December 2020
- most popular posts of 2020
- updates: the loony reopening plans, too much jargon, and more
- update: my boss is rude to waitstaff
- update: my coworker is unbearably negative
- updates: the burn-out, the awkward bill, and more
- updates: the roommate, the friend boss, and more
- updates: the constant screenshots, the wolf whistle, and more
- update: my boss sent a chat message I wasn’t supposed to see — but it popped up on a shared screen
- update: my boss refused to call an ambulance for an injured coworker
- updates: the wedding invite, the creepy candidate, and more
- update: can I talk about my boyfriend’s other girlfriend at work?
- update: grad student sends me rude emails
- updates: the boundary-violating boss, the scars, and more
- updates: the Disney vacation, the long hours, and more
- updates: my company is doing drive-bys to check that I’m at home, and more
- update: can you fire someone solely for being racist?
- update: should I give up on job-searching in my new city and move back home?
- weekend open thread – December 26-27, 2020
- it’s your Friday good news
- open thread – December 25-26, 2020
- the hostage videos, the barfing owl, and other holiday gift debacles
- another person got their dog (UPDATED WITH PHOTOS)
- updates: the inappropriate boss, the small gifts, and more
- the wrong Santa, the mushroom casserole, and other stories of office holiday mayhem
- update: my boss wants to give me his kidney — but I don’t want it
- update: how do I tell references I’m applying to be an astronaut?
- interviewer asked what I’d do with a live elephant, coworker doesn’t think I should take vacation, and more
- updates: the treats, the fake tooth, and more
- update: my abusive boss was fired after I complained about her — what do I say to coworkers?
- update: my coworkers complained that the look of my breasts post-mastectomy is making them uncomfortable
- update: my husband is my boss — and we’re getting divorced
- my employees are afraid to be promoted in case their coworkers resent them
- update: coworkers are bringing kids to work but keeping it a secret from our boss
- company tried to change job offer after I accepted, forwarding a contact’s terrible resume, and more
- my favorite posts of 2020
- update: my boss is a jerk — how do I deal with her?
- updates: coworkers constantly complain about people with kids, and more
- update: my abusive former boss is still contacting me to berate me, months after I left
- the law requiring paid sick leave for Covid ends next week — and won’t be extended
- update: my coworker thinks I insulted adoptive parents
- I got in trouble for not going to the holiday party, and more
- update: I’m stuck in endless interviews with a company that can’t make up its mind
- updates: mentor gives terrible advice, my husband keeps contacting my coworkers, and more
- update: my employee asked for a 170% raise
- updates: boss assumes we’re slacking off when we work from home, and more
- is it unprofessional to have an email address with 69 in it?
- update: fielding a job offer when you might be facing a serious health diagnosis
- update: do I have any chance of fixing my dysfunctional job?
- weekend open thread – December 19-20, 2020
- update: I reported my sexist team to HR — and now they’re doing a much bigger investigation than I wanted
- updates: the unreasonable hiring process, the blown interview, and more
- it’s your Friday good news
- open thread – December 18-19, 2020
- avoiding political talk when working in politics, telling my boss not to call me on vacation, and more
- update: the anti-Semitic comment, the “calm down” boss, and more
- update: is it okay to drink before a presentation?
- updates: the invasive client, the missing chocolate egg, and more
- when is it OK to quit a new job I hate?
- office holiday gift-giving stories: worst gifts and weirdest gifts
- my job gave everyone a gift but me, pre-planned trips when interviewing, and more
- updates: exclamation point overload, the person who caused a Covid panic, and more
- updates: calling in sick after feedback, the lurid crime emails, and more
- updates: firing someone in a pandemic, hiring an ex, and more
- update: my coworker told me I smell
- my employee didn’t check email for months
- update: my company won’t pay us if we don’t install spy software on our personal computers
- employee wants to do more but won’t do it well, talking salary with coworkers, and more
- updates: the drug deal, the fake celebrity spokesperson, and more
- update: someone filled the office freezer with 30+ cuts of meat
- updates: the nail clipping, the uninvited cockroach, and more
- the best office holiday party date story of all time
- update: my disgusting boss touches and chews on everything on my desk
- giving a good reference to get rid of a bad employee, I don’t want to manage people, and more
- updates: employee tracks me, the hugging vendor, and more
- updates: the bag of garbage, the revenge porn, and more
- updates: the public speaking, the LinkedIn tagger, and more
- updates: team won’t accommodate my allergy, mixed messages after lay-offs, and more
- my intern wears leggings as pants
- update: my manager makes us do mental-health surveys every day
- I got drunk and told my boss I love her, company pays us not to use health insurance, and more
- updates: the married client’s mistress, the weird thank-you’s, and more
- update: a client sent me a thank-you check as a way to avoid paying my boss
- weekend open thread – December 12-13, 2020
- updates: my boss jokes about me having “work suitors” and more
- updates: the swearing coworker, the employee who doesn’t do his own work, and more
- it’s your Friday good news
- open thread – December 11-12, 2020
- company fired employee for being unhappy, asking about dress code in an interview, and more
- updates: rehiring a bully, finding the F word on a form, and more
- update: can my husband’s employer constantly record all the conversation in our house?
- do I really need to set personal goals after a terrible year?
- all of my 2020 book recommendations
- should I lay off myself instead of my team?
- the worst boss of 2020 is…
- coworker talks about her sex life and my weight, questions for phone interviews, and more
- updates: the terrible employee, the secret traveling, and more
- update: two of my employees are harassing their disabled coworker
- update: I had a secret relationship with a coworker and now I’m pregnant
- my employees held a party without asking or involving me
- update: my career counselor says I won’t be able to work because of my monthly medical appointments
- vote for the worst boss of 2020: the finals
- planning a party for a holiday you don’t celebrate, explaining an error on your resume, and more
- updates: the screaming monkey toy, the contested plane ticket, and more
- updates: the moldy food, sharing the wealth, and more
- update: my coworker is upset that I’m pregnant
- my coworker gives me a gift every year — should I be reciprocating?
- update: my employee accidentally posted porn to the company group chat and now wants to resign in shame
- vote for the worst boss of 2020: round 2
- new hire is crossing boundaries with my husband, asking a client why she didn’t hire me, and more
- update: I suck at my job but am otherwise a delightful person
- update: I messed up at work and I’m so ashamed
- updates: I got pregnant by my new boss, and more
- how to give negative feedback in an open office
- update: I can’t say no to clients, and my success is destroying me
- vote for the worst boss of 2020
- my boss pays his son’s wife to do nothing, angry about a disappearing intern, and more
- updates: the borrowed laptop, the constant FaceTiming, and more
- updates: the boss’s spying friend, the strangely encouraging employee, and more
- weekend open thread – December 5-6, 2020
- update: will it hurt my chances of getting hired if I can only do video interviews?
- updates: the social boss, knowing when to lean out, and more
- it’s your Friday good news
- open thread – December 4-5, 2020
- interviewer pressed me about politics, I was undercover-bossed, and more
- update: my emotionally fragile employee is sobbing at work multiple times a week
- updates: the religious music, the venting boss, and more
- updates: my older male coworker is obsessed with my weight and baby plans, and more
- share your funniest office holiday stories
- my old job ripped off another company, should I tell my coworkers why my boobs are gone, and more
- update: my coworker is a Covid denier
- Microsoft is removing the user names from its creepy “productivity score”
- updates: asking out an ex-boss, kids taking note at your meetings, and more
- my employee wants too much time off for the holidays
- update: my work is getting more and more religious and I’m an atheist
- I’m attracted to my boss, VIP references, and more
- update: my coworkers make orgasm sounds while I’m on the phone
- “I will confront you by Wednesday of this week”
- update: my employee keeps getting deadnamed by a coworker
- I couldn’t use sick time after my boyfriend had a stroke because we’re not married, and more
November 2020
- Microsoft’s creepy new “productivity score” tells your boss how often you attend meetings, answer email, and use Word
- how do you hold an office holiday party during a pandemic?
