Remote employee berates coworker for asking CEO why they can work from home and she can't, refuses to apologize despite making her cry: 'I would never do what she did and now she won't do it again.'

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Emmy Pratt • Writer and Editor
Feb 28, 2025 1:00 PM EST

There's a social code among coworkers. Nobody wants to be the person who rats out every mistake a coworker makes to a higher-up. Sometimes, small mistakes can be corrected at the lower level, and no CEO, CFO, or Editor in Chief cares to know about it. We learn this lesson very early on in life. Nobody likes the kid in school who is constantly telling the teacher about minor infractions, and no teacher likes that kid either. There's a time and a place for everything. 

That said, there certainly is a time and place for talking about your coworkers to the CEO. If you're meeting with them and talking about something noteworthy relating to them, mentioning something they've done, for better or worse, is not taboo. No employee works in a vacuum, and you can't have productive conversations about work unless you paint the complete picture of what's going on. 

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  • The employee in this story was way out of line. Her coworkers asked the CEO why she was allowed to work from home, and they weren't, so she took this mere question as a targeted personal attack. She refused to apologize for making her coworker cry after berating her for daring to discuss this discrepancy with the CEO. 

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    Cheezburger Image 10473642752
    via Magnet.me

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 02

    AITA for telling someone not to bring my name up during a conference?

    I work as an executive assistant and have supported the same two managers for seven years. I have an agreement with them that basically permits me to WFH when possible. For example, if both are WFH then I can WFH too. They can WFH because I do a lot of work that they're suppose to do like approving bills.
    via u/AppropriateFocus381
  • 03
    There are other EAs who work for other managers and they all are to be in the office everyday. There is a work policy that people in my position work in the office everyday BUT ultimately your managers have final say. That wasn't always the case. EAs were
    via u/AppropriateFocus381
  • 04
    once able to WFH once a week until they screwed up by being MIA and not getting work done. Eight months ago all of us were told to be in the office everyday. My managers said to keep doing what I'm doing because they don't have an issue.
    via u/AppropriateFocus381
  • 05
    I guess some of the EAs found out that I WFH a couple of days a week. My manager said the CEO was approached by a couple of EAs to reconsider the WFH policy. He said no and especially if their managers also said no. Then they asked why I got to WFH and he said that's between me and my managers.
    via u/AppropriateFocus381
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    Cheezburger Image 10473643264
    via Getty Images (Unsplash+)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

