Supervisor refuses to let employee enter their shared office to take their bag at the end of the day, employee enters anyway, leading to an office dispute: ‘I have the right to access my own belongings’

Author image for Bar Mor Hazut
Bar Mor Hazut • Senior Editor
Aug 16, 2025 6:00 PM EDT

If you share something with someone, with the keyword 'sharing', you must accept that you both have the exact same right to use it. No one is entitled to it more than the other, which is something the supervisor in the story below has yet to come to terms with.

When this new supervisor started his position, he was told he had to share an office with one of his employees. All was well until one day the employee stepped out of the office before leaving for the day, but when they returned to get their things and leave, they found a 'do not disturb' sign on the office door.

Since they didn't feel like waiting an hour for their boss to finish what they were doing, the employee decided to knock and quickly grab their belongings. That, however, did not sit well with the supervisor, who refused to allow the employee into the office even after they explained the situation.

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  • Meeting or not, if the office is a shared space, the employee has every right to be in there, just as much as the supervisor. So, when the meeting was over, the employee made sure to mention this to their boss.

    Keep scrolling to read what happened next.

  • 01
    Woman knocking on office door with a 'Please DO NOT DISTURB' note
    via raywoo

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

  • 02

    AITA for entering my coworker’s office after he told me not to?

    I've been working in this office for 3 months, but because of space shortages, I currently share it with a coworker who just started
    via Level-Bid4516
  • 03
    last week. Even though he's new, he's technically my supervisor. Today, I was told I could leave early because I'd finished all
    via Level-Bid4516
  • 04
    my work. I stepped out for about 5 minutes to see if anyone else needed help, but nobody did. When I came back, there was a "Please Do
    via Level-Bid4516
  • 05
    Not Disturb" sign on the door. Usually that means there's a meeting or conversation going on, and they can last close to an hour.
    via Level-Bid4516
  • 06
    The problem was, my bag- with my wallet, water, and food-was still in there. I didn't want to wait almost an hour to get it, so I asked another coworker for advice.
    via Level-Bid4516
  • 07
    She suggested knocking. I waited another 5 minutes, then knocked. He said, "Not right now." I knocked again to show I wasn't there for
    via Level-Bid4516
  • 08
    chit-chat, but because I actually needed something. Still: "Not right now." So I opened the door just enough to explain that I needed to grab my bag- it
    via Level-Bid4516
  • 09
    was literally one step inside. He immediately snapped, "I told you no," in a raised voice and basically kicked me back out. I shut the door and left,
    via Level-Bid4516
  • 10
    but I was so shaken I ended up crying in the bathroom. When his meeting was finally over, I went back in to collect my things. I was still upset,
    via Level-Bid4516
  • 11
    and he told me I had no right to be "ped." I said I only wanted my bag and that I have the right to access my own belongings. I suggested that if he's planning a
    via Level-Bid4516
  • 12
    meeting in our shared office, he could at least let me know so I can grab my stuff beforehand. He said he doesn't see it that way and doesn't need to tell me
    via Level-Bid4516
  • 13
    anything, and he kept pushing the point. At that stage, I was trying not to cry again, so I told him it's harder for me because I'm
    via Level-Bid4516
  • 14
    au istic. The second I said that, his tone changed- he softened and said he didn't know, and now it was "fine." But it really bothered me that
    via Level-Bid4516
  • 15
    I had to disclose something so personal just to get basic understanding. Now I'm worried this could hurt my reputation. He's well-
    via Level-Bid4516
  • 16
    liked, and I'm scared it'll get spun as me causing drama- especially since I've been socially excluded before because of my aɩ ism. Until
    via Level-Bid4516
  • 17
    now, this was the first workplace where I felt genuinely safe and included, and I'd even considered staying long-term. Now, I'm not so sure. So... AITA for going in after he told me not to?
    via Level-Bid4516
  • 18
    TL;DR: Shared an office with a new supervisor. He had a "Do Not Disturb" sign up during a meeting, but my bag (with essentials) was inside. I knocked twice,
    via Level-Bid4516
  • 19
    explained urgency, and still got told no. Opened door to grab it quickly, got yelled at. Now worried it'll damage my work relationships. AITA?
    via Level-Bid4516
  • 20
    mega512 NTA-Nah f...k that. Talk to HR. That is completely inappropriate.
    via mega512
  • 21
    Safe_Ability3437 NTA. When you share an office, you are allowed to enter and exit as you see fit. If he had a meeting that couldn't be disturbed, he should have either notified you in advance, or had the meeting elsewhere.
    via Safe_Ability3437
  • 22
    Glitch Ghoul NTA. Next time just walk in and grab your stuff. Don't ask permission, just do it. It's your space as well, he can't kick you out of it.
    via Glitch_Ghoul
  • 23
    Woman knocking on office door
    via raywoo

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

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Tags

boss workplace-stories employee manager job tales-from-the-workplace coworkers dispute reddit story do not disturb Office supervisor workplace Reddit company
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