- is it right to fire someone for being arrested for a (horrible) crime?
- boss told me I need to wear makeup and jewelry, employee has terrible attitude, and more
- weekend open thread – November 28-29, 2020
- it’s your Friday good news
- open thread – November 27-28, 2020
- being put on a performance plan right after a glowing review, photos on resumes, and more
- the Christmas tantrum, the dirty elf, and other tales of holidays at work
- Thanksgiving free-for-all – November 26, 2020
- Thanksgiving eve open thread
- a happy ending
- job applicants’ parents keep calling me
- how do I talk about my work when my work is depressing?
- bringing pet spiders to work, manager is following people to the bathroom, and more
- should I tell my boss about my coworker’s temper tantrum?
- my boss keeps inviting herself to my house
- the people I train keep failing — am I the problem?
- coworker won’t stop consulting an ex-employee, my boss won’t wear a mask, and more
- HR is giving me bad vibes, but I like the hiring manager
- how can I find new hires who will be comfortable with our “boys club” culture?
- we can only bring our spouses to the holiday party if we have kids
- HR won’t let me do anything about my horrible employee, coworker plays music all day, and more
- weekend open thread – November 21-22, 2020
- it’s your Friday good news
- open thread – November 20-21, 2020
- I’m working 17-hour days, ex-employee left a bad review of our vendor, and more
- send in your updates!
- new director got drunk on his first day
- what to buy your employees for the holidays
- how do I change careers?
- a helicopter parent, is a 50% raise possible, and more
- can I refuse to meet with my boss until he sends an agenda?
- can I leverage a job offer for a raise at my current job?
- my job search after grad school has been soul-crushing
- boss spends the morning ranting, using “tl;dr” in work emails, and more
- can you be spontaneous when you have a full-time job?
- my office asks people to work while they’re on vacation
- I lied to get a job and can’t let go of the guilt
- my coworker thinks I insulted adoptive parents, am I embarrassing my boss, and more
- can we tell our company we want cash instead of a holiday celebration?
- my employees keep changing their schedules at the last minute
- my dad is giving me weird and sexist career advice
- job search portfolios for students, unsafe holiday party, and more
- weekend open thread – November 14-15, 2020
- it’s your Friday good news
- open thread – November 13-14, 2020
- I was praised for my insecurities, boss pressures me to reschedule vacations, and more
- will a job candidate who used to be in charge really be OK with a non-management job?
- my boss’s boss asked me a fantastic question
- what do we do about end-of-year celebrations during the pandemic?
- is it OK to fire someone over email, resigning over an ethical conflict, and more
- I’m not getting interviews because employers think they can’t afford me
- how to ask references about a candidate’s personality
- my company wants us to meditate and do yoga and alternative healing
- job candidate read all his answers from notes, predecessor won’t clear out their office, and more
- my interviewer berated me and called me a liar
- is my job the problem — or is it me?
- I can’t fire a terrible employee
- we all need a good editor – and I’ve found her
- candidate was dressed too casually, upset about hiring process, and more
- how to interview with people you already know
- not every work call needs to be on video
- two of my employees are harassing their disabled coworker
- my boss is a snob about college degrees, will I look ungrateful for quitting, and more
- weekend open thread – November 7-8, 2020
- it’s your Friday good news
- open thread – November 6-7, 2020
- my boss mimes shooting herself, asking our boss to stop “helping” so much, and more
- how to explain to interviewers that you left a job due to burnout
- I think my employee is overpaid
- how can we keep morale up during our busy holiday season when we’re all at home?
- I’m working for a pyramid scheme, how to stop making careless mistakes, and more
- my employee doesn’t wear a bra on Zoom meetings — should I say anything?
- your reminder that there is much good in the world
- updates: company told people to use PTO for quarantine, and more
- am I going to regret not pursuing a more high-powered career?
- contractor wants a raise 2 months after starting, fired for no reason, and more
- if you need a distraction tonight, here are some classic Ask a Manager letters
- let’s talk about kindness at work
- why can’t I get feedback about why I was rejected for a job?
- stories of Machiavellian triumphs, part 2
- is someone impersonating my remote coworker, ex-boss snooping in emails, and more
- pretending to be Canadian, and other Machiavellian triumphs at work
- how to address a problem you hear about secondhand
- client shows up without an appointment, despite repeated requests not to
- is my old boss ghosting me, no one will tell me what my promotion is, and more
October 2020
- weekend open thread – October 31-November 1, 2020
- a Halloween round-up
- it’s your Friday good news
- open thread – October 30-31, 2020
- giving people a heads-up before a coworker is fired, telling your boss he’s unapproachable, and more
- how to negotiate remote work once you get a job offer
- where are you now? (a call for updates)
- what’s the most Machiavellian thing you’ve seen or done at work?
- taking work calls on my honeymoon, traveling after graduating, and more
- my frustrated employee is unlikely to advance
- I lied on my resume — now what?
- my coworker yells and is disruptive — and we’re afraid to confront her
- my company wants me to Photoshop our customers, managers uses our meetings to vent, and more
- how do I change my attitude toward my needy, frustrating employee?
- is it worth going to HR about a bad manager?
- what should I expect from my staff at this point in the pandemic?
- an aggressively atheist coworker, racy music on a work computer, and more
- here’s an example of an excellent cover letter
- banning political talk at work isn’t the answer … but read the room
- my new team is taunting me because I have a nut allergy
- I am making things with yarn and loving it
- why are people so relaxed about lateness, should managing be this much work, and more
- weekend open thread – October 24-25, 2020
- it’s your Friday good news
- open thread – October 23-24, 2020
- my coworker slept with my boyfriend, feedback for an excellent employee, and more
- I won money on a game show, and my coworkers resent that I wasn’t laid off
- should our office ban smelly foods?
- starting a new job when you’re working remotely
- my replacement doesn’t want me to stop helping him, candidates who don’t send thank-you’s, and more
- I’m too good at interviewing — and get offered jobs I can’t do
- as a manager, do I need to hide my stress from my team?
- how to say “no, I won’t clean the bathroom”
- staff doesn’t say thank you, reference checker only wanted to hear about “exceptional” candidates, and more
- when is struggling financially worth it for your career?
- planned maintenance later today
- my boss never praises my work
- new coworker is a rude know-it-all
- I don’t want to be friends with my coworker, attendance contest, and more
- should I use a two-column resume?
- a tale of two companies
- my manager has a million questions about EVERYTHING
- boss criticizes people publicly, coworker spouts conspiracy theories, and more
- weekend open thread – October 17-18, 2020
- Friday good news
- nude spouses and no muting: when video calls go wrong
- open thread – October 16-17, 2020
- should we just give money for the holidays, boss drops stress bombs, and more
- how can I encourage complaints from my employees?
- what’s the ideal personality type for a manager?
- I’m the lone progressive in my company — how do I deal with all the political talk?
- applying for jobs from work, using a work name and a social name, and more
- my company is issuing new work-from-home standards because we should have the hang of it by now
- should I apply to businesses that aren’t hiring?
