacation time. 

U/Pinkyrye shared her story to r/AmItheA**hole, and she provided several updates on her situation as well. Despite working at her security guard job for six years, her boss still gave her a hard time about taking five days of vacation time. Some places really are stingy with time off, paid or unpaid. It doesn't seem to matter to them how hard you work or how long you've worked there — you're just a number to them. And especially if you work in retail or food service, managers are known to try and get you to find someone to cover the shifts you're missing. 

These days, stores have apps where you can trade shifts, give them up, and take them from others. But in the recent past, you'd have to sit there with the phone numbers of every employee, and literally call every person one by one until you found enough people to take your shifts. At that point, you're basically a manager. 

Check out this story below, as well as the immensely satisfying updates. Then, this COO decided to show up to work in a full prom outfit after the CEO mocked her fashion choices. 

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  • 01
    Smile - 'I just sent an email to my HR with all the emails, texts, [and] call logs' Update
    via Amy Hirschi on Unsplash
  • 02
    Font - AITA-For ignoring my boss and blocking his number on my vacation Not the A-hole My boyfriend (29 m) and I (26 f) are currently long-distance. We take turns visiting each other. He came to see me after almost two months of not seeing each other. We finally were to make plans. I requested to have five days off which was approved from my job. I've worked there for six years. I'm a security guard at a department store.
    via u/Pinkyrye
  • 03
    Font - It was after my shift, and I was heading out quickly. I had to pick my bf up from the airport. I clocked out, and while I was saying bye to everyone. My new boss of 2 weeks stopped me, and he asked if I could cover a shift. Since one of my co-workers called in sick. We're short-staffed, and he needs me to stay for a couple hours more. I had a 10-hour shift. I was exhausted.
    via u/Pinkyrye
  • 04
    Font - I responded no. I'm sorry, but I'm unable to do that, and I can't stay late. I have covered shifts before in the past. I don't mind, but I had somewhere to be. I mentioned I was picking up someone at the airport. He told me they could take an Uber. My boyfriend wouldn't be happy with me if I did to him. Also he has no key to my apartment.
    via u/Pinkyrye
  • 05
    Plant - No one else wanted to stay, and I was the third person he asked to that said no. I said sorry, I can't just tonight, another time.
    via u/Pinkyrye
  • 06
    Font - He called me a lousy worker, and I'm not a team player. I said, guess I'm not a team player and I walked passed him. I called out. I'll see him in five days. While driving to the airport, I kept getting calls and texts from him; it got so bad that I had to pull over to turn off my phone. My boss wanted me to come back to work.
    via u/Pinkyrye
  • 07
    Font - I had to turn on my phone, so my boyfriend could contact me. My phone was flooded with text messages. Ding after ding I think got close to 15 texts. I blocked his number.
    via u/Pinkyrye
  • 08
    Font - I was so happy to see my bf. I was getting emails from my boss constantly when I was supposed to be my time off. I didn't respond to and I rarely take vacation. One, he was asking me stuff that I didn't know the answer to. Second, even if I did, I'm not telling him. I don't know; I was starting to get petty.
    via u/Pinkyrye
  • 09
    Font - I still had fun with my boyfriend. When I went to work, my boss called me into his office. He blew up at me for being unprofessional, and he's still new to this job. I should've helped or at least replied to the emails. I responded other people could've helped him. It's not my responsibility when it's my vacation time. I got my first write- up ever.
    via u/Pinkyrye
  • 10
    Font - Is this something I'm missing? Did I do something inherently wrong here? I'm actually considering to report him. He is still new to his job. Am I the al ? Edit: I'm Canadian. I live in BC.
    via u/Pinkyrye
  • 11
    Font - Update: I just sent an email to my HR with all the emails texts call logs. And any other evidence I have. My job isn't like on call.So I don't understand why he was bothering me he is my age roughly. On a happier note me and my boyfriend are planning to move in together
    via u/Pinkyrye
  • 12
    Font - Edit I'm a security guard at a departmental store. I like my job. HR Is setting a meeting up for tomorrow with me and my boss. My boss Tried asking me out in his first week of working But I told him down (nicely).
    via u/Pinkyrye
  • 13
    Font - Edit Thank you for everyone's support. When I posted this I thought I was being a little dramatic. I'm glad I'm not the crazy one. I decided that I'm gonna look for a new job. I still wanna do security work but I'm just gonna move on. Don't worry I'm still going to complain about my boss And report him.
    via u/Pinkyrye
  • 14
    Font - Final update. My boss was fired.
    via u/Pinkyrye
  • 15
    Font - NUT-me-SHELL (ک) NTA. You need to elevate this to HR. Your boss doesn't get to impede on your vacation time. Unless your contract states that you have to be available 24/7, he crossed major lines and needs to be held accountable for it.
    via u/NUT-me-SHELL
  • 16
    Font - consectariana Pooperintendant [67] NTA. You were on vacation. You are not obligated IN ANY WAY to work on your vacation. I would go to HR to get that write-up off your record.
    via u/consectariana
  • 17
    Font - pieridaered A ΝΤΑ Enthusiast [7] What he did is unethical. He is a lousy boss with incredibly poor boundaries. Get yourself straight to HR and report him for harassing you on your vacation time. I would also formally request that time off be re-allocated to you as you had to spend it worrying about your boss's reaction. In the US what he did would be a violation of labor law. Because he wrote you up for essentially taking your earned vacation, that would be considered workplace retaliatio
    via u/pieridaered
  • 18
    Font - You really do need to report him. I guarantee you're not the only one he's doing this to, and it will only get worse.
    via u/pieridaered
  • 19
    Font - ItsOmNominous NTA. Report that behavior and I hope you kept the texts, emails and call logs as proof. Many companies are very strict that you do not work off the clock. Even if it were PTO (you didn't specify but I wanted you to know it's even in that case.) That behavior was harassment and you should not have been retaliated against with a write up.
    via u/ItsOmNominous
  • 20
    Font - nerdgirl71 Certified Proctologist [27] Take it over his head. Report him. Have all your proof. Texts, emails.....everything. His behavior was severely inappropriate. ΝΤΑ
    via u/nerdgirl71
  • 21
    Font - carpentersglue NTA. This man absolutely needs to not have this job anymore if he thinks any of this was REMOTELY professional. I would have done the same exact thing you did. BLOCKITY BLOCK BLOCK. Document all his texts, calls and emails and send them straight to HR ....swiftly.
    via u/carpentersglue

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