21-year-old employee avoids boss's demands to shovel snow: 'I had already planned not to go... because it wasn't my job'

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Remy Millisky • Writer and Editor
Nov 25, 2025 3:00 PM EST

This person got out of shoveling snow on a clever technicality, because who actually wants to shovel snow? It's truly one of the most exhausting chores you can do! If there's more than a few inches of snow, it'll take hours, and every time you push the shovel forward, you have to then heave away pounds of heavy, dense snow. All the while, it may still be snowing as you go, eliminating your hard work in real time. You're both chilly and sweaty at the same time, clad in heavy snowsuits while sweating like you're doing a workout (because you basically are). 

As if it's not annoying enough to have to shovel your own driveway in order to get to work in the first place, this person's boss wanted her to shovel at work for some reason. That's usually a big no-no. Employees can't just go out and shovel the parking lot — it's a liability! If one of them fell and broke an arm, or had a heart attack, or pulled their back, the company's owner would be liable. So to avoid this — and to use the employees for their actual purpose that they were hired for — most professional businesses just hire a service to come out and clear their parking lot for them. Easy, right? 

Well, this boss took it upon himself to basically volunteer all his employees into shoveling snow. It was a very strange move, as you can read all about below, and perhaps equally as bizarre as this woman's self-imposed exception to the rule to get out of hauling snow. I applaud her! You gotta do whatever it takes to keep yourself bundled up warm and cozy inside, and away from all that ice and snow! 

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  • 01
    Man in gray suit holds phone to ear and looks concerned, to the right a man and woman in red coats walk through snowy environment
    via Getty Images For Unsplash+

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

  • 02
    This happened a few months ago and I remembered just now. Thought to post it here. I (21F, important for later) live in the same city as the restaurant I work in. I usually go
    via u/nomellamespatricia
  • 03
    by car (10 Minutes) but sometimes I go walking (30 minutes). In January, Filomena happened (for those who ain't Europeans, it was a big storm and here in Spain we aren't
    via u/nomellamespatricia
  • 04
    used to that and, therefore, prepared for that). I went to work on a Thursday (when it started snowing) but we had to close for the weekend because there was a lot of
    via u/nomellamespatricia
  • 05
    snow. People couldn't go to work (train, buses and roads closed), there wouldn't be a lot of customers, we had the drive-through and the terrace full of snow... Our boss
    via u/nomellamespatricia
  • 06
    told the workers who lived in the same city to come to remove the snow (because it would take time before the city council helped us) so we could open earlier. His
    via u/nomellamespatricia
  • 07
    words were: "Boys who live in City, go to the restaurant to remove the snow". And in another message he went on and said the names of the men that live in the city. In
    via u/nomellamespatricia
  • 08
    Spanish, boys can refer to only boys or to males and females. But with how he worded it, he meant ONLY men. I had already planned. not to go to remove the snow because a
    via u/nomellamespatricia
  • 09
    30 minute walk could have become 1 hour with all the snow and because it wasn't my job. But because my boss worded the message like that I could simply wash my
    via u/nomellamespatricia
  • 10
    hands. When everything went back to normal, the boss asked me why I didn't come to help and I told him only men had to help ;)
    via u/nomellamespatricia
  • 11
    Woman with blonde braid and man with beard, both wearing red jackets and black hats, walk through snowy wilderness
    via Getty Images For Unsplash+

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

  • 12
    TexasYankee212 It is not the employee's problem that the boss is a poor communicator. It is the boss's problem that the boss is a poor communicator.
    via u/TexasYankee212
  • 13
    jesiweeks3348 Everyone is so hung up on the interpretation/language thing. The MC is that he listed names and your name wasnt on the list very light MC but I guess it works. Only thing that irks me is that he expected ANYONE to go do that. Like, not in my job title, not doing it.
    via u/jesiweeks3348
  • 14
    stillnotelf +1 for snow prep. Having all the hardware to deal with snow regularly is surprisingly expensive.
    via u/stillnotelf
  • 15
    Alte_kaker Slightly off-topic, but why are restaurant staff instructed to do snow removal? It's not in their job description (I assume). The owner could certainly be liable if an employee were injured in the process. He should have paid a contractor to do it or given employees the choice to participate or not.
    via u/Alte_kaker
  • 16
    CamelBorn He could have said 'all staff' instead, but no! Good win, I wouldnt have gone either. Never shovelled snow in my life because we dont get any, but if you say 'guys' and name names & females are not on there, your problem!
    via u/CamelBorn

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boss jobs job snow day snow bosses work coworkers workplace shovel
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