Employee pushes back when boss insists he host him, wife, child, and dog for weeklong work trip: 'I haven't gotten a raise in four years'

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Ally Perry • Writer and Editor
Dec 5, 2025 9:00 AM EST

The professional and the personal are usually best kept separate. 

While it isn't wrong to befriend coworkers and do the best you can to contribute to a cordial working environment, it is a good thing to be able to leave the job at your front door instead of taking it home with you. In these days of the internet and remote working, it doesn't always seem to be possible, but the divide is what maintains that mythical work-life balance (as well as ensuring you minimize your time around annoying colleagues). 

Of course, it is not uncommon to work with those who do their best to push those boundaries. When they have a more senior role, it can feel difficult to say no to their demands. Nonetheless, it is an important part of advocating for yourself to try to do that. Otherwise, they may keep pushing responsibilities onto you that are not yours to shoulder. 

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  • a man in a suit looks out the window beside him against a background of bookshelves
    via Getty Images (Unsplash+)

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

  • In this story, an employee was left feeling bamboozled after a colleague asked if he and his family could stay with him for a week on a work trip. This man had been promoted fast as the boss approved of his family values, but had had to move across the country for a family emergency a year ago.

    As a result, he needed a place to stay when he visited the place where the other employee worked, and for some reason, this coworker, whom he didn't know that well, was the first option he thought of. Needless to say, he was not pleased with the suggestion.

  • My boss just asked me to host his entire family for a week

    I have changed a couple of details and left certain things vague for privacy reasons, but the gist of it is he is considered the CEO's golden boy and I am considered the CEO's... mother...
    via Cautious-Soil5557
  • When "Bob's" and his wife had a child, she became a SAHM, which the CEO ("Dick" because he is one) found very admirable and promoted him. You know the whole song and dance of Bob becoming a family man. Didn't seem to matter that he was showing up later
    via Cautious-Soil5557
  • and later to the office and missing more and more and more work and when he was in the office, he was often sleeping. He wasn't my charge so I let it go and focused on those who were under me.
    via Cautious-Soil5557
  • the back of a businessman's head as he sits at his desk and makes a call on his phone
    via Curated Lifestyle (Unsplash+)

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

  • About a year ago, Bob & Co had to leave due to a family emergency which required them to move across the country. Another promotion happened as soon as they settled. At this point, he went from being under me in the hierarchy to being at my level, and became even more unreachable.
    via Cautious-Soil5557
  • Well, Bob got promoted again a couple months ago to the highest level he can be and now outranks me. So imagine my surprise when he texts me asking me to house his wife, toddler, and dog for the week in January and mentions asking the company to pay for his accomodations as an afterthought if that didn't work.
    via Cautious-Soil5557
  • Gobsmacked, I tell you. Utter gobsmacked I was. My dude, I haven't gotten a raise in four years and just got silently demoted for having the aduacity of checks notes having a baby (that is another fun tale of Dick acting like a spoiled older child with a new baby sibling for another day) despite nothing with my work changing while you are praised for being such a good dad.
    via Cautious-Soil5557
  • Get the absolute fuck out of here. Thanks for listening to my rant. I am going to go take an asprin before my meeting with Dick where he will without a doubt mention it...
    via Cautious-Soil5557
  • closeup of a man in a suit smiling slightly
    via Getty Images (Unsplash+)

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

  • VivianDiane "My personal life is not a company perk for your promotion."
    via VivianDiane
  • Bansidhe 13 No is a complete sentence. Go to HR. Start sending out resumes.
    via Bansidhe13
  • lovsit HR won't help you. Find another job and forget that place
    via lovsit
  • EveryAccount7729 say to set up their coming. then the night before they arrive just go ballistic and demand a huge raise or you quit.
    via EveryAccount7729
  • Maleficent_Leave4314 Why do they even need to stay with you? If he's going somewhere for something cant they just stay home by themselves like every other adult with a child does?
    via Maleficent_Leave4314
  • ComplexJellyfish8658 That is so inappropriate I don't even have anything meaningful to say.
    via ComplexJellyfish8658
  • Prepped-n-Ready They never heard of a hotel?
    via Prepped-n-Ready
  • YesterdayWarm2244 "Pardon?" Said in the voice of The Champ
    via YesterdayWarm2244
  • CressSubstantial3767 The audacity of some people. Go fish.
    via CressSubstantial3767
  • sammyglumdrops If you're not extremely extremely close friends, how on earth does he have the audacity to ask that?
    via sammyglumdrops
  • PA_Archer "No. Why on earth would you think this request is ok?" Or... "NO"
    via PA_Archer

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workplace home boss stay manager house family reddit thread Reddit entitled people
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