Manager tries to gaslight worker that there's no snow at their house when they call out of work: 'There is no snow on the ground'

Author image for Brad Dickson
Brad Dickson • Managing Editor
Jan 19, 2024 7:00 AM EST

Remember that scene from The Matrix where that kid with the spoon is all like, "There is no spoon," when there's clearly a spoon right there in front of Neo's face? Yeah—well, it turns out that kid is now managing a team, except now, instead of "There is no spoon," it's "There is no snow." as if they somehow know more about the situation than what their subordinates are currently witnessing outside of their own window.

Add as a preferred
source on Google
Advertisement

  • It's these bewildering conversations—when you know you're right, but someone with all the authority is saying you're not—that really make your head start to spin. It can catch you off guard, and unfortunately, it's always easier just to go, “You know what? You're right,” (even when you know they're not,) then it is to stick to your guns and face retribution.

    But, one thing's for certain… Few things trigger a lack of trust from your boss than calling out from work. Whatever the reason, there's a 100% chance your employer thinks there's a non-zero chance that you're lying… and there's an even better chance that they tell you as such.

  • 01
    r/WorkReform Posted by u/RedDogue 11 hours ago My manager tried to gaslight me when I called out due to snow. Venting We got hit by a decent snow storm last night. Nothing super awful but definitely 2-3 inches. The last big storm my apartment complex didn't clear the roads till late in the afternoon. I use to drive an suv but now I'm in a small sedan which was slipping on the roads when I was driving home last night.
    via u/RedDogue
  • 02
    I got up at 9am, had to be at work by 10am. I looked out my windows before getting ready and the road was still completely covered. I work a commission based job and have the second longest drive into work of everyone. I knew for a fact that I had no clients today and the idea of almost killing myself driving to work to just stand around or deep clean was not vibing with me.
    via u/RedDogue
  • 03
    So I called work, and my sweet coworker picked up. She would typically say "you got it, I'll tell the boss." but she said she got in trouble for that. So I got transferred directly to the big man. The conversation went like this, Boss:"(cut off from hold music) no snow on the ground." Me: "what?" Boss: "there is no snow on the ground. You can make it in."
    via u/RedDogue
  • 04
    Me:"uhh yes there is. They didn't plow my complex and my car couldn't handle the snow last night. I'm not super comfortable driving right now." Boss:"exaggerated sigh Fine, I guess I'll call your clients too! You'll need to talk to (other manager) about making up today!" He hung up before I even had a chance to say anything else.
    via u/RedDogue
  • 05
    Like are you kidding me dude??? All the schools and business in our county are closed from this snow. I'm not gonna let you gaslight (okay it's not gaslighting, my bad guys!) me into coming in when I'm literally staring at the snow covered ground, road and cars. Any clients I could've had were probably from other call outs that he moved to my book without consulting me. Most of my coworkers book including my own was completely empty when I left work.
    via u/RedDogue
  • 06
    So you wanted me to risk my safety just to make my measly hourly rate to just do nothing! I know that when I head in tommrow I will probably be sat down about this, just like every other sick call I've made too. Edit: Hi guys! This blew up more than I expected so I feel I need to clarify some things.
    via u/RedDogue
  • 07
    Yes, I agree with everyone. 2-3 inches is not alot of snow. The storm was a decent size because it was coming down from 6pm yesterday and is now starting to clear up now at 1:30pm. I didn't make that clear originally. It's been a very long time since my area had snow like this that I had to drive in. My biggest issue is the unmaintained roads and other drivers. I just went out to clear my car for tommrow and they still haven't put down salt or plowed away the snow in my complex. They barely salt
    via u/RedDogue
  • 08
    I also know I'm not the only call out. A majority of my coworkers have also called out and most of them live in the town where I work. I live 30 some minutes away from my place of work. 5 minutes of it is on major road which are usual clear but the rest is all back, winding roads that plow trucks almost never touch. The area is notorious for having poor snow management. The roads are awful from what my one coworker who took my phone call says. She also confirmed there was INDEED snow on the grou
    via u/RedDogue
  • 09
    Thank you everyone for your concerns. I already am researching being self employed. I've been employed with this company for 8+ years and I'm sick of how they treat me outside of this instance. I just stick around for the insurance till I can get my eggs in a row.
    via u/RedDogue
  • 10
    Edit #2: Hindsight is 20/20. I text my coworker and she gave me the scoop on how the day went. 5 other coworkers called out. Only 4 people went into work. They only had at most 2 clients each for the whole day. They had a mountain of cancelation and over all just sat around most the day. She also said our parking lot was a complete sheet of ice. Luckily she only lives 5 minutes from work.
    via u/RedDogue
  • 11
    FYI for all the people bashing me for being too scared to drive in 2-3 inches of snow and how I need to grow up. This sweet coworker is a farm girl in her early 60's. She's lived her whole life there. She visits where I live frequently and she agreed I made the right call on not coming in.
    via u/RedDogue
  • 12
    bishamon72 10 hr. ago Years ago I called out for snow in an area that rarely got snow and live about 30 minutes away. Boss told me that another employee from my area was coming in and I should be able to as well. I still told him no. Found out later that the other coworker wrecked her car on the way in. Reply Share 1.1k
    via u/RedDogue
  • 13