- my boss tells weird lies about all of us
- muting your boss, lavish virtual holiday parties, and more
- my early bird coworkers grumble that I start work later than they do
- my coworker berates me all day long
- your job application was rejected by a human, not a computer
- team is meeting in-person despite company rules, counting school as work experience, and more
- when you’re inexperienced, how can you know if something is worth complaining about or leaving a job over?
- working from home is making a lot of people miserable
- my partner freaks out over any background noise when working from home
- what new hires should wear on video calls, withdrawing from a hiring process, and more
- weekend open thread – October 10-11, 2020
- it’s your Friday good news
- open thread – October 9-10, 2020
- we have to share our feelings on a color-coded scale, how to demote someone, and more
- should I really bother with taking vacation time this year?
- updates: the non-vacation, the maternity leave demotion, and more
- how can I stay organized when I’m working from home?
- how much can I coast before grad school, requiring employees to pay for a phone, and more
- my dysfunctional office only hires young people because we’re “blank slates”
- should I warn someone he might be fired?
- employee keeps missing work because of possible Covid exposures in their social life
- my boss accused me of game-playing, eccentric references, and more
- my boss told me that I smell
- how do I draw the line on political conversations at work?
- my coworker told everyone we’re married … we’re not even dating
- “over the hill” office parties, my boss won’t announce I’m leaving, and more
- my boss is rude to waitstaff
- how can I make our team meetings more collaborative?
- my employer won’t let us tell candidates what we pay until we make them an offer
- my manager calls me a “diversity hire,” text-speak at work, and more
- weekend open thread – October 3-4, 2020
- it’s your Friday good news
- open thread – October 2-3, 2020
- a tech update
- my cost-of-living raise doesn’t cover my increased costs of living, my office has a mold problem, and more
- I don’t want to bring my “whole self” to work
- update: job candidate’s suspicious husband photographed me before her interview
- let’s talk about public service fellowships (AmeriCorps, etc.)
- office won’t call me “lord,” everyone has ideas but won’t do the work, and more
September 2020
- am I being too self-deprecating at my new job?
- my employee has been sulking since her job changed
- should I re-hire a bully, a “baking fund” jar, and more
- update: our library staff have all been reassigned to do childcare for county workers
- should I warn job candidates about how bad my company is?
- my boss is impossible to reach when I need responses
- I miss my toxic old job, living with a coworker, and more
- I saw a coworker’s husband naked on Zoom – should I say anything?
- how to fire a difficult, long-time employee
- I can’t seem to stop being late to meetings
- employee gets hangry when she doesn’t eat, my boss and sister-in-law are problems, and more
- weekend open thread – September 26-27, 2020
- it’s your Friday good news
- open thread – September 25-26, 2020
- coworker is obsessed with my video set-up, how important are cover letters in IT, and more
- you’re exhausted and burned out because work is terrible
- updates: family noise when working from home, the boring job, and more
- do you miss your office?
- manager buys me gifts, my rude email got forwarded, and more
- does it look unprofessional to draw in meetings?
- my employee resigned but now isn’t leaving
- my employee’s clothes accentuate her chest — how do I talk to her about it?
- coworker got angry at my minor prank, recruiter called non-stop all day, and more
- dealing with recruiters when phone calls make you anxious
- my boss wants us to stay on Zoom all day
- my coworker screams awful things at her kids during video calls
- my voice makes callers think I’m a kid, former coworker keeps trying to contact me, and more
- how do I let go of my previous role?
- my older employee keeps talking about my age
- should you create a fake workload to test how much pressure an employee can take?
- my boss commented on my work with a puke emoji, coworker is upset I’m pregnant, and more
- weekend open thread – September 19-20, 2020
- it’s your Friday good news
- open thread – September 18-19, 2020
- not feeling the Hogwarts spirit, who pays for coffee, and more
- should I avoid softening my emails with qualifying language?
- my employee disagrees with his performance evaluation
- I get emotional when customers yell at me
- correcting your boss’s grammar, coaching a peer, and more
- how do I quit when my boss won’t speak to me?
- how to set boundaries with a very chatty coworker
- my employee keeps reminding me she used to be a manager
- asking out a coworker, the value of service fellowships, and more
- when should I tell my friend I applied for a job she wants?
- how do I network now that I can’t take people for coffee?
- our office nurse thinks Covid is a hoax
- firing someone during a pandemic, we have to say what we spent our bonus on, and more
- when you can’t get a raise but might get the whole business
- no one knows their legal rights at work
- my boss suggested I stay home once I have kids
- my job’s travel conflicts with husband’s job, talking to my boss about imposter syndrome, and more
- weekend open thread – September 12-13, 2020
- it’s your Friday good news
- Ask a Manager in the media
- open thread – September 11-12, 2020
- my boss wants me to be friends with her son, how do reference-checkers verify my resume, and more
- employer rescinded my job offer — where did I go wrong?
- how to vote
- updates: renting from the boss, Cards Against Humanity at a work party, and more
- not over-sharing as a manager while trying to de-stigmatize mental health
- my ex works at my new job, using an affair partner as a reference, and more
- my mentor has become a QAnon conspiracist
- my coworker keeps hijacking our meetings
- my company makes me front thousands of dollars on my personal credit card
- I have to take screenshot of everything I do at work, getting an award I don’t qualify for, and more
- am I asking too much of a flexible schedule?
- my coworker keeps pressuring me to get pregnant
- my boss’s kids are incredibly distracting on video calls
- manager photographed accidental exposure, auto-replies saying your email won’t be read, and more
- Labor Day open thread
- I accidentally sent my boss a message complaining about her, boss wants to know my long-term plan, and more
- weekend open thread – September 5-6, 2020
- it’s your Friday good news
- open thread – September 4-5, 2020
- job applicants are hounding me, asking Black former employees for feedback, and more
- do I respond to emails too quickly?
- update: job candidate’s suspicious husband photographed me before her interview
- what is your company providing if you’re working from home?
- birthdays with food restrictions, quitting right before your boss goes on leave, and more
- my boss says it’s “not her place” to say anything to my smelly, messy coworker
- my employee ignores instructions
- my employee is holding me hostage over a raise
- pointing out grammatical errors in job ads, HR called me “fragile” in a public document, and more
- I need to give my employee more positive feedback
- my boss wants to be my BFF
- my older male manager sent me a middle-of-the-night Snapchat request
- my coworker is a Covid denier, we have to critique the work of other job candidates, and more
August 2020
- my mentor gives me terrible advice and berates me when I don’t follow it
- how can I get my employees to be better managers?
- am I an underachiever?
- coworker wants to be called “Doctor,” paid job trials, and more
- weekend open thread – August 29-30, 2020
- it’s your Friday good news
- open thread – August 28-29, 2020
- we got weight loss tips for Women’s History Month, interviewer thought I was lying, and more
- my employee keeps getting deadnamed by a coworker
- updates: getting sick at a new job, condescending employee, and more
- how is your company supporting employees with kids right now?
- I’ve found your new personal shopper
- we start meetings with “words of essence,” leaving right after a bonus, and more
- are people judging me for looking scruffy at work?
- update: our employer wants to cut our pay — retroactively
- job candidate’s suspicious husband photographed me before her interview
- fake resumes and false references, coworker was in an adult film, and more
- how do I negotiate my start date at a new job?
- should I tell my boss about my slacker coworker?
