Corporate employee leaves office at 2 PM before vacation, gets annoyed when colleague emails her asking if she's working from home: ' She doesn’t have much work to do'

Author image for Ally Perry
Ally Perry • Writer and Editor
Jan 10, 2026 9:00 PM EST

The only thing more irritating than a micromanager is a colleague who tries to micromanage without having the authority to do so.

When you are surrounded by coworkers who are annoying, lazy, or otherwise incompetent, you can sometimes wish that you had the power to tell them what to do. Still, acting your wage and respecting your position is a lot more likely to keep the peace and maybe even improve the issue if you are able to build up a decent enough relationship with them. 

Still, there are times when it feels like you cannot help but try to advise them on what they should be doing, even if it is not technically within your jurisdiction. It can be a risky move, which not everybody is going to accept. How it is framed and when it happens are crucial factors in this process.

Unfortunately, this is something that many overbearing colleagues tend to get completely wrong. They are so absorbed by the need to get a task done or so obsessed with their own power trip that they end up causing conflict in the workplace. Disagreements are necessary now and then, but it isn't always going to make you the most popular person in the office.

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  • 01
    a woman with long blond hair wearing business attire walks away with her jacket over her arm, as another woman holds a door open
    via Getty Images (Unsplash+)

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

  • In this story, a woman found herself irritated by her colleague, who was often late to the office and early to leave, as their boss spent a lot of time abroad. She reached her limit the day before this coworker was due to take a weeklong vacation, when she came in at 11 and left at 2, although she had some work left to do.

    The woman proceeded to email and call her colleague to ask if she was working from home, and if she would be able to finish her work before vacation. She eventually agreed to come back to the office to do it, but she wasn't happy. The woman wanted to know if she had gone too far in her demand.

  • 02

    Colleague left work early and is due on vacation starting tomorrow. I made her come back to the office to finish

    My colleague always comes to work late and leaves early as our shared boss is always abroad.
    via LeylaBA
  • 03
    She doesn't have much work to do but since it's the start of the new year the workload has picked up a lot.
    via LeylaBA
  • 04
    Today she came in to the office at 11 and left at 2pm! She does step one of an essential corporate process that I do.
    via LeylaBA
  • 05
    a woman in a blue suit and glasses sits at a table with a laptop, papers, and a calculator, holding her cell phone
    via Kateryna Hliznitsova (Unsplash+)

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

  • 06
    She left and there were three remaining requests that needed to be done. It's time consuming and I have almost triple her workload.
    via LeylaBA
  • 07
    When she didn't reply to her email, I called and she said she left the office already and that I should do it.
    via LaylaBA
  • 08
    I will already be covering for her the entire week next week. I emailed her asking if she is working from home (so it's a tracked communication) and that the requests needed to be done before the end of day.
    via LaylaBA
  • 09
    She doesn't have permission to WFH and texted me very angrily saying she will come back to the office and do them.
    via LaylaBA
  • 10
    closeup of woman in a blue suit holding her cell phone with her laptop and a notebook on the table in front of her
    via Kateryna Hliznitsova (Unsplash+)

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

  • 11
    Quick_Coyote_7649 I feel like you should've just contacted management about that instead and asked if it was okay for her to have left. Because if management isn't okay with you pressuring her to come back and she tells me them about what happened you'd be in hot water. Also management might just have an issue with what you did because you were managing instead of prompting them to.
    via Quick_Coyote_7649
  • 12
    OP LeylaBA She can't tell them, she it js regulatory requirement for her to work from the office and her hours are 9-5. She didn't request permission to leave, and she is already on the cusp of redundancy
    via LeylaBA
  • 13
    Quick_Coyote_7649 She can tell them you pressured her to come back and managed her, she just has to also in some way speak on the shortcutting she's been doing in regards to her work
    via Quick_Coyote_7649
  • 14
    OP LeylaBA She didn't have to come back if she had a valid reason to not be in the office. She could've said no.
    via LeylaBA
  • 15
    Ridin_W_Biden46 It's not your place to enforce company policy or rules, it's your boss's. Report the behavior if you must, especially if it's impacting your work. You never know if the personal has a reasonable accommodation or other situation. I also personally believe it's none of your business. That said, since she isn't getting her work done, you should absolutely 100% report it.
    via Riden_W_Biden46
  • 16
    OP LeylaBA I never say a thing when she leaves early but I felt it was so insincere that she left even earlier on one of the busiest days where she actually has work to do - relying on my kindness or naivety to actually do it for her
    via LeylaBA
  • 17
    Ridin_W_Biden46 That applies to interpersonal conflicts. This is not an interpersonal conflict.
    via Ridin_W_Biden46
  • 18
    OP LeylaBA If I have to see her everyday I'd rather not come off as a complainer - it's bad for office politics. I know my boss hates dealing with stuff like this.
    via LeylaBA
  • 19
    Weary-Show-7506 You're the hero of this story. All your hard work and covering will get you more work and no more pay. And she was taking advantage of you, you did the lords work
    via Weary-Show-7506
  • 20
    Usual-Journalist-246 YTA, unless you are paid to supervise someone, then what they do or don't do at work is none of your concern. Fulfil the duties in your job description during the hours you are being paid and go home.
    via Usual-Journalist-246
  • 21
    OP LeylaBA If you're job is to build analyse data and you rely on a someone to provide you the data - and they don't, how can you do your job? I work in a company with multiple silos they only care on what you are able to deliver. It's not that easy.
    via LeylaBA
  • 22
    chub70199 I don't think you were the asshole, but your boss needs to step up and follow up with her if her tasks aren't getting done. It's not a matter of leaving early/coming late, as much as her not doing her tasks and trying to offload that on you.
    via chub70199

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job work coworkers workplace early entitled people vacation
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