Worker leaves his phone on the back of a work truck, blames coworker for driving away and breaking it and wants him to pay half: 'He left his phone in a stupid place'

Author image for JR Atkinson
JR Atkinson • Writer and Editor
Aug 7, 2025 10:00 AM EDT

It's always awkward when you break something. Who hasn't been at a party where a glass was broken? If you haven't, then you haven't been to a party. And I've been that person who has shattered glass when I certainly did not mean to (who means to?) You do your best to immediately apologize and help clean it up. You probably offer to replace it if it's a special item and it's really your fault. But it's also important not to overdo it. 

You don't want to go so overboard apologizing that you end up apologizing for something you didn't do. I've done this in my weaker moments. Sometimes it seems easier to just take the blame for something. But you have to stand up for yourself. This is especially true in a workplace scenario. Some workplaces don't respect your boundaries, so it's important for you to emphasize them. 

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  • A man in a hard hat crosses his arms at a jobsite.
    via Unsplash+ (Getty Images)

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

  • AITA for not paying after running over my coworkers phone?

    I was moving the work truck in the morning to throw away some trash in the back, unaware that my co worker left his phone on toolbox near the back of the truck. He approached me and showed me his broken phone, I didn't
    via u/Useful_Influence1955

  • That's what happened in this story, where a worker was being asked to take the blame for something that they didn't do. But when their coworker confronted them about it, they weren't quite sure what to say. So the internet weighed in with some perspectives on this workplace pickle. Read on to see what happened. 

  • apologize because I did not want to seem at fault for it, I did of course tell him that I felt bad and got him a treat from a gas station out of empathy. A couple days ago he comes to work and gives me a receipt saying he wants me to pay half, everyone is telling me not to because it was his fault for leaving it there. Is it morally right to refuse to pay?
    via u/Useful_Influence1955

  • Commenters agreed that this was an unreasonable ask.

    SeaLandscape6012 · 2h ago Wait HE left HIS phone - somewhere it didn't belong, and because it got broken while you were simply doing your job, he wants you to pay half for the replacement? NO. Absolutely not. Not only that, he bought a new phone to replace the old phone...so -
    via u/SeaLandscape6012
  • A phone screen is shattered in someone's hand.
    via Unsplash+ (Jonathan Castañeda)

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

  • he gets an upgrade at your expense? NO. Lastly, talk to the boss and let them handle it. Chances are the boss will say, 'you left your phone where it didn't belong and it got broken? S ks to be you. It should have stayed on your person and not left somewhere on the job site.' NTA and yes, morally right to refuse to pay.
    via u/SeaLandscape6012
  • Allahxo 2h ago . NTA. He left his phone in a stupid place. You were sympathetic enough as a co- worker, that's all that is required. Hopefully he learns his lesson and doesn't leave his phone laying around at work from now on.
    via u/Allahxo
  • pottersquash • 2h ago NTA. I can't even see why employer would be responsible. Our super powerful micro computers seem indestructible, but in the the end most are just glass sandwhiches, can't just leave them whereever.
    via u/pottersquash
  • AfraidOstrich9539 2h ago • NTA If he didn't want his phone broken maybe he shouldn't have left it in such a precarious place..... And if he didn't want to pay full price for repairs or a new phone he should have got some insurance/cover for it.
    via u/AfraidOstrich9539
  • cowandspoon • 2h ago NTA. I wouldn't pay for it - not a chance. It wasn't your responsibility - it was his - and that's a stupid place to leave a phone.
    via u/cowandspoon
  • LiveKindly01 • 2h ago NTA but INFO - was this normal for you to do that? Did your co-worker know you were moving the truck? You can apologize for something happening, and not be taking blame for it. Like I'm sorry your phone got broken, not I'm sorry that I was wrong and broke your phone. It's just showing empathy.
    via u/LiveKindly01
  • But I don't think you need to be paying half....if driving the truck around is normal behaviour and there was no good reason his phone was there and he wasn't, I think you're in the clear.
    via u/LiveKindly01
  • Moose-Live · 2h ago . How did you drive over something which was on top of a toolbox?
    via u/Moose-Live
  • GrymDraig 2h ago The toolbox was attached to the work truck. The phone fell off when the vehicle moved.
    via u/GrymDraig
  • Sea_breeze_80 • 2h ago NTA the coworker needs to take responsibility for leaving his phone around
    via u/Sea_breeze_80
  • caffeinatedking94 • 2h ago . NTA. If he wants to leave his phone stupid places he should've gotten apple/Samsung care, or a similar product from his carrier. 100% on him, the phone shouldn't have been there and it's not your fault it was.
    via u/caffeinatedking94
  • Marine_0311 • 2h ago LOL, NTA. . Your coworker is an idiot. How are you responsible for his stupidity? CSB Time. I ran over my phone with a forklift one night. We use stand ups and I was chugging along and
    via u/Marine__0311
  • suddenly felt a big thump. I immediately popped my foot off the de d man pedal and plugged it to stop. Since I had no freight on the forks, and didn't see any debris or trash on the floor, I thought I had a mechanical issue. I hopped off and looked underneath and didn't see
    via u/Marine__0311
  • anything obvious. As I stood up, I felt my side where I kept my phone on its belt clip. It wasn't there and a horrible feeling of dread hit me like a wave of doom. I looked back where I'd come from and there on the floor about 40-50 feet away was my phone. When I retrieved it, one corner was crushed and
    via u/Marine__0311
  • it wouldn't turn on. Fortunately my SIM chip was good and I was able to transfer all my info to my new phone. I've carried my phone in my pocket ever since. Did I blame my Otter Box clip for not holding my phone? No. Did I blame the case for not protecting it from being run over by an four ton lift? No. I blamed myself for being careless. At least I can laugh about it now.
    via u/Marine__0311
  • GloryIV 2h ago This is somewhere between bad luck and his negligence. Either way - you are NTA.
    via u/GloryIV
  • . catladyclub • 2h ago NTA... he left his phone, that is on him. He should be more responsible with his things!
    via u/catladyclub
  • Supernova-Max • 2h ago NTA Anyone who thinks this is your fault is the AH! Who walks off leaving their phone on a toolbox! AT THE BACK OF TRUCK that he knew workers use.
    via u/Supernova-Max
  • TalkToHoro 2h ago NTA! Did he expect you to walk around the truck to look for hazards that didn't exist when you originally got in? I'd be curious to know his theory of how this could possibly be at all your fault.
    via u/TalkToHoro
  • srgonzo75 • 2h ago NTA. He left his phone laying out in a spot where it's reasonable to assume it could have been damaged or stolen. There's a reason our parents teach us not to leave our stuff all over the place.
    via u/srgonzo75
  • Assumption Mundan... 1h ago NTA. He learned an expensive lesson. You don't owe him a dime, and he's an a h le for hole asking.
    via u/AssumptionMundane114

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