Thanks For The Extra Pay, Jerk!

My workplace is very forgiving; you don’t see people being disciplined and I have never seen anyone fired. That is probably why [Coworker] still works here. He does an okay job but seems to seek out ways to be wronged and then acts out massively. 

Coworker: “Hey, can you cover for me next week?”

Me: “Err, I’m going to be a bit busy next week. What day?”

Coworker: “No, the whole week.”

Me: “Oh, no, sorry. I’m off one day and have a customer with me one day.”

Coworker: “There are five days in the week!”

Me: “During which I will be doing my own job!”

Coworker: “Fine, whatever!”

He storms off dramatically, which is pretty funny because his desk is only a few meters away. I don’t think any more of it until his boss approaches me.

Coworker’s Boss: “So, we have the [meeting] Wednesday, and the monthly reports due Monday—”

Me: “Sorry, but why are you telling me this?”

Coworker’s Boss: “Well, you’re covering for him! He has the week off.”

Me: “I’m not; I told him I can’t.”

Coworker’s Boss: “What? Wait ‘til I get hold of him.”

I avoid [Coworker] and his boss for the rest of the week. Monday comes around and his boss is again at my desk.

Coworker’s Boss: “Can you help me with this report, please?”

Me: “I’m sorry, didn’t we have this conversation last week?”

Coworker’s Boss: *Sighs* “[Coworker] has called in sick today. Please, any help would be great.”

Me: “Okay, I guess.”

I stay a little late and get everything done, including [Coworker]’s work. I have Tuesday off, and I come in early Wednesday, ready to catch up with everything I’ve missed. I open my emails to find one from my boss, asking to see him ASAP. I go to his office and see him and [Coworker]’s boss there.

Me: “You asked to see me?”

My Boss: “We need your help. [Coworker] isn’t in again and he has some important work to get out.”

Me: “I can see where this is going, but I am already a day behind on my own work, and I have [Major Customer] coming in tomorrow, so I not only have to catch up and prepare for the meeting but also I’ll also miss another day. So, no, I don’t think I can.”

My Boss: “I’ve talked to human resources and the director; we will give you double-time for all of your hours and I personally will add an extra five hours to it. Don’t forget, pay review session is nearly here and this will look very good for you.”

Me: “Fine, I guess.”

I end up having one of the busiest weeks of my life. I work late into the evening all week and I have to move a load of work into next week just to get done. However, I manage to get through it.

The next week, [Coworker] waltzes in like nothing has happened. After chatting with some people, he strolls over to my desk.

Coworker: “Looks like you did have time after all. Ha.”

Me: “I think your boss wants you.”

His boss motioned him toward the office. Whatever was said didn’t last long, and [Coworker] left the room with an empty box to fill with his stuff. If I had to guess, calling in sick and then posting pictures of his holiday on Facebook was probably the last straw. They replaced him with a part-time worker who is lovely and somehow never struggles anywhere near as much as [Coworker] did.

This story is part of our Best Of April 2021 roundup!

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