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    I was pred that they would bring my name up to the CEO. You don't do that. I barely know these EAs. We had an EA meeting and I had to say something. At the end of the meeting, the admin supervisor (our direct boss but again, the managers have final say so she goes with whatever the managers say) asked if anyone had anything to say.
    via u/AppropriateFocus381
  • 08
    I said yes. I said that it was brought to my attention that "Kelly" went to the CEO to ask about my work arrangement with my manager. It's no one's business what arrangements I have in place. I have arrangements in place because I actually do work and my managers like me. Mind your own business or I'll call you out.
    via u/AppropriateFocus381
  • 09
    Kelly was embarrassed and denied it. I said the CEO told my manager so you're lying. Today. the admin supervisor asked me if I would apologize for calling Kelly out. She went back to her cubicle in tears. I said nope. I'm not apologizing because she did something wrong. I would never do what she did and now she won't do it again.
    via u/AppropriateFocus381
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    Cheezburger Image 10473643008
    via Getty Images (Unsplash+)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 11
    First-Industry4762 • 4d ago Ah le Enthusiast [9] YTA. I was pred that they would bring my name up to the CEO. You don't do that. I barely know these EAs. You have the same position as the other EAs. If there is seemingly a special arrangement set in place for you, it's going to naturally lead to these questions if people want the same treatment. That's always the case with exceptions. It's not about you personally.
    via u/First-Industry4762
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    I dont actually have a problem with you having a special WFH arrangement. It sounds like this was a choice personally decided by the managers. But your CEO already handled it perfectly. I have zero clue why you feel the need to adress it and come out swinging. It was already decided in a favourable way but now you painted a bullseye on yourself for zero reason.
    via u/First-Industry4762
  • 13
    I have arrangements in place because I actually do work and my managers like me. If you actually stated this in this way, this is truly unprofessional and assholish. You're implying that all the other EAs don't do work and aren't liked enough. Whether it is true or not doesnt matter: you now have the reputation that you're full of yourself. Great job./s
    via u/First-Industry4762
  • 14
    I wouldn't be surprised if this topic was readressed in the future and that they decided to scrap your WFH benefits as well. If that happens, that's solely due to this.
    via u/First-Industry4762
  • 15
    JazzTheCoder Hard agree. I was on her side the whole time until the way they handled that. Could have easily said nothing at all or brought it up to her privately.
    via u/JazzTheCoder
  • 16
    Spirited-Order-9271 She didn't do anything wrong. This is work not personal. There is someone else doing the same job but for different terms, she's well within her rights to discuss that. You then, because you're a bad person, decided to be a bu y in work. YTA and I hope you lose this job so these people don't have to deal with you.
    via u/Spirited-Order-9271
  • 17
    Bimpnottin I absolutely cannot stand people singling out one person in a group meeting to unload their frustrations onto them. The supervisor in my old job did it constantly and what the f . It creates such a sour group dynamic. Praise in public and criticise in private. OP could have very easily just went to Kelly's desk and discussed her problems between just the two of them, but no, instead OP made the conscious decision to humiliate her in public. Absolutely cannot stand such behaviour
    via u/Bimpnottin
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    JazzTheCoder I think it's fine for people to do the same work for different terms. You negotiate on your own behalf based on your own merits. But that doesn't mean OP didn't handle it like a
    via u/JazzTheCoder
  • 19
    CMDRIkkyblergs ΥΤΑ. Sounds like your managers have put a lot of trust and confidence in you, and that's turned you into a bit of a monster. The whole thing is giving the vibes that you've developed a bit of an ego. Good thing you're not in the office much because it doesn't sound like you're making many friends there.
    via u/CMDRIkkyblergs
  • 20
    Salt-Lavishness-7560 Oh I think after the epically way that OP handled this, I'm willing to bet she's gonna be heading back to the office. It'll be a warm welcome from all the other EA's after OP was so very clear to them about how much they all s k and their managers hate them. Oh, if only we could all be more like OP! Perfect and with such wonderful people skills!
    via u/Salt-Lavishness-7560
  • 21
    Crafter_2307 ΥΤΑ. The matter had been dealt with. You had no reason to bring it up. They had asked a fair question and when told "the policy is X" they asked why it isn't fairly applied with a given example. Your attitude is judgy and unprofessional.
    via u/Crafter_2307
  • 22
    Tortietude0 YTA. You didn't like your name coming up and decided to call out Kelly by name?
    via u/Tortietude0
  • 23
    LouieAvalon Mac YTA She had every right to point out with evidence that an employee appears to be treated differently - which is unfair Nope - it isn't between you and your managers If one person is being allowed to WFH and others are not that's a problem for the company -
    via u/LouieAvalonMac
  • 24
    NandoDeColonoscopy YTA, and not very bright. You have what you want, and still felt the need to go stir up sh with your coworkers and boss. Start sending out resumes, bc your supervisor and the other EAs are going to be looking for reasons to get you dinged.
    via u/NandoDeColonoscopy
  • 25
    poetic justice987 Retired CEO. That was incredibly unprofessional on your part. While I wouldn't have cared for Kelly's complaint, you'd have been in far more bad graces for your behavior. If you felt the need to say something to Kelly, why didn't you do it privately?
    via u/poetic_justice987

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terrible coworkers assistant work from home worker remote remote work employee job assistants coworkers reddit story ceo employees wfh Reddit coworker
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