Manager refuses to reply to employee on her days off, yet keeps contacting them on their time off, employee doesn't respond: ‘Works both ways’

Author image for Bar Mor Hazut
Bar Mor Hazut • Senior Editor
Jun 28, 2026 9:45 AM EDT

How often do you text your boss, and how long does it take them to reply?

It depends on the job, since some employees rely more on their managers than others, but most workers need their manager's input from time to time. Whether it is to make decisions that are not qualified enough to make, or to give helpful advice about a workplace issue, managers are there for a reason, and they should be available to their employees' needs.

Yet, we all know that while on paper this makes perfect sense, it doesn't always happen this way. Some managers tend to go the exact opposite way and make themselves the least available to their employees, forcing them to handle some matters completely on their own. Even though it is completely in their job description, it seems like handling their employees' issues is considered a waste of time, and they would do their best to avoid it. Well, if you ask the employee in the story below, that should work both ways.

The manager featured below decided to enforce one major rule: If she's not at work, don't contact her unless it is an absolute emergency. If you need something from her, reach out to her assistant, but don't bother her while she is off the clock.

While this rule makes sense and is respected by the employees, they still find themselves forced to handle issues that should be the manager's responsibility. While they are not immediate emergencies, it still feels like it should be handled by the manager, yet she won't reply to texts she deems unimportant while she's not at work.

If that is how the manager wants to operate, that's fine, but she should know that this works both ways. This led an employee to refuse to reply to the texts the manager sends while they are off the clock themselves. "Oh, the manager can't find the scissors? Doesn't sound like an emergency to me," is the general approach the employee has taken. And there is nothing the manager can say to stop it, unless she starts leading by example.

Advertisement
  • 01

    Respect time off and don't 'stress' you on your days off? Sure. Works both ways.

    I don't work for the best company- it's corporate and the higher ups have little understanding of what goes on at ground level. When I started, it was under a great
    via indigowulf
  • 02
    manager that protected us from most of the 'c p rolls down hill' politics.
    via indigowulf
  • 03
    Young female employee sitting in an armchair by a large office window and scrolling on her phone, presented by a model.
    via Getty Images

    Young female employee sitting in an armchair by a large office window and scrolling on her phone, presented by a model.

  • 04
    He was promoted out of the store, and after a few misfires, we got a new manager. She is very loud, she will get in conversations
    via indigowulf
  • 05
    with friends and loudly discuss controversial opinions and swear like a sailor. I've had a few customers quietly ask me why I had not reported her to
    via indigowulf
  • 06
    the manager, then roll their eyes and express sympathy when I said she IS my manager.
    via indigowulf
  • 07
    Anyway, there's a system in place for who to call when no manager is available. We are a tiny team, and most of us work solo. If the manager is
    via indigowulf
  • 08
    coming in the morning, we call her the night before with concerns. If she's not and its the assistant, we call the assistant. Sure, no problem.
    via indigowulf
  • 09
    I found an issue I thought was important enough to inform her right away instead of waiting until the next day she worked. I took pictures and shot a short text
    via indigowulf
  • 10
    explaining it. (food health. code violation from one of our vendors). I got back, and this is the exact text:
    via indigowulf
  • 11
    "I need you guys to understand that if the store is not on fire, your not being robbed your need to be contacting (assistant managers name) not me unless its an emergency please"
    via indigowulf
  • 12
    4 days later, she sends me a text scolding me for not 'doing my job' when it was in fact a managerial level job, not my level. Then the following text a few minutes
    via indigowulf
  • 13
    later saying "oh, you DID do it. sorry" and she sent me some points in our stores 'good job' system.
    via indigowulf
  • 14
    Concept of texting on a smartphone.
    via kuu akura

    Concept of texting on a smartphone.

  • 15
    I didnt respond. I wasn't on the clock. Then she text me asking what my pay rate was, for my review. I decided to respond to this one even though it's kind of, you know, her job to know.
    via indigowulf
  • 16
    I started getting stupid texts from her like "do you know where the scissors went?" and stuff that.. according to the precedent she set, was
    via indigowulf
  • 17
    not a store emergency and not my problem until I'm on the clock. I ended up deciding that I will not be answering her if I'm not on the clock. She calls, I let it go
    via indigowulf
  • 18
    to voice mail. She texts, I leave her on read until I'm on the clock.
    via indigowulf
  • 19
    Now, the company has made a 'no phones while on the clock' policy as well. So, I guess she can't text or call me while I'm on the clock either unless she calls the
    via indigowulf
  • 20
    store phone. (That's a whole other can of worms- they want us to use a mandatory app for store communication.. but not have our phones out. I asked
    via indigowulf
  • 21
    for clarification ON THE WELCOME MESSAGE on the new app, asking if they are lifting the phones at work ban, or expect us to work off the clock? Everyone in the
    via indigowulf
  • 22
    company got to see my question and the answering "we'll get back to you" that has yet to happen- now nobody is using the app because policy says we can't lol)
    via indigowulf
  • 23
    Woops. Guess she will have to come in, in person, on her days off if she wants to talk to me.
    via indigowulf
  • 24
    Maybe she should not have chewed my out so hard when I just sent her 1 text.
    via indigowulf

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

Tags

boss workplace-stories employee manager job tales-from-the-workplace retail worker text apps workplace voice mail company
Scroll Down For The Next Article