- our library staff have all been reassigned to do childcare for county workers
- an overly Photoshopped job candidate, do I have to put dates on my resume, and more
- can my husband’s employer constantly record all the conversation in our house?
- is my employee abusing her medical leave?
- how can we keep involving our laid-off staff in our work?
- calling out sick in your first week, my ideas are ignored unless I submit them anonymously, and more
- weekend open thread – August 22-23, 2020
- it’s your Friday good news
- open thread – August 21-22, 2020
- should my unpaid internship have been paid, offering to give up a bonus, and more
- am I really supposed to bug my coworkers to get my projects handled?
- how to manage an overly chatty employee
- I’m getting laid off and it’s threatening my sense of identity
- companies that ban beards, hot flashes in interviews, and more
- should I use vacation time when my internet goes down?
- my employee is alienating all her coworkers
- my boss forced me to do a video call — with eye contact — while I was driving
- do I have to share my extra shifts, playing a video of my boss while I work, and more
- should I tell a candidate she was rejected for plagiarizing her recruitment test?
- how can I make a good impression in phone interviews?
- our new boss doesn’t know how awful her second-in-command is
- is my girly office holding me back, my manager refuses to mute, and more
- what should our employer share with us when a coworker tests positive for COVID-19?
- the workplace behavior on “Selling Sunset” … is a problem
- company said they’d base my job offer on my current salary
- sending an anonymous note to my wife’s employer, internships and equity, and more
- weekend open thread – August 15-16, 2020
- it’s your Friday good news
- open thread – August 14-15, 2020
- my boss keeps telling people I’ve had COVID, employee apologizes all the time, and more
- my team overuses reply-all
- should we tell dating employees one of them has to quit?
- when you live at work: let’s talk about company-provided housing
- we were told to bake cookies for our IT team, keeping quarantine hair, and more
- my boss brags about giving “clear, direct” feedback — but really is just mean
- how to disagree with your boss
- how much should I keep trying to coach my boss, who is drowning in his job?
- employee’s girlfriend comes in every day, using sick time for doctor’s appointments, and more
- how can we get dinner privacy with a live-in nanny?
- my company is incredibly weird when people resign
- I wrote an awful story about a coworker, and it’s following me around years later
- should I try to steal my old coworker’s job, are cotton clothes less professional, and more
- you should be giving your interns mock interviews
- managers still aren’t sure “working from home” means really working
- someone sent our company revenge porn of our employee
- interns want to break social distancing guidelines, cockroach etiquette, and more
- weekend open thread – August 8-9, 2020
- it’s your Friday good news
- open thread – August 7-8, 2020
- spending hours on thank-you notes, employer froze our vacation time, and more
- I don’t know how to get past my toxic job
- updates: the secret Santa underwear gift, the discriminating boss, and more
- I’m struggling with working at home during COVID-19
- new job while going through a break-up, thanking husband’s boss for a bonus, and more
- should I ask my employee to find her own coverage for sick calls?
- I overheard a client badmouthing my team
- my older male coworker is obsessed with my weight and baby plans
- how to explain a late professional start, demotions, and more
- I like to give small gifts at work — am I doing anything wrong?
- I deeply dislike my try-hard coworker
- do my clothes and car make me look like I don’t “need” a job — and is that a problem?
- mental health days during Covid, talking about pumping in male-dominated office, and more
- can I flat-out refuse to do a project?
- how can I make sure my staff meets deadlines?
- my boss hired his girlfriend and we are imploding
- coming to work with Covid symptoms, including work about a BDSM dungeon in a portfolio, and more
- weekend open thread – August 1-2, 2020
July 2020
- it’s your Friday good news
- Ask a Manager in the media
- open thread – July 31-August 1, 2020
- I need time off work because of my husband’s alcoholism, boss doesn’t pay freelancers on time, and more
- should I negotiate a job offer on the spot or ask for time to think it over?
- update: a client sent me a thank-you check as a way to avoid paying my boss
- how can I be less emotionally invested during my job search?
- playing “never have I ever” at work, child care stipends for employees, and more
- companies that ask people to answer mini-essays before submitting resumes
- updates: Joseph Stalin, sleeping during car rides, and more
- my new boss is an elder in a sexist church
- is it OK to ask a coworker to swap pants, teachers at my child’s school aren’t social distancing, and more
- my employee asked for a 170% raise
- my employee intentionally exposed himself to COVID
- my coworker screamed at me and HR hasn’t done anything
- did I get offered a job because I can bake, kid noise on calls, and more
- should I tell future managers about my ADHD?
- a terrible employee asked me for a reference
- people who claim they can’t wear masks, coworker’s Disney vacation, and other questions about COVID-19 and work
- I’m my boss’s favorite, infertility at work, and more
- weekend open thread – July 25-26, 2020
- it’s your Friday good news
- open thread – July 24-25, 2020
- can I breastfeed my baby on video calls, credit checks in job interviews, and more
- my employee lied about having COVID
- updates: the crush, the up-front salary question, and more
- how do I change to “they” pronouns at work?
- coworker demands my attention when I’m busy, performance reviews during COVID, and more
- my manager makes us do mental-health surveys every day
- what to say when people ask why an employee was fired
- I’m stuck in daily three-hour Zoom meetings
- boss won’t give me deadlines, resumes that focus on goals instead of achievements, and more
- my company has strict language protocols that my coworker won’t follow
- do I have any chance of fixing my dysfunctional job?
- my employee thinks coronavirus is a hoax
- no one is communicating with me during my furlough, interview assignments, and more
- is it possible to apply for a job too quickly?
- my employee posts on social media when she’s out sick
- should I tell my boss about my anxieties from past dysfunctional jobs?
- boss responds to every email with “calm down,” my office is overrun with buzzwords, and more
- weekend open thread – July 18-19, 2020
- it’s your Friday good news
- open thread – July 17-18, 2020
- grad student sends rude emails, photos with job applications, and more
- can I tell interviewers my weakness is that I burn myself out?
- should pet peeves influence hiring decisions?
- my friend is a terrible employee — should I tell her what I really think or just give her sympathy?
- boss gives us pop quizzes, random drug tests during quarantine, and more
- my coworkers’ constant talk about stress is stressing me out
- my coworker says our company is toxic — but is she the problem?
- my boss is discriminating against my pregnant employee
- I was told to ask more questions, recommending high-priced products at work, and more
- should I give up on job-searching in my new city and move back home?
- should I lie on my resume to make myself stand out?
- how to handle requests to “pick your brain” from new grads
- coworker won’t stop talking about the end times, is it ever OK to lose it on a colleague, and more
- I was laid off, and my less experienced coworker was hired back
- employers are sick of the pandemic, and employees are paying the price
- my coworker told me to stop flirting with a student employee
- staff says safety rules “make them feel contagious,” owner pretends not to be in meetings, and more
- weekend open thread – July 11-12, 2020
- it’s your Friday good news
- open thread – July 10-11, 2020
- boss is forcing me to work while I’m laid off, office says “I appreciate you” instead of “thank you,” and more
- am I being unprofessional on video calls?
- updates: dealing with firing someone, the lost bonus, and more
- what are my obligations to my team when I’m also caring for a toddler full-time?
- was this networking or a date request, coworker is secretly traveling, and more
- my employee announced her acceptance to grad school on Twitter without telling anyone in advance
- is it OK to be Facebook friends with people I manage?
- here’s a bunch of help finding a new job
- mixed messages after layoffs, called back to the office but I’m a single mom with no child care, and more
- is my boss taking advantage of the pandemic?
