‘Think about your team!’: Manager demands worker choose between job or grad school; worker quits

Author image for Eleonora Bader
Eleonora Bader
Nov 22, 2023 12:00 PM EST

Think about your team, the grouchy manager (who most certainly did not think of the team himself) bellowed. This was a simple manipulation tactic he liked to apply when employees got a little too 'independent'. What a generation, he must have thought while rolling his eyes. 'Dare ask for one shift a month off back in my day and you would have gotten fired.'

Of course, these are all more or less my own assumptions that I am graciously applying to this situation… I don't actually know what was going on this dear man's head, but perhaps the story below will make things a little bit clearer. Put bluntly, some managers really don't like giving their workers slack, usually if not especially when they need it. So, this is more or less a perfect example of such a situation. This manager thought it was fair to demand a worker choose between work and grad school.

Surprise, surprise, they chose grad school. Scroll down for the full story and for all the fun. Next up, another manager bites the dust as he kicks the wrong worker off grounds.

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  • 01
    Cheezburger Image 9839938560
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  • 02
    It's us or grad school M OC I used to work for a company that advertises knights, horses, and real WE ns. If you know you know. I was a follow spot operator, basically you point the big light at the horsie man to highlight them.
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  • 03
    The company didn't seem to like hiring extra people for that position and in hindsight the turnover rate was pretty high. Plus pay was $10 an hour. This is all important. During my work there, I had had major surgery which out me out for 2 months, requiring quitting
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  • 04
    and hiring back. That never seemed to be an issue. A few months after that I developed sepsis, my fever was 103, and my heart rate kept going up. I was SICK. This necessitated me being out for a week. However, for some reason, I had to miss an extra night of work and forgot to call in, largely because my meds knocked me out.
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  • 05
    This WAS my bad. Again important. At the same time I'd been accepted into graduate school, and had a class that met 1 saturday a month. I was called into my boss's office to discuss the no call, no show. The conversation went as follows.
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  • 06
    Manager: Hey, OP you did a no call no show. That's pretty bad. Me: I'm sorry, I sent you an email and a doctor's note after, as soon as I could. I understand this is an issue though.
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  • 07
    Manager: well, you've been written up for it, but that's not what concerned me enough to call you in today. Me: oh?
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  • 08
    Manager: you're asking for a Saturday off every month. That's our highest attendance day, we can't do that. Me: I thought with enough advance notice you could schedule around me.
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  • 09
    Manager: see, that's just the problem. We've had to constantly lean into your needs, and now it's time for you to consider our needs, and your team's needs. Me: what are you saying? Manager: it's either us or this class.
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  • 10
    Me: I need this class for full time attendance, I can't drop it. Manager: (smugly) well, I guess we'll see where we are in two months. Me: ok.
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  • 11
    I left his office and told my co- workers I liked goodbye. Then I clocked out. He comes storming out to my truck screaming at me, asking how I could quit on him like that. I told him he wanted me to choose between grad school or this rinky- job, and I made my decision. I then took off the
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  • 12
    costume belt and handed it to him, saying I'd bring the rest back when I had time. A week later, I got my first real stagehand job that paid $20 an you dude. I hour. So yeah, have a master's now and I'm set to
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  • 13
    start teaching at colleges this next semester, and I'm a pro stagehand. Never give your employees ultimatums!
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  • 14
    MistraloysiusMithrax 8 hr. ago The ironic thing, this ultimatum to students seems to happen most often at jobs that are completely replaceable and don't even pay enough to live on.
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  • 15
    Spotlight Desire OP. 8 hr. ago I feel like those people need someone to go full Wonka and just flat out say: You lose, you get nothing, good day sir!
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  • 16
    Sharp_Coat3797.8 hr. ago I assume you are now IA (Pro stagehand), so, yeah don't give bad bosses nothing 4 Vote Reply Share
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  • 17
    Just_Mr_Grinch · 7 hr. ago Boss literally told him to quit thinking about his needs and think about the company instead. If that isn't a red flag I dunno what is. Run far and fast
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  • 18
    AccidentalGirlToy • 7 hr. ago One should never issue an ultimatum unless one is prepared for the target to go with either of the alternatives.
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  • 19
    Sturmundsterne · 7 hr. ago I also worked for a time- based restaurant that is named for a moderately wicked period. I was a trumpeter. Signed up to work part time, 3 shows a week.
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  • 20
    Two weeks later I was pulling 35 hours and working 3 weeknights and all day Saturday and Sunday. This on top of a full time job requiring 50-70 hours weekly.
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  • 21
    Yeah. Resigned and walked when the schedule went up showing me at 38 hours the next week. "Part time" my Vote Reply Share
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steam university student malicious compliance workplace stories reddit bosses coworkers grad school teachers time off employees managers classic college college student
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