Manager threatens to write up employee if they don't call their coworker next time they fail to show up for their shift, employee refuses: ‘That's not my responsibility’

Author image for Lana DeGaetano
Lana DeGaetano • "Show me to me please."
Aug 17, 2025 9:00 AM EDT

What's the point of having a manager if you're expected to do all of their tasks for them? The employee in this next story refuses to call their slacker coworker when they fail to show up for shifts, and in turn, their manager threatens to write them up for their refusal. What would you do in this situation?

Every workplace has a hierarchy, and within each level of the hierarchy, there are certain tasks that each group has to complete. As you get closer to the top of the corporate pyramid, you find that they do a lot less work for triple the amount of pay. It's the same spiel that folks spew about MLMs and trickle-down economics—"It'll come back to you!"—but it never really does. The employee in this next story is expected to do the work of their manager, but they refuse to do so because chasing down coworkers was not expected of them in their job description.

This is a classic case of poor management, lazy supervisors, and employees who aren't paid nearly enough to complete extra tasks on the clock. I don't blame the employee; In fact, I applaud them. Too often do managers throw their workload on underpaid underlings—this employee is breaking the cycle. Scroll to read the full story below.

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  • "I asked her to show me in the rules where it's my job to call a coworker when they don't show up for their shift."
    via Curated Lifestyle For Unsplash+

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

  • "Threatened with a write up if I do not call a coworker when they don’t show up for work"

    I have a coworker that is very unpleasant to work with. The first time I seen her I said hello and she scowled and punched out.
    via Successful_Fly5503
  • She yelled at me once for going outside the office to my car to get something. Seems like she wants to be a manager, one time
    via Successful_Fly5503
  • she told me I was late for clocking in 3 minutes after the hour. There is a grace period and I was well within that. Another
    via Successful_Fly5503
  • time a new coworker was asking me a question and she interrupted. It was weird because she had been sitting in a chair
    via Successful_Fly5503
  • with her back turned to us, for all accounts ignoring us the entire time otherwise. Just completely not interacting or communicating. The new person quickly responded that she was not talking to her.
    via Successful_Fly5503
  • Well the unpleasant coworker (R) didn't show up one night for her shift. It's not like she was my relief and the supervisor was
    via Successful_Fly5503
  • scheduled to come in as my relief so I sent the assistant a text that said no R tonight. The assistant said ok. I went about my regular duties and added R's 1
    via Successful_Fly5503
  • mandatory duty that she would have been done on my shift if she was there. Easy night in my opinion. However, a week later the assistant told me that I am
    via Successful_Fly5503
  • supposed to call R if she does not show up. I said that's not my responsibility. Assistant said if it happens again I would be written
    via Successful_Fly5503
  • up so I asked her to show me in the rules where it's my job to call a coworker when they don't show up for their shift.
    via Successful_Fly5503
  • carpooling coworkers
    via Getty Images For Unsplash+

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

  • Last time at this company they tried to push this guy to ask me for rides to and from work because we worked the same shift. I said that's not my
    via Successful_Fly5503
  • responsibility. I live 5 minutes away and he lives 25 minutes away. To me even if he lived down the street from me it's is not my job to uber this grown man
    via Successful_Fly5503
  • around, for free because he's always broke or for pay because that is not the job I signed up for. But I'm definitely not going to be
    via Successful_Fly5503
  • picking him up and I regret dropping him off because as soon as I said I can't he started blaming me for his mistakes etc example he would 'accidentally' take equipment home and blame me.
    via Successful_Fly5503
  • titusbijoux It's the managers job to deal with call offs and coverage... if you're doing it, why do you need a manager?
    via titusbijoux
  • Successful Fly5503 They said it's as a courtesy for night shift. I would call anyone else if they overslept except R. But yeah it's just passing the burden.
    via Successful_Fly5503
  • SouthParking1672 Find a new job. They're trying to make you their fixer for everything and I doubt your pay scale matches those duties.
    via SouthParking1672
  • Successful_Fly5503 I started applying for a new job today
    via Successful_Fly5503
  • Think_Substance_1790 I'd be looking for another job. They're looking for excuses to get under your skin, possibly sack you. Fact is, yes its nice if you give your cover a call, I've done it a few times, but its not your problem. You notified the super, your responsibility end there.
    via Think_Substance_1790
  • Successful Fly 5503 Yeah I'm looking and when I thought back I remember when the supervisor came in he asked if I notified the assistant. After the assistant told me about the potential write up she said and don't call her on her day off call the supervisor. But i didn't think it was appropriate to call him because I relieved him the night before and he was my relief in the morning so i definitely didn't want him to oversleep too but either way that's just a lot of "not my jobs"
    via Successful_Fly5503

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terrible coworkers workplace-stories toxic-workplace work coworkers reddit story horrible-management workplace Horrible Bosses reddit thread Reddit coworker entitled people toxic-work-environment
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