- I feel guilty about leaving the team I manage
- my emotionally fragile employee is sobbing at work multiple times a week
- coworkers’ kids are noisy at work, SAT scores in a cover letter, and more
- my coworker’s meetings run on and on … and he knows we’re all trapped in our houses
- my employee wants to be micromanaged
- my boss sent a friend to spy on me at my house
- my boss says grad school will prove I’m serious, being micromanaged after a great review, and more
- weekend open thread – July 4-5, 2020
- it’s your Friday good news
- open thread – July 3-4, 2020
- we have to live within 100 miles of our director, company said paying me more would be “unfair,” and more
- I’m not a recent grad — can I still intern?
- updates: the follower-upper, the different title, and more
- networking as a woman, when men keep angling for dates
- boss asked me for solutions to awful morale, using a personal cell phone for work, and more
- my boss asked me if she should fire my coworker and then threw me under the bus
- how to handle a pushy job candidate
- my boss asked me to reflect on my conflicts with coworkers and I don’t want to
- my mom’s advice is ruining my sister’s job search, explaining I’m quitting because of COVID, and more
June 2020
- my boss stole my resume and is applying for the same jobs as me
- my boss’s venting is stressing me out
- coworker thinks she has the power to heal her own tumor
- can I ask for a raise after returning from furlough, coworker is monitoring my work, and more
- how much privacy should you expect in meetings when everyone’s working from home?
- my coworkers make fun of poor people
- I went to a job interview where they’re not taking COVID seriously … or how to make a scene when you need to make a scene
- contacting friends’ kids with career help, is it weird to seem “normal” at work after a tragedy, and more
- weekend open thread – June 27-28, 2020
- it’s your Friday good news
- open thread – June 26-27, 2020
- a questionable mug, unpaid volunteers at a yoga studio, and more
- my well-meaning family keeps sending me terrible job leads
- updates: friends at work, the higher-earning male coworker, and more
- ask the readers: how to unionize your workplace
- my boss keeps pretending to punch me in the groin, my reference got a weird phone call, and more
- employer offered me a job, then made me interview again, then made a new offer, then yanked it — what’s going on?
- how to handle an employee’s complaints about a coworker
- my coworker knowingly exposed me to COVID-19
- does working from home look less dedicated, boss wants me to offer a ridiculously low salary, and more
- interviewer asked how I would connect with coworkers outside of work
- my boss insists on knowing everywhere I’m interviewing
- what to do if your company is making you return to your office before it feels safe
- I want to return to the office but we’re still working from home, a computer-illiterate coworker, and more
- my job offer got delayed because of COVID-19 — will it ever come back?
- what to do when an employee’s spouse calls you
- my employee was upset when I told him drive, not fly, to a conference five hours away
- HR in private Slack channels, being forced to work a late shift, and more
- weekend open thread – June 20-21, 2020
- it’s your Friday good news
- open thread – June 19-20, 2020
- my delivery people aren’t following safety precautions
- update: I’m in trouble for re-sorting a coworker’s trash — and I’m enraged
- how are you staying safe if you’re returning to work (or have been there all along)?
- my coworkers rant about hating kids, I can’t wear a mask, and more
- my career counselor says I won’t be able to work because of my monthly medical appointments
- my boss won’t give me any direction — but then says my work is wrong
- I’m scared I’ll be fired for needing to care for my kid while we work from home
- employer wants us to help with loan fraud, offering to talk about salaries with coworkers, and more
- we’re supposed to forfeit all our vacation days if we’ve worked from home
- my employee resigned but now wants to stay
- my abusive former boss is still contacting me to berate me, months after I left
- employee is vaping on video calls, my speaking style seems all wrong for the South, and more
- my boss is telling people I quit because of COVID, but I quit because of her
- updates: banning trash cans unless we sign a pledge never to put food in them, and more
- it’s now illegal to fire someone for being gay or trans
- is it disingenuous to call a situation with a pet a “family emergency”?
- should I bring my (expert) mom to work, we have to re-interview for our jobs, and more
- weekend open thread – June 13-14, 2020
- updates: the top knot, stranded without a hotel room, and more
- open thread – June 12-13, 2020
- can I wear a collar on video calls, correcting clients who call me “Mrs.” and more
- I wasn’t given the chance to apply for a promotion I really wanted
- updates: the mooching boss, the self-sabotaging friend, and more
- my employer says they’re committed to diversity — how can I hold them to accountable to that?
- boss freaked out when I used bottled water in the coffee maker, manager is buying supplies with her own money, and more
- am I a bad manager?
- my office is reopening and I don’t feel safe going back
- update: someone with my name has stolen my work history
- employee says “kind of” and “you know” constantly, requiring references at the application stage, and more
- should I apply for jobs I wouldn’t normally be willing to commute to?
- our CEO’s plans for re-opening are loony and stressful
- my colleague wants to fire a domestic violence survivor
- my boss is mentoring my employee, holding doors for coworkers, and more
- when is it OK to go over someone’s head?
- our employees won’t keep the office kitchen clean
- my disgusting boss touches and chews on everything on my desk
- employee named her dog after a coworker’s baby, a coworker who works all night, and more
- weekend open thread June 6-7, 2020
- updates: the bombed interview, the cheating coworker, and more
- it’s your Friday good news
- open thread – June 5-6, 2020
- my coworker throws tantrums and women have to soothe him, questions to ask an external recruiter, and more
- my husband is my boss — and we’re getting divorced
- I’m the only black person on my team and it seems to be “business as usual” this week
- update: my boss wants to bring me back into the religious fold
- how can I become more self-aware and not be a jerk at work?
- I brought up a painful subject for my interviewer, will my yelling boss reflect badly on me, and more
- my boss keeps interrupting our phone calls, and I feel disrespected
- my employee has a crush on me
- can I wear a baby during a video interview?
- intern keeps pushing for a full-time role, can I invite people for virtual coffees, and more
- will asking for a huge raise make it more likely you’ll get the lower number you really want?
- how do job interviews work now?
- I was difficult at my last job, and it’s standing in my way now
- colleagues want favors for their families, coworker has profane outbursts, and more
- 19523
- my employer doesn’t pay us for time spent waiting for assignments
- update: my new employee keeps tagging us in negative social media posts after we’ve told her to stop
- my manager named Joseph Stalin employee of the month
- requiring video during team meetings, telling someone we’re not hiring them back, and more
May 2020
- weekend open thread – May 30-31, 2020
- updates: the not-flirting coworker and more
- it’s your Friday good news
- open thread – May 29-30, 2020
- my boss wants me to make DIY disinfecting wipes to mail to employees, company won’t reimburse my plane ticket, and more
- my company charges us PTO when we work from home while sick
- updates: none of my coworkers have contacted me after my layoff, and more
- am I going overboard with praise for my team?
- let’s talk about mid-life career changes
- should I wear a mask to a job interview, candidate interviewed in a see-through shirt, and more
- a rejected candidate keeps demanding to know why we didn’t hire him
- updates: the personal goal-sharing, the lunching interviewer, and more
- am I asking too much of job applicants?
- my boss wants to visit us during the stay-at-home order
- I sacrificed for my boyfriend’s business and might get nothing, renting a house from my boss, and more
- is it possible to be TOO responsive to an interview invitation?
- updates: the alcoholic coworker, the bad morale, and more
- updates: the interrupting boss, the surprise criticism, and more
- video interviews when you’re trapped at home and looking shaggy
- if you have a disability, do employers have to let you keep working from home after they re-open?
