Boss asks if you can work late, you say no, then they say, "Why not?"

[Crazy Dave]

Since my work is slowing down and I've got clients going out of business themselves, it appears I'm going to have to get a real job and all the negatives of working for someone else again are going through my mind. That one always pissed me off the most and I've always told them it was none of their business. I got fired once for that though.

[PVnRT]

1. Tell them you've made prior plans

[Crazy Dave]

4. I've never felt that way and usually...

...to them it doesn't matter anyways. They just feel better asking than telling when they are in fact, demanding. I explain to them that I'm not a little kid that has to give mommy or daddy a reason, a lie or make up story that they'll believe. I also tell them I'm a grown adult, as are they and if you ask me a straight question I'll give you a straight answer, end of story. I don't have to justify to anybody what I do when I walk out of their door and I'm off the payroll.

[Phillycat]

7. No, you don't.

However, as a boss, you're not making yourself a particularly valuable employee, either. If I don't have people who can be at least slightly flexible with their schedules, then it really puts me in a bind. As your hypothetical boss, if layoffs etc, rolled around, you'd be first out the door. I need people who can help me out when I need them. And I never ask anyone to do anything I wouldn't do - I stay late all the time.

[Crazy Dave]

12. Agreed, that's what's nice about being the boss, vendettas, etc.

But I've seen the same people who work hard or late get laid off while the lower paid and the ass-kissers get to stay. Most of the time when things have got messed up and behind was because the boss did some piss poor scheduling on their part, not their employees and then it always becomes their employees job to clean up after them. Sorry but I've seen more employers screw the same people who let them be taken advantage of the the opposite.

Not all the time but most of the time.

[Phillycat]

14. Well, then you've had some shitty bosses.

I'm not like that, and my employees appreciate me. I guess I got defensive because I'm so tired of people automatically treating management as the enemy. On DU and everywhere, it's totally acceptable to be like, "I told my boss to fuck off!" and everyone cheers. Well, SOMEONE has to be the manager and that person is me, at my job. And I'm not an ogre or an asshole. I'm sort of tired of being hated just because I'm a boss.

[Crazy Dave]

16. I'm still waiting for all the people who were going to kick my ass...

When I was their boss to show up one day.

[hobbit709]

46. I've had some real shitty bosses

I've had bosses who were placed in their position because they had "management experience", said experience being assistant produce manager at a grocery and was the shift supervisor of 20 techs who troubleshot and repaired circuit boards to component level. I had one boss who played constant Chinese Fire Drill-drop this and do this, it's more important-all day long; then bitched at me because nothing got finished. Was told that I should have more respect for him because he signed my paycheck. I replied that respect is a two-way street-if you don't get any from above, you're not going to get any from below. Three months after I was fired he and his partner had a falling out that involved lawyers. The business went belly up three months after that.
I've also had bosses where I would help them hide the body. The last five places I worked are all defunct now-each one was a place where the workers were just considered cogs in the machine.
I work for myself now and while I'm not making a lot money, neither do I have to suffer fools.

[Crazy Dave]

47. Even when I got fired the one time

They called me two weeks later begging me to come back because they were really screwed and even more behind and it was very therapeutic telling them to kiss my ass again. They also ended up going out of business a couple of years later.

[DS1]

2. You have a rigorous and religious Ugandan masturbation therapy meet scheduled

that you cannot miss. Otherwise you'll simply have to face the direction of the temple and masturbate against the window.

[montanto]

18. Damn if that's not the one I always use!

Only the temple is in the direction of a wall.

Well, that's somebody else's problem.

Make them stay late.

[raccoon]

Love that one! You should be a stand-up comic. nt

[QueenOfCalifornia]

3. try to think of it as

a moment for comedic exchange.

Boss: So why can't you stay late?

You: The voices inside are telling me to do crazy stuff and by 5:45 I get that weird feeling in my gut. I always feel more comfortable when I can get to the clinic to take my meds on time. Say, can you pass me my knife in the top drawer over there?


See? It's your moment to shine!

[Dangerously Amused]

5. Say, "I will if you will."

:7

[Crazy Dave]

8. I said something similar

It was 4:30 pm and I had already worked 8.5 hours. The boss saw me about to shut my machine down and came to me with a four hour project saying, "I promised the client he could have this by 9 am tomorrow", I then told him that since he made the promise, not me, it was his responsibility to get it to the client, not mine.

[Orsino]

6. They don't want to know why.

It's your second chance to give the correct answer.

[Crazy Dave]

9. Exactly

My second answer is always, "because I said no, end of discussion"

Which is usually followed by a red angry face, or a begging pleading face, or a pink slip the next day as happened once.

[Name removed]

11. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

13. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Phillycat]

17. No, I fire people for being insubordinate.

As most bosses would. You may need to face the reality that you're not meant to interact with other humans on a daily basis.

[Crazy Dave]

22. Sorry, you'll have to face the reality that people deserve respect

If you ask a person if they can work late and they tell you no they can't, that should be the end of the discussion should it not? Or are you paranoid that they're lying to you? How dare they tell you no, etc.

Again, what is the purpose of asking a person why they cannot work late id they told you no? Why would you demand an excuse?

[Phillycat]

23. I don't.

I wouldn't ask someone why they couldn't work late. That's really not the point. The point is that you can't speak to your coworkers and your boss that way. Your tone is totally inappropriate for the workplace.

[Crazy Dave]

26. Well the whole point of the post was the fact that they demand an explanation

Not the asking of the question. Were you working too hard today to notice that?

[Phillycat]

30. So basically, you're willing to be an ass to anyone for no good reason.

They don't need to be your boss.

Good to know. Buh-bye now.

