Retail worker returns from pre-approved, off-grid camping trip to discover she was scheduled for multiple shifts during time off, then wrongly blamed by manager, despite documented approval: 'We need to have a serious conversation about your employment'

Author image for Emma Saven
Emma Saven
Dec 6, 2025 1:00 PM EST

How big does a mistake have to be for this manager to hold herself accountable?… In this case, it seems the answer is: pretty major. This manager approved her employee's time off several months in advance, yet scheduled her for multiple shifts during that period anyway…Then proceeded to blame her for not showing up to work for the last eight days, despite being on a pre-approved, off-grid camping trip!

Surely, when the front desk of their retail store was empty on the first day, that would be the indication that this manager had seriously messed up with the scheduling. Yet, she proceeded to blow up for her employee's phone anyway, telling her that they needed to have a 'serious conversation' when she returned… The only serious conversation that needed to occur was between this manager and her mirror. Just because you have a 'management' title, it does not mean that you are not entitled to make a mistake or two. So trying to place the blame on someone so obviously innocent is just a complete waste of energy and time, doesn't it…? She should rather be spending those precious minutes re-arranging the weekly schedule, instead of trying to convince herself that she was always in the right!

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  • After this manager realized she could no longer logically place the blame on her employee, she still attempted to come up with an endless stream of excuses, ‘glitch this, forgot that’ …but this employee was already planning her escape strategy, with her biggest regret being that she hadn't walked away months ago!

  • Couple on a camping trip
    via gettyimages

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

  • My manager scheduled me for work during my approved vacation, then blew up my phone when I didn't show up.

    This happened at a retail job I had about four years ago, and it is the prime example of the worst manager I've ever had in my life.
    via martial_snarky-7a
  • Anyway, it was a pretty standard situation. I had requested this time off four months in advance, my manager approved it in the system, and everything looked fine.
    via martial_snarky-7a
  • The only catch was that I was going camping for 8 days, in a place completely cut off with no cell service.
    via martial_snarky-7a
  • Fast forward past the trip, and as I was driving back into town, my phone literally exploded with notifications the second it got service.
    via martial_snarky-7a
  • It turned out they had scheduled me for four closing shifts and a morning shift on the day I was still on the road.
    via martial_snarky-7a
  • I had tons of missed calls and messages from my coworkers, who were understandably very annoyed that I had been a no-call no- show.
    via martial_snarky-7a
  • Concerned employee on the phone
    via peopleimages-yuriarcurs

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

  • Then I saw my manager's messages, curtly asking where I was and saying we needed to have a serious conversation about my employment.
    via martial_snarky-7a
  • The call with my manager later that day was very tense and lasted about 90 minutes.
    via martial_snarky-7a
  • She immediately tried to blame me, but I pointed out that the scheduling software clearly showed my request had been approved by her.
    via martial_snarky-7a
  • Once she realized she couldn't pin the blame on me, she started fumbling and coming up with excuses - one minute saying she must not have realized I was gone, the next saying the system must have glitched and scheduled me by mistake.
    via martial_snarky-7a
  • Honestly, my biggest mistake was not quitting right after that call. I stayed for another ten months, and it was the same kind of nonsense for me and everyone else.
    via martial_snarky-7a
  • JosKarith Shew kept her job because nobody flagged it up the chain.
    via JosKarith
  • taker223 Morals of the story: 1) Do not waste your time for work-related stuff while you're on your approved vacation. I may sound naive but get a dual SIM phone or just some cheap crappy one which you could just completely turn off at your will. 2) You should have addressed that situation with HR (hopefully this s show gig had a distinct HR person, not someone sharing this title with Hygiene Technician like OG Loc)
    via taker223
  • sides_venues_3s My company tried to fire me after I had clocked out and we were closing for the weekend. "Umm, can we see you in \\\\'s office for a minute? After closing time and you've clocked out?" Me: "I'm sorry, I've clocked out and I have other engagements. If you want to schedule a meeting, I will need advanced notice, or we will have to do it on company time if this is work related. Gotta run, BYEEEE!" Talk about "unprofessional."
    via sides_venues_3s
  • Woman texting while driving
    via gettyimages

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

  • SnooOranges8194 Same thing happened with me. Stood my ground and said I am scheduled for PTO and WILL not work. Manager backed off.
    via SnooOranges8194
  • Gonpostlscott Incompetence seems to rise as the good workers get the shaft!
    via Gonpostlscott
  • JMLegend22 Your manager was bad at their job. I put a reminder on my Microsoft team's calendar when my people are gone on PTO that way if I forget about them being 000, I'm not playing a text or a call. But my whole organization works off of excel.
    via JMLegend22
  • compubomb Because the person who approved your time off wasn't your manager, it means the organization you worked at generally sucks, and one hand doesn't speak to the other. I have seen scheduling software allow admins to do fucked up shit in behalf of others, account allows someone else to take blame since they're emulating another user.
    via compubomb
  • Sweet Television2685 no shared calendars? strange for a retail company
    via Sweet_Television2685
  • Nonproductivehuman "Worst manager I've ever had in my life" so far…...........
    via Nonproductivehuman

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