- asking for a reference while furloughed, in trouble for kissing at work, and more
- updates: the counteroffer, the bullying, and more
- workers want support and flexibility, not quizzes and costume contests
- updates: using time off to nanny, the Secret Santa gift, and more
- coworker says I don’t respond to his emails, a bizarre company survey, and more
- weekend free-for-all – May 23-24, 2020
- updates: I caused a coronavirus panic, asking to go part-time, and more
- it’s your Friday good news
- open thread – May 22-23, 2020
- my friend got me a job and now I’m being used to push her out, team lead tried to sell us MLM products, and more
- how to respond when coworkers IM me “hi” with no indication of what they need
- can I ask my boss if layoffs are coming?
- update: should I talk to my coworker about her off-putting behavior?
- how do I manage my stress and stay (reasonably) positive in the face of impending layoffs?
- my team won’t accommodate my allergy, coworker brings in homemade food and hides it from management, and more
- updates: the sweat lodge, the mentor, and more
- I’m running out of patience when we need patience the most
- updates: the incompetent temp, the person who lacked ambition, and more
- how to get coworkers to stop texting after-hours
- my over-eager coworker takes over my work and is running roughshod over me
- I pierced my nose in quarantine, a disgusting boss, and more
- updates: the coworkers complaining about kids, the boss demanding location sharing, and more
- if you’re furloughed, how long should you wait to look for a new job?
- updates: the employee with too many ideas, the boss who wanted people to camp in tents, and more
- my boss assumes we’re slacking off when we work from home
- when can managers expect employees to adjust to the “new normal”?
- sending work emails late at night, coworker read my notebook, and more
- updates: the client pushing religion, and more
- our boss pushes us to share how we’re doing emotionally at team meetings
- update: my company says we’re dog-friendly — but we’re not
- my employees don’t like the way I coach them
- will interviewers ask what you achieved during the pandemic?
- employee wants to take high-risk vacation, my job is about to be outsourced, and more
- weekend free-for-all – May 16-17, 2020
- updates: the wife messing up business travel, and more
- it’s your Friday good news
- open thread – May 15-16, 2020
- can I put up privacy film at work, how to explain my dead-end job, and more
- using a job offer to get a counteroffer from your current company — does COVID change things?
- updates: the office above a bar, the intern with a terrible attitude, and more
- updates: quitting if I can’t get Christmas off, being too needy with a boss, and more
- what’s your company doing to support parents right now … or what do you wish they were doing?
- I’m being flooded with business offers from friends and family, hair and job interviews during quarantine, and more
- an example of starting with grace when you’re frustrated with someone
- updates: the coworker’s peeing son, the beach weekend, and more
- updates: the volunteer pressure, the good dog, and more
- how can I tell an employee to mind his own business?
- how to answer “why should I hire you?”
- should I move in with coworkers, should managers not use a “busy” status, and more
- update: my boss makes me wear her clothes, eat her food, and say I’m grateful for my job
- updates: the cruel email, the disappointed junior employee, and more
- my company wants me working fewer hours — but I have so much to do
- how do I respond to colleagues who are jealous of my furlough?
- asking coworkers to go to vegetarian-friendly restaurants, contacting my team with support while they’re laid off, and more
- update: do men need to cut their long hair for job interviews?
- what to say when your manager calls with bad news
- updates: should I tell my employer I might have brought COVID to work, and more
- how quickly should you send job rejections?
- how to vent responsibly (and win a free book!)
- I don’t know if I’m still invited to my customer’s wedding, my husband is borderline rude at work, and more
- weekend free-for-all – May 9-10, 2020
- updates: the coworker pajama party, lying about layoffs, and more
- it’s your Friday good news
- open thread – May 8-9, 2020
- HR won’t let me see job descriptions for my staff, standing my ground on social distancing, and more
- update: my coworker responds to everything I ask him to do with profanity and “your mom” jokes
- here’s a real-life email from an employer that’s managing its re-opening well
- update: I’m dreading a corporate meeting because of my weight gain
- my boss is working from home with kids — and his schedule is wreaking havoc on my work
- how do I motivate myself to work from home?
- can I Zoom from my patio, coworker is violating shelter-in-place, and more
- updates: the Blue Lives Matter flag, the handshake avoider, and more
- I’m a new CEO — how can I avoid criticizing my predecessor?
- update: my needy boss wants me to “adopt” her
- here’s an example of a great interview thank-you note
- employee takes credit for the whole team’s work, what to wear for a video interview, and more
- even if they return to work, will furloughed workers ever feel secure again?
- my boss is smothering the hell out of me
- update: my coworker is in quarantine with pay — and doing deliveries on the side
- can I ever repair my bad reputation with my manager?
- company photoshopped makeup on our headshots, employee made an anti-Semitic joke, and more
- updates: the boss’s son who yells, the student who won’t take feedback, and more
- update: my ex-boyfriend is threatening to tell my new job I made adult videos
- our new hires keep dropping out before they start
- my coworker sent a snotty message about me on a Zoom call
- we made our new coworker cry, how to open and close emails to colleagues, and more
- weekend free-for-all – May 2-3, 2020
- updates: the car alarm, the editing coworker, and more
- more success stories
- have your kids take notes at your meetings, and other weirdly out-of-touch advice for the quarantine
- open thread – May 1-2, 2020
- my boyfriend pretended to be a doctor, I called a coworker a moron, and more
April 2020
- updates: the fundraising husband, the egg freezing, and more
- my coworker accidentally fractured my arm
- updates: the company stealing stimulus checks, and more
- my husband and I are both working from our small apartment and it’s bad
- should I ask out my former boss, employee cc’s me on everything, and more
- my employees don’t want to return to work because they’re making more from unemployment
- updates: the adoption, telling my boss she risks losing me if she doesn’t hire help, and more
- my employee keeps interrupting me
- my new employee keeps tagging us in negative social media posts after we’ve told her to stop
- my employer wants me to come back at half my pay, coworker posts awful things on Facebook, and more
- update: my boss has violent tantrums and punches holes in walls
- my employee is strangely encouraging toward me
- should I ask an employee to dress more professionally on video calls?
- do I need to do something creative to get a job?
- I saw my coworkers’ private messages mocking my weight, my coworker has permanently borrowed my laptop, and more
- update: I’m burned out and overworked and my bosses keep piling more work on me
- can I get unemployment if I quit due to health issues?
- my two employees don’t like each other
- my coworker keeps telling me how to do my job (and she’s often wrong)
- work happy hours without the boss, I was told to cover up my scars at work, and more
- weekend free-for-all – April 25-26, 2020
- Ask a Manager in the media
- more success stories
- open thread – April 24-25, 2020
- I gave relationship advice to my employee, company won’t hire me because of where I live, and more
- where are you now? (a call for updates)
- is it a bad idea to work for a first-time manager?
- updates: I’m worried my company is becoming too conservative, the equipment return, and more
- how can suddenly remote teams keep functioning well?
- company is trying to find out whose spouse has cancer, answering the phone when job-searching, and more
- my employer is being too helpful about COVID and it’s making things worse
- my employee cries whenever I give her feedback
- should people who sell MLM products put “business owner” on their resumes?
- the end of open offices, I keep missing meetings, and more
- if the job that laid me off wants to bring me back, can I decline and still collect unemployment?
