'Boss blames me for her forgetfulness': Healthcare worker calls out manager for never solving tech issues in front of entire team as payback

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Ben Weiss • Writer and Editor
May 1, 2024 8:00 AM EDT

There is nothing worse at work than having to bother your manager every day to do a simple task that would make things exponentially easier. The lack of action can say a lot about the kind of manager you have. First, he could be intentionally making things difficult for you and playing mind games. That's the cynical take, but it's not an impossibility. Next, there's the slightly more generous take, which is that your manager is not the brightest bulb. Yes, that's the kinder interpretation of their inaction. Finally, there's a strong likelihood that your manager simply does not think or consider your experience, meaning that they're not good at their job. 

This thread was posted to Reddit's r/MaliciousCompliance subreddit by u/beebabeedabee, a traveling healthcare worker whose manager seems to refuse to solve their technological issues. After embarrassing the Redditor in front of the entire team, they decided to maliciously comply with their manager's instructions and to let them know every single day about these issues until they were resolved. The best part is that they would remind their manager in front of other coworkers to further embarrass them.

Keep scrolling below for the full play-by-play. When you're done, check out this post about resume red flags.

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  • 01
    "Every time I see her in person I make sure to [...] ask if she has an update in front of as many coworkers as possible"
    via Martha Dominguez de Gouveia
  • 02
    r/r/MaliciousCompliance Posted by u/beebabeedabee 2 hours ago Boss blames me for her forgetfulness... M ос
    via u/beebabeedabee
  • 03
    I'm a traveling healthcare worker and my current contract is for two hospitals about 30 minutes away from each other. When I applied for this contract
    via u/beebabeedabee
  • 04
    there was no mention on the posting of working at 2 hospitals, but the manager mentioned during my interview I would occasionally have to work at a sister hospital as well. I agreed that was fine, and when setting up my living arrangements I made sure I was closest to the hospital I was told I'd be at most of the time.
    via u/beebabeedabee
  • 05
    My start date rolls around and she's completely flipped things so that I'm now at the sister hospital the vast majority of the time and almost never at the hospital
    via u/beebabeedabee
  • 06
    that is close to me. To make things even better, I don't have badge access or computer access at the sister hospital, and construction has closed
    via u/beebabeedabee
  • 07
    down the road that I was initially taking to get to the sister hospital (construction is expected to last for almost the entire length of my contract), making my commute over an hour long each way (more than triple what it would be at the closer hospital).
    via u/beebabeedabee
  • 08
    I've brought up these concerns (via email, text, over the phone, and in person) to my manager multiple times and she's assured me she will fix the technological problems.
    via u/beebabeedabee
  • 09
    asap, but then I never hear back. When the next schedule came out, she has me exclusively at the sister hospital, so I email her to ask her if it could be adjusted because of the above troubles, she ignores my email until she comes into work to tell me "no schedule changes will be happening" and starts chewing me out in front of multiple coworkers for never coming to her about my technological problems...
    via u/beebabeedabee
  • 10
    Since then, I have started texting her every single day as soon as she gets to work asking if she has any updates on my access problems, and every single day she texts me some excuse as to why she forgot
    via u/beebabeedabee
  • 11
    and why it hasn't been solved yet. Everytime I see her in person I make sure to bring up that she told me she would fix things and ask if she has an update in front of as many coworkers as possible so that she has to admit that she's apparently extremely forgetful in front of everybody, as well.
    via u/beebabeedabee
  • 12
    Not the craziest instance of malicious compliance but it does feel good to annoy the out of her with daily texts and constant pestering after she tried to embarrass me
    via u/beebabeedabee
  • 13
    Osmiant 2 hr. ago Is this a case of failing upward?
    via u/beebabeedabee
  • 14
    beebabeedabee OP. 2 hr. ago It's more so a problem with the field I work in, respiratory care. She's a d good respiratory therapist, just shouldn't be managing two different respiratory departments at two different hospitals just because she knows a lot about lungs but nothing about being a manager.
    via u/beebabeedabee
  • 15
    Most hospitals I've been at have the same problem, they promote the RTs who are really great at patient care, getting them away from patients and putting them in leadership roles they haven't been properly trained for.
    via u/beebabeedabee
  • 16
    monkeyman68 · 1 hr. ago Always get those things written into your travel contract. Don't depend on anyone "remembering" what was said in an interview. Have it spelled out in the written contract before you sign so you can plop that down in front of them when they "forget".
    via u/beebabeedabee
  • 17
    ZROC6 1 hr. ago What are the terms of your contract? If it states that you'll be working at the closer hospital, then that's where you should be working and receiving extra compensation for going to the far one. Get yourself a lawyer.
    via u/beebabeedabee
  • 18
    beebabeedabee OP. 1 hr. ago It simply lists both hospitals, no specifics about being scheduled at one more often than the other. I went off the information she had given me verbally, and honestly that's partially my fault, I've learned by now that managers often can't be trusted to speak the truth and definitely should've gotten it in writing! Luckily the contract is only for 3 months so I shouldn't have to put up with it for too much longer
    via u/beebabeedabee
  • 19
    UnlimitedEInk 45 min. ago starts chewing me out in front of multiple coworkers for never coming to her about my technological problems At that point I would have glared at her and state "so it should be no problem if I forward you all the e-mails I have sent to you on this topic, and copy the rest of the department witnessing this, and your boss, right? I will be right back."
    via u/beebabeedabee
  • 20
    To: Boss Cc: entire department, boss' boss Dear boss, as you have openly stated today that I have never brought up with you the following issues, as witnessed by my colleagues in Cc,
    via u/beebabeedabee
  • 21
    please find attached all the e-mails where I have raised these points to you with no resolution and sometimes no acknowledgement. As a reminder, here are the open issues impacting my performance/ability to work, which diverge from our contractual agreement: A, B and C.
    via u/beebabeedabee
  • 22
    Please acknowledge taking the ownership on resolving these points and the due date by when you commit to complete them. I expect regular communication on the progress, at least once a week, until all are brought to a satisfactory closure. Kind regards, $me.
    via u/beebabeedabee

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workplace-stories work stories toxic-workplace job malicious compliance hospital work Horrible Bosses reddit thread Reddit company workplace malicious compliance toxic-work-environment
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