'I forwarded boss's own email back to them': Boss tells employee not to cover for two coworkers to avoid giving him another raise, backfires when both coworkers are out

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Ben Weiss • Writer and Editor
Sep 11, 2024 8:00 AM EDT

Defining an employee's core responsibilities is a key and careful task that can backfire or protect you depending on the situation. Here, we have an employee who occasionally covered for two of his coworkers if they were off at the same time and had brought up to their boss that he was the only person at work who was capable of doing so simultaneously. This helped the employee when he was negotiating a raise, but after the raise, his boss told him that he should focus on his core responsibilities moving forward. This was likely a way to protect the boss from having to give the employee another raise down the road.

Well, unfortunately for the boss, the day would come when both of those coworkers were off and the employee was desperately needed to step in and cover for both of them. That's when the employee shared the email from his boss instructing him not to do so, thereby getting him out of doing extra work. Let this story serve as a friendly reminder to document everything because it really benefited the employee's argument in the end and left the boss with no choice but to find another solution.

For more stories like this, check out this post about a job candidate who rejected a recruiter's request to do unpaid work.

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  • 01
    "Focus on more core responsibilities? You got it." 3 ab יויויוי
    via Stephen Phillips - Hostreviews.co.uk
  • 02
    Focus on my "core responsibilities?" You got it. S This MC was five years in the making. While my job employs many people, there are only two people whose roles affect me: PERSON-A and PERSON-B.
    via TheMurderedGirdle
  • 03
    I can cover for PERSON-A and PERSON-B, and either of them can cover for me, but I'm the only person at my company's many locations who can cover both roles when they are off at the same time. This usually happens 3-5 shifts a year during emergencies, so I'm happy to help.
    via TheMurderedGirdle
  • 04
    During a meeting for a pay raise, I mention I'm the only person in the company who can cover PERSON-A and PERSON-B at the same time, and how this has been helpful in a pinch.
    via TheMurderedGirdle
  • 05
    In their infinite wisdom, my boss tells me I am to no longer cover PERSONS- A-and-B, and to focus on my core responsibilities.
    via TheMurderedGirdle
  • 06
    ASIDE: I still got a pay raise, but I think they wanted to prevent my argument from resurfacing again in the future, in the event I wanted to leverage another raise.
    via TheMurderedGirdle
  • 07
    I knew this policy would bite boss in the , as a matter of "when," not "if." Fast forward five years, the boss double-booked vacation for PERSON-A and PERSON-B. Boss asks me to cover both shifts for one day, as there is nobody else to cover.
    via TheMurderedGirdle
  • 08
    "As per your instructions five years ago, I am not to cover the responsibilities of PERSON-A and PERSON-B during a shift."
    via TheMurderedGirdle
  • 09
    The most chefs-kiss part of this interaction was something I learned from Reddit: DOCUMENT EVERYTHING.
    via TheMurderedGirdle
  • 10
    When they instructed me five years ago to never again cover PERSON-A and PERSON-B, I asked for confirmation via e-mail. I keep these e- mails in the event I'm seen as uncooperative.
    via TheMurderedGirdle
  • 11
    During a minute-by-minute emergency, I forwarded boss' own e-mail back to them, mentioning that I would focus on my "core responsibilities."
    via TheMurderedGirdle
  • 12
    Thankfully, they were able to provide coverage that day (someone came in on their day off), and boss and I had a frank conversation about their rule- making several weeks later.
    via TheMurderedGirdle
  • 13
    PN_Guin 13m ago • "When, not if" is always fun. You get to be prepared while the person responsible get's a nasty surprise. Bonus point for proper cya procedure.
    via TheMurderedGirdle
  • 14
    The MurderedGirdle OP • 10m ago It's why I thought to have them confirm via e- mail. "This will bite you in the Better watch my own back."
    via TheMurderedGirdle
  • 15
    PN_Guin 2m ago • Way too many bosses tend to throw their employees under the bus and blame them for their mistakes. Glad you came prepared.
    via TheMurderedGirdle
  • 16
    And forwarding people their own mails is always fun. Had a client call me once quite angry why a project wasn't finished yet. He got rather sheepish when I forwarded him his own mail, where he wrote to stand by until he has finished the final review.
    via TheMurderedGirdle
  • 17
    • gui_luis 3m ago I don't know if it's something that makes sense in English, but in my country we say "revenge is a meal served cold". You had to wait five years but he got that back
    via TheMurderedGirdle

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