- I feel terrible about having to lay off my staff
- my awful coworker put us through something traumatic and now she’s coming back to work
- HR says I can’t tell an older colleague they’re wrong, coworker stole creative work, and more
- my boss told me to work more slowly so I don’t make my coworkers anxious
- some weird stuff is going down on video calls
- my boss’s son constantly yells at him in the office
- should I expand my job search outside of my industry, my coworkers aren’t working, and more
- weekend free-for-all – April 18-19, 2020
- success story from a student
- you should contact your laid-off coworkers
- open thread – April 17-18, 2020
- company wants us to suggest which coworkers to lay off, new boss won’t speak to me, and more
- my daily work calls with my boss feel too social
- update: my employer stole my final paycheck, denied my unemployment, and won’t leave me alone
- work and COVID-19: an open thread
- can we ask our roommate not to take a job, my boss says I can’t quit if she gets a federal loan, and more
- two of my employees don’t get along — is it just a personality conflict?
- how should managers communicate decisions they don’t agree with?
- I accidentally flashed my team during a video call
- I overheard a horrible fight on a web conference, the missing chocolate egg, and more
- our employer wants to cut our pay — retroactively
- I’m so lonely — but how can I ask more of my coworkers right now?
- how can we make sure flexibility for parents isn’t unfair to everyone else?
- my fiancee forged my doctor’s note, food perks when working from home, and more
- when you’re a musician who needs to stay at home and neighbors don’t want you playing your instrument
- my employee keeps telling me what to do
- working from home is driving me nuts – can I take a break?
- anxious employee wants daily reassurance, faking an application for unemployment, and more
- weekend free-for-all – April 11-12, 2020
- open thread – April 10-11, 2020
- my coworker insults me when I ask questions, talking to my boss about ADHD, and more
- when should employers disclose food or fragrance restrictions to job candidates?
- my resigning employee is spreading lies about me
- people still working outside your home: this thread is for you
- will employers care I’ve been venting on Twitter, I got confronted about “anonymous” feedback, and more
- my boss mooches off me while I’m living paycheck to paycheck
- you won’t need to explain your current work gap
- my boss expects me to be available 24/7 since we’re stuck at home
- our coworker came to work when his family had COVID-19 symptoms
- we’re laid off but still getting work emails, coworker accused us of laughing at her, and more
- your employer can take your temperature, and other changes
- can you fire someone in the midst of a pandemic?
- why can’t you contact your spouse’s employer to advocate for them?
- is it weird to vape on a Zoom call, should you go to grad school to avoid a bad job market, and more
- is this company’s interview process unreasonable?
- I’ve put a bunch of info on work and COVID-19 in one place
- can you even job search right now?
- what’s reasonable for managers to expect of parents working from home?
- my boss is having an affair, client pushes religion on me, and more
- weekend free-for-all – April 4-5, 2020
- open thread – April 3-4, 2020
- my coworker is breaking her paid quarantine, company expects people to keep working after they quit, and more
- my company’s bad decision got me yelled at online (and socially)
- here is your script if you need to check on a job you haven’t started yet
- my employee gave notice and now is slacking off
- let’s hear about awkward things you’ve seen on video calls
- I’ve been accused of abusing sick leave when I have coronavirus symptoms, joking about age and weight, and more
- my coworker is trying to manage me — and she’s not my boss
- here are your animal coworkers, part 2
- we’re being asked to choose our own pay cuts
- I was hired as the expert but no one will listen, I accidentally shared a list of my personal debts with my team, and more
March 2020
- how do I interrupt a senior colleague’s monologue during my meeting?
- answers to your questions about the new unemployment benefits law
- what do I do with my kids during remote meetings, leaving your camera off on video calls, and more
- my company won’t pay us if we don’t install spy software on our personal computers
- I’m pregnant and my new boss is the dad, coworker wants to keep us all connected in cutesy ways, and more
- my coworker/friend is abusing work-from-home privileges
- here are your animal coworkers
- my employee came to work with blue hair
- can my employer lay me off and ask me to volunteer?
- what if people abuse the new paid sick leave law, COO sends non-stop jokes about coronavirus, and more
- weekend free-for-all – March 28-29, 2020
- bosses are panic-buying spy software to monitor remote workers
- exactly where to report employers for violating shelter-in-place orders, by state
- open thread – March 27-28, 2020
- I might have brought COVID-19 to work in January, is my mom a bad manager, and more
- my coworkers keep discussing private business in front of me as if I’m not there
- let’s see your animal coworkers
- update: my boss tapes people’s mouths shut during meetings
- how is your manager or company supporting you right now?
- can I ask coworkers not to talk about coronavirus, wolf whistle ring tone, and more
- here’s what an unemployment benefits worker wants you to know
- my employee overdoes everything and it’s costing us money
- employer announced they’ll fire anyone who interviews for another job
- what can you do if your employer is violating shelter-in-place orders?
- intern laughs inappropriately, risqué bookmarks on my computer, and more
- I saw my coworkers’ chat conversation insulting our boss – who is also my father
- we have a new paid (paid!) sick and family leave law
- how the hell are we supposed to work now?
- my company plans to absorb any government stimulus checks that employees receive for themselves
- my daughter’s manager complained to me about her, weekly meetings at my boss’s house, and more
- if your hours have been cut, you can collect unemployment benefits
- how do I deal with a boss who “yells” in angry emails?
- the person who had my job before me won’t go away
- I think my coworker is lying about having a sick kid
- my company is doing drive-bys to check that I’m in isolation, my awful old coworker is joining my new company, and more
- how do you turn off a crisis management mindset after finishing work each day?
- weekend free-for-all – March 21-22, 2020
- Ask a Manager in the media
- open thread – March 20-21, 2020
- gross webcam behavior, leaning on coworkers for emotional support, and more
- did I overreact to my argument with a coworker?
- update: I ask candidates their salary expectations and don’t feel bad about it
- coronavirus and work: an open thread
- we have to send 3 updates a day while working from home, coworker FaceTimes with her daughter all the time, and more
- is this the wrong time to apply for jobs?
- employers can’t expect business as usual right now
- my coworkers have a crush on my boss … and are taking it out on me
- my boss keeps consulting my predecessor, HR told me to wear baggier clothes, and more
- why do highly qualified people stay at dysfunctional companies?
- my boss expects me to babysit her rambunctious kid
- my new boss says everything is “fun” — even data entry and illness
- promoting a bully, job searching during coronavirus, and more
- how honestly should you answer “what do you do for fun?” in an interview?
- should I refuse to hire coworkers’ kids?
- what to do if your company isn’t handling coronavirus well
- coworker got obnoxiously drunk at a work event, can we tell people to wash their hands, and more
- weekend free-for-all – March 14-15, 2020
- open thread – March 13-14, 2020
- employee lied about coronavirus to get time off work, coworker sprayed Lysol at me, and more
- my employee calls in sick after negative feedback
- why people stay in jobs where they’re miserable
- how to successfully manage mental illness at work
- coworkers clips their nails at their desks, boss micromanages us when we work from home, and more
- I resist pressure to work long hours — but my coworkers don’t
- employees vent to me — but don’t want me to do anything about their problems
- I exposed myself at work because my coworkers didn’t believe I had cancer
- employee expects us all to attend her destination wedding, avoiding handshakes during coronavirus, and more
- my coworker had an affair with my wife
- how do I handle lunch with my boss?
- my employee didn’t tell anyone she was pregnant until she was about to give birth
- my office plays religious music, my new boss asks about our sex lives, and more
- my coworkers won’t stop telling me about their ideas for my work
- why fantasizing about rage-quitting is so universal
- how is your office responding to coronavirus?
