Called Out On The Callouts

(I’m a senior engineer, as such have a company mobile and am paid to answer it after hours. I do so whenever possible even taking it on holiday with me until…)

Boss: “I have dozens of complaints about you not answering your phone.”

Me: *knowing otherwise* “I can’t see why. When did this happen?”

Boss: “Dozens of people have told me. I have their emails.”

(He opens his emails, scrolls through finding nothing.)

Me: “Look, I always answer my phone, I can show you calls from 5 am to 11 pm, I have no missed calls, no messages, and no texts.” *getting irate* “If this is such an issue, call HR and we will sort this out.”

Boss: “I don’t like your tone; maybe I should stop your phone payment.”

Me: “Please do. You would be doing me a favour. I am the only one who takes it seriously. How many times have [Coworker #1] and [Coworker #2] just ignored the call? The payment is not worth missing out on my holiday and weekends.”

(There is a silence, as the realisation comes across my boss’s face that I am the only guy he has got dependable enough.)

Boss: *suddenly sheepish* “I, err, well I don’t want to have to take the money off you. I’m doing this to help you.”

Me: “Oh, no, please don’t do me any favours. If you are getting complaints then it must be serious. I would be happy to turn my phone in.”

Boss: “Well, I, err, maybe we can try you for a little longer and I can talk to these people.”

Me: “Yeah, sure, you do that.”

(Six months later I’m still on call out and my coworkers are still not answering their phones despite being paid to do so! I find out who complained, it was one time when I had no signal and wasn’t an emergency.)