Employee refuses to clock in for coworker who's always late, coworker accuses her of not being a team player: ‘You're getting me in trouble over nothing’

Author image for Bar Mor Hazut
Bar Mor Hazut • Senior Editor
Nov 2, 2025 7:00 AM EST

What would you do if you were in this employee's shoes?

Some people are simply terrible at punctuality, which is not the best quality to have in the workplace. Being on time for work is one of the most basic rules of a workplace, and someone who is always late can get in serious trouble for that.

That being said, the only one responsible for an employee clocking in time for work is that employee, and no one else. The question is, what would you do if a coworker of yours, who is chronically late to work, asked you to clock in for them in the morning, before they even got to work?

If you ask us, it's a valid dilemma. On one hand, you want to be a good coworker, and even a friend, whom others can rely on. On the other hand, clocking in for someone else is illegal and can get you in a lot of trouble if you're caught. And doing it for someone else, especially someone who is always late, might not be worth it.

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  • Keep scrolling to read how this employee handled this request from her coworker, and what happened at the office after that.

  • 01
    Young Female Worker Running late
    via Running late

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 02

    AITA for refusing to clock in my coworker who's always late?

    So i (28f) have this coworker. we're work-friends, it's cool. but she's sometimes like 5- 10 minutes late.
    via MoonlightMermaid_07
  • 03
    this morning she texted me as i was walking in, "hey can you clock me in?
    via MoonlightMermaid_07
  • 04
    i'm running behind again lol. just this once, no one will know." i just replied back, "sorry, i'm not comfortable doing that." she blew up my phone.
    via MoonlightMermaid_07
  • 05
    she said i was being rigid and that everyone does it and that i'm getting her in trouble over nothing.
    via MoonlightMermaid_07
  • 06
    she said it's just a few minutes and that i'm not being a team player. now she's giving me the silent treatment.
    via MoonlightMermaid_07
  • 07
    it's her responsibility to be on time. but the office feels tense now and i'm wondering if i should have just done it because shes probably right in that no one would notice?
    via MoonlightMermaid_07
  • 08
    Woman Unlocking Door with Key Card, Closeup, title: "No one will know... everyone does it"
    via Africa images

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 09
    Mysterious-Repeat-54 No, you did the right thing. If you were caught, you would both get fired.
    via Mysterious-Repeat-54
  • 10
    DearFeedback280 If "everyone does it" then why doesn't she just ask the ones who do it and feel comfortable doing it.
    via DearFeedback280
  • 11
    man_of_travels You're not getting her in trouble. She's doing that by being late. ΝΤΑ
    via man_of_travels
  • 12
    Regular-Tell-108 If she knows that "everyone does it," it is definitely not just this once.
    via Regular-Tell-108
  • 13
    WantToBelieveln Magic "You are asking me to risk my job just so you can avoid a reprimand. In what universe is that reasonable? You are way out of line to ask, and it worries me that you don't care if I'm okay or not."
    via WantToBelievelnMagic
  • 14
    NYCStoryteller NTA. That's committing fraud.
    via NYCStoryteller
  • 15
    ghotiermann The person who is always late says that you are not a team player. If someone who commits a felony is a felon, your coworker is an iron.
    via ghotiermann
  • 16
    Still-Wafer-3185 NTA. Every company I have worked for has had a passive timekeeping system because management isnt always around. If you got caught remotely clocking in when you werent there or having someone clock you in OR you got caught doing it for someone else, you ddint get a second chance. I dont know about you but I do this job for the money and you are my coworker. Not my friend, my child, my spouse or my parent. I am NOT losing my job and reference for you.
    via Still-Wafer-3185
  • 17
    PositiveAtmosphere13 I don't know what your place of employment is like, but some places take this very seriously. You can lose your job. It's time theft. Now days there are cameras everywhere. There's a good chance there's a camera focused on the time clock. If the culture is everyone does it and it's not a big deal, then it wouldn't be a big deal for people to clock in a few minutes late, then clock out a few minutes late, at the end of the day.
    via PositiveAtmosphere13

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Tags

aita workplace-stories employee manager job tales-from-the-workplace coworkers reddit story workplace late Reddit company clocking in entitled people
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