Lazy employee demands coworker cancel customer policy, faces clapback in response: 'I've had enough'

Author image for Ally Perry
Ally Perry • Writer and Editor
May 20, 2026 3:45 PM EDT

Few things are more annoying in a workplace than a coworker who expects you to pick up their slack.

The best we can hope for when it comes to any communal workplace is that the people we work with understand the importance of working as a team. We are all going to have days when we are not operating at 100%, but so long as we do our best and have some consideration for our colleagues, that is the most important thing.

Unfortunately, this is not a point of view universally shared by everyone who has a job. Some prefer to do the least they can while simultaneously making life more difficult for those who work with them. 

The combination of slacker and mooch is often skilled in manipulating things to go their way, and facing up to them isn't always easy. Staying professional while also reminding them to take control of their own responsibilities is a balance that takes effort to achieve. Still, finding the perfect opportunity to do this can feel like an impossible task. It makes the opportunity to do it even more satisfying than it would otherwise be.

Advertisement
  • Two female employees sitting at a table and working on tablets discuss something
    via Getty Images (Unsplash+)

    Two female employees sitting at a table and working on tablets discuss something

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

  • An employee had grown more and more frustrated with her coworker due to her lazy behavior that resulted in her always asking her colleagues to do her work for her. She asked this employee recently if she would be able to do something for a customer for her. She wanted her to rectify a mistake that she had made.

    Seeing as she was one of the longest-standing employees in the business, the employee felt like she needed to solve her own problems. She found the best way to tell her this, and maybe take the first step towards her doing her job.

     

  • Coworker is going to learn she is going to fix her own mistakes.

    Extremely lazy coworker, who's been here longer than all of us, has a bad habit of trying to get us to fix her problems. And I've had ENOUGH!
    via ZoisNBooks16
  • Today she asked me to look and see if a customer had a non-pay cancellation because her home was cancelled. (As the CSR non-pays are my area.) I looked at it. Coworker was actually the one who put in a cancel request on the policy. So I sent her back a message
    via ZoisNBooks16
  • Two female employees sit together working on tablets, with one pointing at her tablet's screen
    via Getty Images (Unsplash+)

    Two female employees sit together working on tablets, with one pointing at her tablet's screen

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

  • letting her know SHE put a cancel request on the policy and that is why it is inactive. She wrote back "can we get it reinstated?" This is how she tries to get us to do something for her. Using "we" on things she alone is responsible for. When you write back things like
    via ZoisNBooks16
  • "yeah we should be able to" she'll say back "can you look at it?" Can you call and get it reinstated?" Things like that. I did not fall for it.
    via ZoisNBooks16
  • I wrote back: "You should be able to. You may have to call underwriting." Insinuating there is no "we" in this. She is going to fix her own problems.
    via ZoisNBooks16
  • Two female employees sit next to each other and work on tablets
    via Getty Images (Unsplash+)

    Two female employees sit next to each other and work on tablets

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

  • Pitiful-Hair4188 She needs to learn how to do her own job. I don't blame you for making her fix her mistake i would have to
    via Pitiful-Hair4188
  • LostinLies1 I like the pushback from 'we' to 'you'. It puts the responsibility onto her shoulders.
    via LostinLies1
  • tfcocs Classy. CC your respective supervisors, too.
    via tfcocs
  • Better Thought5717 that 'we' trick is such a lazy move, glad you didnt take the bait.
    via Better_Thought7517
  • WhatALowCreditScore I've done this with roommates exactly how you handled it!! They say, "oh can we.." and I always say, "that's a great idea! Maybe if you ask/do xyz?"
    via WhatALowCreditScore
  • Same-Author4016 Thank you for pushing back from someone that worked on the company side of these conversations. She needs to call and have the conversation with underwriting giving the justification for the reinstatement.
    via Same-Author4016
  • Plus someone (she) would then have to call the customer with the company requirements.
    via Same-Author4016
  • Liu1845 She wrote back "can we get it reinstated?" Reply "I don't know, can you? You - better check into that right away!"
    via Liu1845
  • MaryHadALittleLamb20 You put it on there so I'll leave you to sort it out.
    via MaryHadALittleLamb20

Want More? Follow Us and Add Us as a Preferred Source on Google.

Tags

employee email work coworkers customers workplace
Scroll Down For The Next Article