'Ok boss, let's see what ya got': Call center Karen argues with new manager for 5+ hours to get extra day of PTO

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Ben Weiss • Writer and Editor
Jun 27, 2024 2:00 PM EDT

Trying to negotiate with a Karen employee can come at a price. In this instance, that price was time.

This Karen, who was actually referred to as Kay in this Reddit thread, thought she could argue her way into getting an extra holiday off while her coworkers were expected to go to work. She was not able to merely request PTO because she had already used all of her days. Since her new manager, Dan, seemed a bit kinder than other supervisors, she thought she could get away with this. Dan, however, attempted to reason with her.

Now, as the Redditor who recounted this story explained, Kay was not easy to reason with as she was a bit delusional about everything. So the brief chat she and Dan were supposed to have turned into a five hour ordeal. Keep scrolling below for the full story and for the best reactions from folks in the comments section. For more, check out this post about a CEO who got called out for her ridiculous job posting.

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  • 01
    "I'll show ya how it's done"
    via Petr Macháček
  • 02
    "I'll show ya how it's done"..ok boss, let's see what ya got Since my last story about petty revenge was such a hit, I decided to write another one from my old days as a supervisor from a call center. Man, do I have a lot of stories from those days.
    via u/Atrocity108
  • 03
    So, circa 2013, there was this woman, around 40 years old or so, we will call Kay. Kay was different. Here are some of the ways she was just wired different.
    via u/Atrocity108
  • 04
    1. Accused my fellow supervisor of altering the employee handbook, while she was reading it (this was an online handbook).
    via u/Atrocity108
  • 05
    2. Said our company was a secretly a company who worked for the NSA or FBI (it changed daily).
    via u/Atrocity108
  • 06
    3. Found wires loose on her desk and screeched to anyone around they were listening devices (a fellow employee put the wires there, wanting to see what would happen. I didn't see him do this, but was told after the fact).
    via u/Atrocity108
  • 07
    4. Went to HR on me saying told her computers weren't for personal use and had to leave if she was clocked out (HR told her yup, and I was right).
    via u/Atrocity108
  • 08
    Enter a new manager, well call him Dan. Dan was a fun guy, a solid dude, but not a local guy. He was hired from the west coast, as he had a great pedigree. Smart man, but a little full of himself thinking he was THE ULTIMATE PROBLEM SOLVER.
    via u/Atrocity108
  • 09
    After around two weeks as my boss, he came to me and my fellow supervisor wanting to know what the problem was with Kay. We told him she had a little screw loose, and she couldn't be reasoned with.
    via u/Atrocity108
  • 10
    He told us we didn't know how to talk to her. He would personally show us how to handle someone like her.
    via u/Atrocity108
  • 11
    At this time, I worked the evening shift 2 to 11pm (this is relevant) and my fellow supervisor worked 8am till 430pm. Managers were salary so they didn't have a set time, and came and went as they pleased.
    via u/Atrocity108
  • 12
    Around 4pm Kay had a huge issue. She was demanding she had paid time offfor Columbus day. This was not a paid holiday.
    via u/Atrocity108
  • 13
    She was told you can't have the day off as she has no vacation time left, and it isn't a paid holiday. She kept badgering and barking about how she deserves it and we had 0 right to not pay her on a federal holiday.
    via u/Atrocity108
  • 14
    Time for the petty revenge on Dan (but more of a lesson on I know these people better than you).
    via u/Atrocity108
  • 15
    I IM'd Dan and asked he was busy because Kay would love to talk to him. He asked what the issue was, and I told him about it all "I'll handle this...send her in" he typed
    via u/Atrocity108
  • 16
    Oh, this was gonna be fun. Good thing I could see him in his office from my desk. I had a fantastic view. She went into his office around 410ish. My fellow supervisor told me good night around 430, and left.
    via u/Atrocity108
  • 17
    Around 9pm my fellow supervisor called me to ask how Dan handled it. I told him "he's still in there with her"
    via u/Atrocity108
  • 18
    I kid you not dear reader, he was in the office with her until 10pm. I watched the entire time. He trying to talk to her, in what appeared to be a reasonable manner. I could see her gesturing wildly the entire time, probably about this or that.
    via u/Atrocity108
  • 19
    His face would go from amusement, bewilderment, frustration, and back to amusement. I watched him trying to get out of this whole ordeal. He knew he had bitten off more than he could chew
    via u/Atrocity108
  • 20
    At 10pm his door finally opened and Kay left. 5 min later, Dan headed out to door with a look I can only describe as a man who survived a tornado. "How'd that go boss?" I said
    via u/Atrocity108
  • 21
    "Jesus...you were right. Next time, send her to HR" he muttered Now the tale of Kay doesn't end here, and perhaps I'll tell the story of the email threats on another subreddit, but the old boss got the message. Listen to us when we tell ya, you don't want this headache.
    via u/Atrocity108
  • 22
    upset_pachyderm ⚫ Wow. That's not just a loose screw, it's the whole hardware store!
    via u/Atrocity108
  • 23
    Atrocity 108 OP. Oh...things with her got MUCH worse
    via u/Atrocity108
  • 24
    pi_neutrino You know what, good for Dan for putting his money where his mouth is, devoting hour after hour to attempting to practice what he preaches, and afterwards, having the guts to admit he was mistaken.
    via u/Atrocity108
  • 25
    Atrocity108 OP. 100. I'm still friends with him too
    via u/Atrocity108

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boss workplace-stories work stories toxic-workplace job work petty revenge reddit thread Reddit company karen entitled people toxic-work-environment
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