27-year-old receptionist calls out 35-year-old coworker for clocking in and then disappearing to put on makeup for an hour every day: 'Meanwhile I'm answering three phone lines [and] checking in patients'

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Ben Weiss • Writer and Editor
Dec 1, 2025 8:00 AM EST

This receptionist at a veterinary clinic was wondering where her coworker Janelle had been disappearing to after clocking in every morning.

It turns out that Janelle liked to do her morning makeup while on the clock. After showing face briefly upon arrival, she would return to her car and spend the next 45 minutes to an hour applying foundation and doing her lashes. 

This would not necessarily be a problem if activity was not busy, but it turns out that at this local clinic, the busiest times are during those early hours in the morning. 

Between scheduling appointments and dealing with patients directly, it's not exactly an easy job for one receptionist to do on their own. That's why the manager requires two folks to work behind the front desk at any given time.

This author was now handling all those front desk duties and essentially two jobs at once while Janelle was wasting time in her car applying a fresh face.

It got to the point where the author couldn't take it anymore and decided to confront her manager about Janelle's daily disappearances. Unfortunately, her manager's response was not exactly the kind of reaction she was hoping for…

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  • "Coworker clocks in then sits in her car doing makeup for 45 minutes every morning while I handle the rush alone"

    I need to vent because I'm losing my mind and apparently no one cares.
    via Longjumping-Pen8805

  • Apparently, everyone in the veterinary clinic except for the author was aware of what Janelle was doing each morning. She had always been like this. It just took a while for the author to put two and two together. Once she connected the dots and confronted her boss, she was surprised to discover that her boss already knew and was not planning on doing anything about Janelle's behavior any time soon!

  • I'm 27F, work as a veterinary receptionist at a busy clinic in Denver. We open at 7:30am and mornings are CHAOS. Phones ringing, people checking in for surgeries, medication pickups, emergencies walking in. It's a two-person front desk minimum.
    via Longjumping-Pen8805
  • My coworker Janelle (35F) is supposed to work the morning shift with me. She clocks in at 7:25 every day. On time. Technically. Then she disappears.
    via Longjumping-Pen8805
  • I noticed it a few weeks ago. She'd clock in, say she "forgot something in her car," and vanish. At first I thought it was five minutes, no big deal. Then I started paying attention.
    via Longjumping-Pen8805
  • She's gone for 30-45 minutes. Every single morning. I can see the parking lot from the window. She sits in her car doing her makeup. Full face. Lashes.
    via Longjumping-Pen8805
  • The works. Meanwhile I'm answering three phone lines, checking in patients, trying to explain to angry clients why their wait time is long.
    via Longjumping-Pen8805
  • I mentioned it to our manager Rick (50M) last week. Told him Janelle is clocking in but not actually working for almost an hour every morning.
    via Longjumping-Pen8805
  • His response? "She's technically clocked in. I can't police what employees do every minute. Just handle the rush, it slows down eventually."
    via Longjumping-Pen8805
  • HANDLE THE RUSH. Alone. While she's doing winged eyeliner in her Civic.
    via Longjumping-Pen8805
  • So I started documenting. Wrote down every day - what time she clocked in, what time she actually came to the desk. I went back through my memory and estimated the past few weeks too.
    via Longjumping-Pen8805
  • In 3 months she's stolen at least 60 hours. Sixty hours of pay for sitting in her car. At our hourly rate that's over $1,200 she's been paid to do her makeup.
    via Longjumping-Pen8805
  • I mentioned the documentation to a coworker and she said "oh yeah Janelle's always done that, we just deal with it."
    via Longjumping-Pen8805
  • EVERYONE KNOWS. And no one's said anything because Rick doesn't care.
    via Longjumping-Pen8805
  • I don't know what to do. Do I go above Rick's head? Do I keep documenting? Do I just accept that I'm doing two people's jobs for one person's pay while Janelle gets a paid beauty routine?
    via Longjumping-Pen8805
  • A receptionist answers the phone while wearing her work uniform.
    via Unsplash+ (Getty Images)

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

  • SatireSatyr · 12m ago . If there's anyone above rick, yes.
    via Longjumping-Pen8805
  • AccomplishdAcc... • 11m ago Honestly I would quit. Preferably a morning when shes in her ar and its the two of you only. Id also record her if youre in a one party state for visual proof, at least two days to show changes.
    via Longjumping-Pen8805
  • Flaky-Debate-833 .9m ago Park next to her. Go out and sit in your car while she is in hers.
    via Longjumping-Pen8805

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terrible coworkers workplace-stories employee work stories toxic-workplace job work coworkers overworked-employees company toxic-work-environment
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