Resident assumes their neighbor will volunteer as an unpaid dog sitter because they work from home, but the busy remote worker proves them wrong: ‘[She] got offended when I said no’

Jesse Kessenheimer • Writer and Editor

Apr 21, 2026 7:15 PM EDT

Why do people assume that if you work from home, you're never working?

A neighbor presumed that the remote employee next door had unlimited free time to do whatever they wanted, so they assumed they would be happy to volunteer as their unpaid dogsitter. Yet, as the remote worker was working full-time from home, they were far busier than the dog owner expected, resulting in an annoyingly frequent "I told you so" moment that put the dog owner's entitlement to rest.

"Then she hits me with, 'I just figured since you work from home, you have the time.' Like, okay."

It's called "working from home," not "sitting around doing nothing from home."

It seems that remote employees have become the brunt of a joke that nobody's laughing at, just because micromanagers and C-level executives can't fathom a world where people are productive on their own; a world in which their nitpicking and productivity perusal becomes obsolete. Alas, the opportunity to work remotely is under attack, but by more than just the fabled job listings, but by the idea itself. For some reason, people cannot possibly imagine that a person can live in the same place where they work.

Now that's called an adaptable work ethic, my friends.

It's an archaic notion to assume that employees can't function without constant managerial scrutiny, the company of acquaintance coworkers, big conference table meetings, and the soul-sucking fluorescent lighting of cubicle life, yet, remote workers (and hybrid employees!) would wager that they get their best work done from the comfort of their home office. Whether it's from the kitchen table, the dinette, or their actual standing desk, remote employees are sometimes the most consistent and reliable workers. Why? Because they want to continue working in their pajamas, of course. They will not take risks that damage their work ethic and employee credibility, lest they risk the remote work itself.

Despite the common notion of WFH mentality on the decline, this remote worker defended both their career and their work ethic when they were scrutinized by a neighbor. Attempting to coerce them into being an unpaid dogsitter, the neighbor disrespected the remote employee's job, their workspace, and the entire work-from-home model.

For every WFH employee who's ever been criticized and heckled over their personal workflow, this is a story that feels like a mighty victory for the entire remote worker community. Sometimes, the people who disrespect your time the most are the ones who are also the most willing to take advantage of it… But not this time, Karen.

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"My neighbor wanted free dog sitting and got weirdly offended when I said no"

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Resident assumes their neighbor will volunteer as an unpaid dog sitter because they work from home, but the busy remote worker proves them wrong: ‘[She] got offended when I said no’

Why do people assume that if you work from home, you're never working?

"Then she hits me with, 'I just figured since you work from home, you have the time.' Like, okay."

"My neighbor wanted free dog sitting and got weirdly offended when I said no"

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