[Crazy Dave]

33. No, it takes a reason. You actually started the name calling

Very mature for a "boss"

Are you the french-fry boss or the drive-thru boss BTW?

[Pierre.Suave]

37. I am SOOOOO glad you are not my boss

although, where I work I dont think you would last very long...

:eyes:

[Crazy Dave]

44. A real loser of a boss at that

Playing on the internet all day while demanding such high standards of her "subordinates".

You put a person in charge of the french-fries and give them a paper hat and it goes straight to their head.

[datasuspect]

48. that's what i always wondered about the "bosses" and well-moneyed people who play here all day on DU

posting.

must be really busy to be surfing the net ALL FUCKING DAY during business hours.

[Crazy Dave]

52. Then they make people to work late to pick-up their slack

And they better say yes and they'd better say it nice :puke:

[DS1]

50. They have the Internets on fry machines now?

Dammit! And all this time I've been posting from the microwave :grr:

[RadiationTherapy]

28. If ordinate is a number or place...

ad sub- means below or under

and in- means not

Does insubordinate mean one is not in their "under place"

I hate that word and concept.

[VenusRising]

34. Thank you for this post.

I hate that word and concept, too.

:applause::yourock:

[Crazy Dave]

45. "I'm not firing you for saying no, I'm firing you for how you said it"

What a tool :rofl:

[philosophie_en_rose]

20. I'd fire you, too.

All you have to say is that you can't or you have personal business. I wouldn't fire you for not giving me personal details. I'd fire you for being a jerk. I'd never take that kind of tone with anyone I worked with and I wouldn't tolerate it from anyone either.

[Phillycat]

21. Exactly.

:thumbsup:

[loveable liberal]

36. That is why Unions rock.

Everything is laid out, and the conversation does end at "no, I cant stay". end of story. Any boss who continues the conversation with "why not" doesnt respect life outside of work. 1.5 time certainly isnt worth it and for the poor salaried slobs they obviously live to work not work to live.

I have some sympathy for lower management, but then they have chosen their own bed to sleep in. And since rudeness is always an individual assessment, I certainly dont trust bosses further than I can throw them.

I tried to start a union once and was blackballed for it. Oh well, I no longer work in that dump.

[Crazy Dave]

39. The unions were great too against dick-headed bosses

You couldn't be fired for not being liked by them or for not being an ass-kisser to them.

[loveable liberal]

43. with my job sometimes we are 'forced' to stay...

an extra two hours (we call it geting 'drafted'). Which is ok, it doesnt happen very often. and since I work four 10 hour days an extra two isnt terrible. But the rules for getting drafted are set forth and meted out equally. Seniority doesnt matter, the only thing that matters is who is up next on the draft list.

It will be interesting the next time there is a position opening for management. I have masters degree where very few people even have bachelors. The infighting will be fierce!

[Crazy Dave]

24. It doesn't start out rude

Hey Dave can you work late?

No I can't.

Why not?

Then it gets rude

But good for you that you can fire people who don't give you the answers you want to hear :P

[DS1]

25. They shouldn't be asking "Why not"

and you shouldn't be saying "End of discussion"

You're both wrong.

[RadiationTherapy]

29. OT - did you give up? did I win?

You thought you were the king; at least the prince of this place.
Now something like egg white's dripping offa your face.

[DS1]

35. hah

no, I went to lunch, and there's some stuff I have to actually do at work.

We can finish this later, I'll make you an omellette

[RadiationTherapy]

38. Will you spell check it before you serve it up?

I like sour cream, but no cheese.

A little mayo toast on the side please.

Make it quick, sweetheart. *pat your ass as you shuffle away*

[philosophie_en_rose]

40. It doesn't matter.

:P

He asked a dumb question. He didn't insult your mom. If you just said, "sorry, I can't" or "I have some personal business" and then your boss kept pestering you - you might have to be firm. However, merely asking a question - however dumb - doesn't deserve a rude response.

[Crazy Dave]

42. Well, it only got me fired once in 22 years

The rest of the times it got them to leave me alone, got me bribes of extra money or time off, a raise, etc.

Most workers don't realize it can be or it is a two-way deal

[NewJeffCT]

10. Do you have kids?

Tell them you need to pick them up from daycare before it closes.

[1gobluedem]

15. Just say you have kids or elderly parents

That seems to do the trick when extra time is requested here. And as the one who has neither, I end up putting in most of the extra time.

[Withywindle]

27. Ain't that the truth!

I think at my next job, I'm going to go to the trouble of inventing a fictional kid from the beginning. Name, pictures, everything.

Ideally a sickly one. Then, when someone asks me why I can't stay late or take all the weekend shifts or cover for a co-worker at the last minute, all I have to do is get teary-eyed and make my lip tremble a little. (That would also explain why I never bring the tyke to company picnics.)

[raccoon]

32. i third that! nt

[panhead1961]

19. You are extremely active with your church 5 nights a week and 2 days

[Orrex]

31. Tell your boss that you turn into a werewolf at 5:15

And you'd hate to have to explain yet another scene of lupine-induced carnage.

[DarkTirade]

41. "Because then your wife will be up waiting for me aaaaaall night..."

... either that, or I'd just say, "I can't." again and leave it at that.

[Radical Activist]

51. Just what I was about to post

lol

Or, "I don't want to leave your mother waiting."

[Roon]

49. I was always called up on my day off to help in the kitchen

I got wise though, I started telling the chef...."I have been drinking all night and all day today!! It's my day off!!!...works pretty good.

[old mark]

53. Tell them your good job starts after this one ends for the day.

Of coures, that might get you fired, too. They are so touchy.

mark