    Another_Road 9 hr. ago I once told a boss I wasn't going to drive in to work because there was a heavy snow. He had the gall to ask "Well what if your wife was pregnant and going into labor? Would you just tell her "oh sorry it's too snowy?". this job pays $7.50/hr. How are you going to compare that to the health of a person's wife and child? Reply Share 252
    via u/RedDogue
  • 14
    SpaceButler 8 hr. ago Should have asked him: What if your wife was pregnant and going into labor? Would you just tell her "Oh sorry, I've gotta go to work?" 112 Reply Share Another_Road · 8 hr. ago Honestly, knowing this guy, he would have. He was 100% work is #1 priority over everything else. 36 Reply Share
    via u/RedDogue
  • 15
    justcasty 10 hr. ago another reason jobs that can be WFH should be WFH and I say this as I'm watching at a beautiful snowfall occurring outside my window 225 Reply Share
    via u/RedDogue
  • 16
    stuaxo 10 hr. ago Take pics out the window, screenshot all local news items etc. 4 26 Reply Share ●●●
    via u/RedDogue
  • 17
    Stickboyhowell · 8 hr. ago And these are the kind of managers who can't manage. Their job is LITERALLY to adapt to changing circumstances and yet sooooo00 many of them are completely incapable, clueless, or just to **** lazy to do their job. Deluded bums that incapable of dealing with the realities of the world around them should not be anywhere near a position managing people. 14 Reply Share ●●●
    via u/RedDogue
  • 18
    thisonesusername 9 hr. ago If something happened to you on the way into work, they would have you replaced as soon as possible. They do not care about you. Knowing this, you make the call when it comes to your safety, NEVER let your employer try to make it for you. Their priority is profit, NOT your safety. And no job is worth your life. 12 Reply Share
    via u/RedDogue
  • 19
    Jester1525 8 hr. ago A few years ago the city was getting pounded by rain.. which isn't a big deal, but the area upstream had been getting it worse for longer. Add that to the snowmelt from the mountains and the river going through town was at the road level of the bridges. The brand new bridge that had been up for about a month had been rated for a specific flow rate and we had passed that by about 25% - the city literally said they did not know if the bridge would hold or not..
    via u/RedDogue
  • 20
    There are 3 bridges that seperate my neighborhood from the rest of the city and the new one was WAY stronger than the old ones.. which meant: All three were going to be closed for a few days and If the upstream bridge (the new one) collapsed, it was very possible that the others would sustain enough damage to shut them down for even longer. My work was absolutely dead. Like 2 or 3 customers in the last 5 hours dead.
    via u/RedDogue
  • 21
    When I told my boss I was leaving so that I could get across the bridge before they closed them down and I was trapped on the wrong side she told me that I needed to stay because it had been so slow they couldn't risk not making the sales that did come in. She said it would be fine. They weren't going to close the bridges. I wouldn't be trapped. And even if I did, there were cheap hotels I could stay in until the bridge opened. I left anyways. They closed the bridge a few hours later and it stay
    via u/RedDogue
  • 22
    4mcR9 hr. ago Your boss is a noting that tires are why your car is currently unsafe in the conditions. You deserve safety, and SUV's don't magically provide that with their ground clearance. So whatever your driving; make sure you have proper tires. 32 I but it's worth Reply Share ●●●
    via u/RedDogue
  • 23
    Responsible-Test8855 7 hr. ago I once came in late because of snow. The town I worked in had canceled school, but mine hadn't. I got to school to drop my daughter off before they opened the doors, and once they opened, I headed straight to work, but roads were horrible, and traffic was slow.
    via u/RedDogue
  • 24
    My supervisor and salaried manager pulled me into the office and chided me on being late. I straight up told them that they expected me to leave my 6 year old kindergartener BY HERSELF outside a locked building when it was 17° that they could have my badge. They shut up real quick. I stood up and went back to my desk without saying another word. 49↓ Reply Share
    via u/RedDogue
  • 25
    Random-Rambling 7 hr. ago . I knew for a fact that I had no clients today Fine, I guess I'll call your clients [about you not coming in today] too! Uh, go ahead and do that, Boss. Reply Share 7
    via u/RedDogue
  • 26
    DrShitsnGiggles 8 hr. ago We need to get in the habit of suing the companies/managers that force us to drive in dangerous conditions causing us to crash, under the threat of losing our job otherwise. They are the ones who directly caused that situation so why shouldn't they pay for the damages, lost wages, pain and suffering, etc 47 Reply Share
    via u/RedDogue
  • 27
    itoocouldbeanyone - 6 hr. ago . I called out of a job because of snow, decades ago. "You need to make it in!" "Okay." Waited 30 minutes. Called back and said "My car is in a ditch, can't make it in". It wasn't, I never left the house. I was 21 and didn't care at the time. He felt so bad. Know what I got? A voucher to wear jeans for one day of work. 7 ↓ Reply Share
    via u/RedDogue
  • 28
    RedDogue OP. 6 hr. ago Okay that's hilarious but can you imagine if you truly did get your car stuck in a ditch and his way of making it up to you was, okay you can wear jeans for one day. Bro what are some of these people thinking! 3 Reply Share
    via u/RedDogue
  • 29
    itoocould beanyone 6 hr. ago Seriously. If I did try, I would have too. It was a rear wheel sports car lol That was just a glass shattering moment of my value as a person. I always called out if the roads were covered. Now I'm wfh and I never get a snow day lol karma. 2 Reply Share
    via u/RedDogue

Want More? Follow Us and Add Us as a Preferred Source on Google.

Tags

workplace discussion employment issues antiwork workplace-stories jobs employment-discussion job snow day snow work workplace Horrible Bosses employment in the workplace
Scroll Down For The Next Article