Manager rejects boss's request to have their assistant work on their day off: 'Work [shouldn't] take up 99% of your life and energy'

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Ben Weiss • Writer and Editor
Nov 30, 2024 2:00 PM EST

We all want and need an advocate in the workplace, someone to have our backs in case other coworkers or authority figures start taking us for granted. Of course, in an ideal world, that's what human resources should be, but let's be realistic for a second. Human resources is all about protecting the company at the end of the day. Sure, they might project an image of solidarity with employees but always be careful not to be fooled by this facade.

Now, this manager was against their boss's request to have their assistant come in and work on their requested day off, especially considering that this was all happening during Thanksgiving week! Just because employees can check their emails and Slack team chats on their phones, that does not mean they need to answer those missed calls and messages on their days off or even after their designated work hours. If you're someone who tends to feel guilted into being that responsive at all times, you might want to reconsider your work ethic so as to not give the impression that your employers can walk all over you. Time to find an advocate who will have your back!

Keep scrolling below for the full story. For more, check out this post about a Karen coworker's temper tantrum.

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  • 01
    WORLD'S BEST BOSS
    via Kelly Sikkema

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 02
    Boss is telling us we need to accommodate and attend meetings for free on our days off
    via cultleaver
  • 03
    Title says it all. Basically I'm a manager and our DM told us only one person per location has to attend these meetings. They are on a day that I work but my assistant doesn't. My boss said my assistant needs to attend, I
    via cultleaver
  • 04
    said it's his day off, he said "he needs to accommodate and plan to attend." He insinuated he'd be punished if he didn't but that cannot be legal. I told him I can't
    via cultleaver
  • 05
    be the one that makes him do something that I don't agree he needs to do because I work the day we have these meetings and the meeting pertains more to my duties than my assistant's. Also I
    via cultleaver
  • 06
    feel like it should be my call since it's my department and I'm the manager of my department. My boss apparently told people in another department they also need to attend meetings virtually
    via cultleaver
  • 07
    on their days off without pay, one of them broke down over it from stress. Boss says he's always answering work messages on his days off but he makes a salary, and more money than all of us.
    via cultleaver
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    But if I go to HR he will absolutely retaliate in some way. Hate the culture of "be available at a moments notice to work" and to have work take up 99% of your life and energy. I feel like I can't
    via cultleaver
  • 09
    enjoy my life on the weekends because I'm stressed over work. And if you don't answer messages over the weekends you get an earful.
    via cultleaver
  • 10
    Angry Mogwai420 • 4h ago File a complaint with your local department of labor. Making people show up for work, and not paying them is illegal. Don't bother with HR, gather all the proof of this activity and go to the department of labor.
    via cultleaver
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    Pony_Express1... 4h ago Several years ago, I worked for Wal-Mart. During the Xmas holidays, I was scheduled off for Xmas eve. I came back in to work after the holiday, and a manager
    via cultleaver
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    came up to me and asked where I was Xmas eve. I told him that I was scheduled off and I was at home. He said it was mandatory that I come in and work. I looked him in the eye and told him, there
    via cultleaver
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    isn't a company in this country that has the right to tell me that I have to work on a scheduled day off. He just turned around and walked away.
    via cultleaver
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    Mr_Mojo_Risin_... 4h ago. "I'm just very concerned that you would expose the company to litigation like this. This could be very very expensive for the company of it went legal. Does the owner/shareholders know about this?"
    via cultleaver
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    . DryFly1975 4h ago Don't go to HR. They serve the company, not you.
    via cultleaver
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    Roticap • 4h ago • Are you hourly? Clock in for those meetings. He'll change his tune when he starts having to pay overtime.
    via cultleaver
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    MistressOfNecr... • 3h ago In writing, say to him him "I just want some clarification on your request.
    via cultleaver
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    You said an hourly employee, on a scheduled day off, needs to log in for a meeting unpaid. I wanted clarification as this breaks federal and state labor laws
    via cultleaver
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    and could get the company in a lot of trouble. I want to make sure we aren't doing anything that puts the company at risk.
    via cultleaver
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    Please let me know how to move forward in a way that respects our emoloyees' earned time off and doesn't break labor laws."
    via cultleaver
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    Framing it like it is protecting the company helps if you have to escalate it to your supervisor's boss or HR. And it puts it in writing if you have to go to the Dept of Labor with a complaint.
    via cultleaver
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    If he tries to call you in response to the email/text, don't answer. Get the answer in writing. If you can't, check if you're in a 1 or 2 party consent state. If you're in a 1 party state,
    via cultleaver
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    record the conversation. If it's 2, you have to tell him you're recording if you want to record. But that could get him to backtrack and say
    via cultleaver
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    you don't have to work unpaid so he isn't caught out trying to do something illegal. And then you have a recording of him saying it if he tries to go back on it.
    via cultleaver

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