Employee backs out of their promise to cover coworker's shift after she also demands they take over all of her extra tasks of the day, gets called out: ‘Coworkers should help each other’

Author image for Bar Mor Hazut
Bar Mor Hazut • Senior Editor
Jan 9, 2026 9:00 AM EST

Have you ever regretted agreeing to do a favor for someone, as you slowly realized that the favor demands a lot more work than what you initially expected?

Favors are a tricky thing. When someone needs a favor from other people, they can say anything to convince them to agree to it. There are plenty of people who have no problem at all lying their way to getting others to agree to doing them a favor. And they often succeed. The question is, if you are on the other side, and you just agreed to do a favor you have no idea the scope of, how do you react once you find out exactly what you signed up for?

Take the employee in the story below as an example. The initial "casual favor" they were asked was to cover a few hours of a coworker's shift. Only a few hours, and she would return the favor. As it seemed like an easy enough favor, the employee agreed, but she had no idea what she had just signed up for.

A few days before said shift, the coworker suddenly informed the employee that instead of just a few hours, she's going to have to cover the entire shift. Again, the employee agreed, thinking the favor could not possibly grow any further. Then, the night before, the coworker decides to ask the employee to not only cover the shift, but also to take over any extra tasks that may be needed. That was when the employee realised this favor had become something she refuses to deal with.

Instead of letting the snowball grow any longer, the employee decided to tell the coworker that she would rather not cover their shift at all than to be forced to do things she never agreed to do. This drawing of a line was not appreciated by the coworker, who claimed it would be selfish to refuse to do the favor altogether.

Who is in the right? Should the employee accept her fate and do the favor as agreed, or should she stand up for herself and refuse to let the coworker take advantage of her initial kindness? Keep scrolling to read the full story to decide.

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  • Coworkers Engaged in Discussion in a Modern Workspace
    via Aflo Images

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

  • AITAH for declining a “casual favor” after it kept expanding?

    I (28F) have a coworker I get along with well, but we're not close friends. A couple of weeks ago, she asked if I could cover one short shift for her on a day she had a personal appointment.
    via SyntaxKoala
  • She said it would only be a few hours and that she'd return the favor later.
    via SyntaxKoala
  • I agreed. A few days before the shift, she messaged saying her appointment was actually taking the whole day, so she'd need me to cover longer than planned.
    via SyntaxKoala
  • I hesitated but said okay, since I hadn't made other plans yet. Then, the night before, she texted again asking if I could also handle a few extra tasks she normally does because "I'd already be there anyway" and she didn't want things to fall behind.
    via SyntaxKoala
  • At that point, it felt like a completely different commitment than what I'd agreed to. I told her I wasn't comfortable taking on more than we originally discussed and that I'd rather not cover the shift at all if that was the expectation.
    via SyntaxKoala
  • She was clearly annoyed and said I was putting her in a bad position last minute and that coworkers should help each other out when things come up.
    via SyntaxKoala
  • Another colleague later told me it would've been easier to just suck it up for one day instead of backing out completely.
    via SyntaxKoala
  • Modern Office
    via victorzastolskiy

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

  • From my perspective, the favor kept growing, and I didn't want to set a precedent where "helping out" meant unlimited responsibility.
    via SyntaxKoala
  • So... AITAH for backing out once the expectations changed?
    via SyntaxKoala
  • Intelcourier The easy answer would have been to say you would cover the whole shift as you agreed to do that. But you wouldn't have time to do the extra things she wanted done. Also, don't ever agree to do this woman a work favor again. She is obviously a selfish user.
    via Intelcourier
  • SyntaxKoala Original Poster's Reply Yeah, I think you're right. I was fine with what we originally talked about, it just started to feel like too much once more things got added on. Lesson learned for next time.
    via SyntaxKoala
  • nathaa22 NTA, you know the answer, no one has to explained it for you
    via nathaa22
  • SyntaxKoala Original Poster's Reply Yeah, sometimes it's easier to trust your gut after hearing outside perspectives.
    via SyntaxKoala
  • Imaginary_Chair_6958 I hate people like that. You agree to do them a favor and then suddenly there are additional tasks added on that you never agreed to. But that was their plan all along - get you agree to the small thing and then slowly reveal the full commitment. And they will never return the favor either. So NTA, you did the right thing. It might make work more difficult, but if you'd given in on this, she would've continued to take advantage.
    via Imaginary_Chair_695
  • SyntaxKoala Original Poster's Reply Yeah, that's what bothered me the most it didn't feel like a misunderstanding, it felt like the expectations just kept quietly growing. I don't mind helping, I just don't want it to turn into something I never actually agreed to.
    via SyntaxKoala
  • waywardjynx NTA, she set you up and/or is taking advantage.
    via waywardjynx
  • Inside_Major_8078 Who is getting paid for that shift and the additional work. If salary she needs to take PTO. If hourly, still make sure manager/management knows you are working in her place. If you get hurt on the job and it isn't documented you were working, no insurance or workman's compensation will be provided.
    via Inside_Major_8078
  • Sirregularguy NTA Next time, you know to cap any additional duties in the original agreement. Also, get the favor in return detailed out rather than just a floating favor that can easily be minimized in the future.
    via Sirregularguy

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shift workplace-stories employee job tales-from-the-workplace coworkers overworked-employees workplace company entitled people
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