December 2019

update: I’m training my replacement — and she’s condescending, rude, and won’t listen

It’s “where are you now?” month at Ask a Manager, and all December I’m running updates from people who had their letters here answered in the past. Here are five updates from past letter-writers. Remember the letter-writer who was training her replacement, and the replacement was condescending, rude, and wouldn’t listen? The letter-writer was switching […]

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update: my coworkers complained that the look of my breasts post-mastectomy is making them uncomfortable

It’s “where are you now?” month at Ask a Manager, and all December I’m running updates from people who had their letters here answered in the past. Remember the letter-writer whose coworkers complained that the look of her breasts after her mastectomy was making them uncomfortable? Here’s the update. First, as many people guessed, I […]

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update: do I need to work with the woman my father had an affair with?

It’s “where are you now?” month at Ask a Manager, and all December I’m running updates from people who had their letters here answered in the past. Remember the letter-writer whose office was considering hiring the woman her father had recently cheated on her mom with (while the woman was the letter-writer’s roommate, no less)? […]

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how much detail do you have to give when you call in sick?

A reader writes: My friends and I (all 25ish, fairly new to the working world) are divided on how to call in sick. Mainly, how much detail are you supposed to go into about what is wrong with you? (“I’m not feeling well”? “I have a cold”? “I was up all night with terrible diarrhea”?) […]

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update: my office has a burn book we all have to read and sign

It’s “where are you now?” month at Ask a Manager, and all December I’m running updates from people who had their letters here answered in the past. Remember the letter-writer whose manager wrote down everyone’s minor mistakes in a notebook and made everyone else read and sign it? Here’s the update. On the evening you […]

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update: my boss is my new next-door neighbor

It’s “where are you now?” month at Ask a Manager, and all December I’m running updates from people who had their letters here answered in the past. Remember the letter-writer whose department head was moving in next door? Here’s the update. My update is (thankfully!) pretty boring. My firm’s partner and I hardly interact outside […]

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