Boss accuses employee of lying about work attendance on July 9th despite them having receipts proving otherwise: 'He told me I had to use sick time for that day'

Author image for JR Atkinson
JR Atkinson • Writer and Editor
Aug 6, 2025 10:00 AM EDT

Nobody likes to be called a liar. It's one of the most salient insults we have as a culture, and it can be bandied around at any time. It hurts to hear almost more than anything else. Because if you're a liar, then you're not to be trusted. If you're a liar, then nobody will tell you precious information. Nobody wants to be friends with liars. Nobody wants to work with liars. And nobody wants to associate themselves with the lying kind. This is all to say it's a pretty serious accusation to level at someone, especially someone you work with. 

It's especially dangerous when your accusations are baseless. It's like law 101 that if you're going to accuse someone, you should have some hard evidence to back it up. But this doesn't stop everyone. Some folks just want to watch the world burn and don't care who goes down with them. 

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  • 01

    My boss accused me of lying about being at work and tried to make me use sick time.

    I work in local government. Even though I'm a salaried employee, we have to turn in full time sheets every month. When I turned in July's time sheet, my boss told me that I had filled it out incorrectly and I was absent on July 9 according to his "files." I was pretty sure this was incorrect, and
    via u/bigdreamstinydogs
  • 02
    車
    via Jeremy

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

  • That's what happened in this situation where a boss leveled a pretty serious charge against their employee after noticing something weird on their time sheets. The problem was, though, that there was very little to base that charge on. So they found themselves in a standstill. Read on to see what happened and decide who was in the right. 

  • 03
    I told him I thought he was mistaken, but I would double check my time sheet anyway. I confirmed that I was at work on July 9, and told him as such. He refused to believe me, despite me having emails sent on that day (I only work in the office and have no way of emailing from my work account when I am not physically at work), text messages from me
    via u/bigdreamstinydogs
  • 04
    to a family member from that afternoon telling them I was coming home from work, and my own recollection of being there that day. He told me I had to use sick time for that day.
    via u/bigdreamstinydogs
  • 05
    I was in the middle of looking through security camera footage to show that my car was in the parking lot all day when I realized how inane this was and I just told him I refused to falsify my time sheet and use sick time when I spent the day in the office. I don't know if he signed the time sheet or not, I'll find out Monday when I see
    via u/bigdreamstinydogs
  • 06
    my new sick time accrual. I was complaining about this to a friend who is a manager and he said that these actions might be illegal? Is that true? Regardless of whether it's illegal or not I'm frustrated as that my boss basically called f me a liar for no reason. I am extremely diligent about my time sheets and have gotten exceeds expectations on every single employee review. I have never once lied about my whereabouts or done anything to make my boss treat me this way.
    via u/bigdreamstinydogs
  • 07
    Cheezburger Image 10538878208
    via Jeremy

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

  • 08

    Commenters came in with some ideas about how to tackle this.

    Mira_DFalco · 3d ago If you left a trail of activity on your work computer, he's going to have a hard time making that stick. And surely he knows that, so here's hoping that you don't need to spend any more time on this nonsense.
    via u/Mira_DFalco
  • 09
    Slight_Valuable6361 3d ago I'd get HR involved regardless if he backs off from it. Sounds like he's after you for some reason.
    via u/Slight_Valuable6361
  • 10
    desertboots • 3d ago What a weird flex. If you're unionized call for a rep in any meetings.
    via u/desertboots
  • 11
    New_Nobody9492 · 3d ago It's time to take this to your boss's boss.
    via u/New_Nobody9492
  • 12
    Granite Rose067 · 3d ago Go to HR immediately. This is a serious concern.
    via u/GraniteRose067
  • 13
    Witty_Candle_3448.2d ago From now on send him a daily "Good Morning from Work" email. Hi, I'm confirming I am in the office today.
    via u/Witty_Candle_3448
  • 14
    TolMera 3d ago Illegal if they alter your time. sheet in almost every country. If they falsified tax documents (timesheets are part of tax documents) then you can get the revenue department involved. But being govt to govt it won't amount to sh all most likely. But it could also result in instant dismissal for your boss, so, ya know...
    via u/TolMera
  • 15
    Just... 3d ago • • Edited 2d ago Sounds like you have proof you were there, yet he's not backing off. What, is he crazy? I don't think he realizes he wasn't put on this earth to make other people's life miserable or hassle them for no reason, but he's about to find out.
    via u/JustMe_627984
  • 16
    . Known_Ratio5478 3d ago Is very illegal. If he pushes it Further on Monday file a report with the state DOL and get on the phone with your union rep.
    via u/Known_Ratio5478
  • 17
    DogMomPhoebe619 · 3d ago Trying to make you use SL so then he can say you have an attendance problem and write you up in preparation for letting you go or giving you a lower rating.
    via u/DogMomPhoebe619
  • 18
    PlumPat61. 2d ago He called you a liar and a thief. I think I'd have a conversation with HR about this.
    via u/PlumPat61
  • 19
    . Revolutionary_Gap3... 2d ago I'd stand my ground. A time sheet is a required legal document. Him altering it could become his problem. Besides should he care? You have confirmation you were there.
    via u/Revolutionary_Gap365
  • 20
    AlexValleyAuthor · 3d ago Do you not have security access cards? I assumed all government agencies require security?
    via u/AlexValleyAuthor
  • 21
    Verdammt_Arschloch 3d ago • Is there a reason he would have thought you were off that day? Like, maybe you took off a different day around the same time? Make sure your time sheets are right for the whole month before escalating this because if he is just wrong about the day you will be in even more trouble.
    via u/Verdammt_Arschloch
  • 22
    westcoastsunflower 2d ago • Do you work in a secure bldg? Do you have an entry card or a security desk or cameras at the entrance? Any of those things would back you up. Wouldn't you have a record of calling in sick? Or emailing or texting? Your boss is a dolt.
    via u/westcoastsunflower
  • 23
    No_Alternative_6206 • 2d ago Definitely get the security camera footage before it's erased. He's accusing you of wage theft which is a crime on your part in addition to trying to change a time card which is illegal on his part. He thinks he has some secret
    via u/No_Alternative_6206
  • 24
    way to double check time cards and he's doubling down on whatever evidence he thinks he has on you. Either way you need to get this sorted out before it turns into something worse.
    via u/No_Alternative_6206
  • 25
    Lars_loves_Commu... Let him give you that • 2d ago accussation in writing. If he is crazy enough to do it, use it against him and he will reget very soon his bulls
    via u/Lars_loves_Community
  • 26
    myflesh • 1d ago Make sure after your time card and get paid that he did not mark you as sick.
    via u/myflesh
  • 27
    andreaglorioso · 1d ago . You should have immediately asked him to provide some kind of evidence you were not working on that day. "Because I'm your boss and I say so" is not evidence in this kind of cases.
    via u/andreaglorioso

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boss antiwork workplace-stories toxic-workplace job bosses work coworkers working reddit story toxic-boss workplace reddit thread bad bosses Reddit toxic-work-environment
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