- my brother wants me to tutor his granddaughter for free, can I wear slippers at work, and more
- weekend free-for-all – March 7-8, 2020
- open thread – March 6-7, 2020
- addressing feedback from an anonymous survey, coronavirus shaming, and more
- is this recruiter way too intense, or is it just me?
- I’m sick of being the office therapist
- how do you know when to “lean out”?
- my boss is showing off his new $900,000 house, my weakness is my temper, and more
- my new job sprang a surprise medical exam on me
- update: my coworker is blackmailing me not to take time off for my honeymoon
- I messed up at work and I’m so ashamed
- can my company make me stay home with a cold, leaving a job for grad school, and more
- do I not respect my work commitments if I ask for a day off?
- my boss wants to hang out socially to improve our relationship
- my work is getting more and more religious and I’m an atheist
- I don’t have a poker face, coworkers are obsessed with my vegetarianism, and more
- should interviewers give job candidates a way to contact them?
- my employee keeps asking if she’ll be fired
- my coworker is blackmailing me not to take time off for my honeymoon
- I’m applying for a job with my sister, my colleagues pretend to shoot themselves, and more
February 2020
- weekend free-for-all – February 29 – March 1, 2020
- open thread – February 28-29, 2020
- my boss told his wife we had an affair but we didn’t, what does a fast rejection mean, and more
- I earn more than my peers, and they’re not happy
- the Leap Day employee finally gets her birthday off this year
- when is it OK to approach a colleague about a possible medical issue?
- I don’t want coworkers to call my cell phone, managing a boyfriend, and more
- how should I respond when my boss coaches me on something basic and obvious?
- what to do when candidates don’t respond to interview invitations
- my boss has violent tantrums and punches holes in walls
- intern signs emails with “stay gold,” can I wear black jeans to a job interview, and more
- a recruiter used my dad’s death to try to get me to accept a job offer
- what should a resignation letter say?
- can I put running my household on my resume?
- my team keeps working unauthorized overtime, office lighting wars, and more
- what’s up with people responding to emails with a phone call?
- what kind of loyalty do you owe your employer?
- my coworker lied about having a terminal illness — and we donated money to her
- my coworker puts on a show of being busy when she’s not, invasive client, and more
- weekend free-for-all – February 22-23, 2020
- open thread – February 21-22, 2020
- my boss wants me to hire his daughter, manager refused to say goodbye on my last day, and more
- how can we stop people from coming to work sick?
- here’s a huge discount on the Ask a Manager job-searching bible
- my family wants to live near each other — how do we do this with work?
- employer wants me to block sites on my personal laptop, helping an employee who stutters, and more
- interviewer asked what was the worst thing that’s ever happened to me
- what to do about a chronically late employee
- I ask candidates their salary expectations and don’t feel bad about it
- if you want new clothes for spring, do it this way
- difficult ex is my new coworker, taking video calls in a coffeeshop, and more
- should I avoid wearing pricey status items at work?
- how can I stop being so nervous in job interviews?
- I had a secret relationship with a coworker and now I’m pregnant
- becoming a receptionist against my will, baking for one employee but not the other, and more
- how much stuff can I “move in with” on my first day at a new job?
- my coworker makes mistakes that affect my work
- employee quit over a coworker’s email, wiping down my keyboard as soon as someone else uses it, and more
- weekend free-for-all – February 15-16, 2020
- a Valentine’s Day round-up
- open thread – February 14-15, 2020
- should you mention an employee’s smell during a reference check, and more
- I’m still not doing the job I was hired for two years ago
- updates: the conference expenses, asking to move back to an old job, and more
- ask the readers: how can we help gender transitions at work go well?
- I got my dream offer right after starting a new job, coworker is a jerk, and more
- how do we handle firing an employee in an open plan office?
- I just found out my great employee lied on her resume
- everyone at work is hanging out without me
- who should clean the disgusting office fridge, hiring people without experience, and more
- my boss called me “overly emotional” because I cried at work when I thought my grandmother was dying
- my step-by-step guide to writing a resume
- how can I get my employee to stop condescending to me?
- company trip doesn’t feel like a reward, I’m dating another intern, and more
- I’m upset about my anonymous peer feedback results
- should we ask candidates their salary expectations ahead of interviews?
- can I talk about my boyfriend’s other girlfriend at work?
- hiring an ex, should I thank my son’s new boss, and more
- weekend free-for-all – February 8-9, 2020
- updates: the nameplate drama, contract-to-hire, and more
- open thread – February 7-8, 2020
- employee talks about people’s weight, asking about salary before interviewing, and more
- how to respond to “tell me about a time when…” interview questions when you don’t have good examples
- how do I know when it’s okay to leave work for the day?
- I don’t want to hear about my coworkers’ pricey lifestyles
- how can I avoid shaking hands, looking for joy at work aggravated me, and more
- how can I let coworkers know “no” is an acceptable answer?
- should we cut the salary of a disappointing new hire?
- will painting nude self-portraits on social media cause problems at work?
- my boss doesn’t want my toddler in the background on work calls, coronavirus cancellations, and more
- my boss tapes people’s mouths shut during meetings
- my coworker told me I smell
- my employee lied about meeting with a client — to take a nap
- passed up for a promotion after 23 years, coworker won’t schedule his own meetings, and more
- should I reject job candidates by phone or email?
- we offered someone a job — and then he got a bad reference
- after I asked for a raise, my boss told me I buy too much coffee
- my ex-husband hired his new girlfriend, office freezer is packed with personal groceries, and more
- weekend free-for-all – February 1-2, 2020
January 2020
- open thread – January 31, 2020
- yawning at work, asking for a fancier computer, and more
- how should I handle job candidates who cut me off, are long-winded, or answer the wrong question?
- the salted coffee, the phantom pigeon, and other interview mortifications
- how do I build a professional wardrobe when I’m just starting out?
- employee accidentally ruined his boss’s laptop, political bumper stickers at work, and more
- my klutzy, unpolished boss is like a bull in a china shop
- should managers ask or tell when assigning work?
- my coworker has overstepped with my eating disorder
- boss wants us to use personal social media for marketing, we can only take one week of vacation at a time, and more
- what’s our responsibility for fixing a coworker’s poor work?
- I’m stuck in endless interviews with a company that can’t make up its mind
- should I stop bringing in treats for my team?
- my boss uses too much styrofoam, requiring receptionist to wear a fake tooth, and more
- employer sends out lurid details about crimes committed by coworkers or customers
- the reason remote work can go spectacularly wrong
- I’m dreading a corporate meeting because of my weight gain
- recruiter named a lower salary than the job ad, what do candidates want to know about company culture, and more
- weekend free-for-all – January 25-26, 2020
- open thread – January 24-25, 2020
- someone stole my work history, my coworkers are angry about an HR investigation, and more
- what to do if your references aren’t available
- updates: the tenant requesting money, the bad friend employee, and more
- let’s talk about bombed interviews and other job search mortifications
- interviewing when you might be moving, coworker told people about my husband’s criminal record, and more
- is it okay to drink before a presentation?
- do I apologize to my employees too often?
- my assistant uses eating to avoid working
- I was forced to sing at a company dinner, coworker ties up our only bathroom, and more
- how do you deal with professional insults followed by with “I’m just kidding”?
- my employee has a bad attitude
- our boss told us to camp in tents when we travel for business
- my boss jokes about my work “suitors,” my coworkers barged into my house when I wasn’t there, and more
- my new coworker seems to be asking us if he should cheat on his wife
- my employees keep going over my head
- I wasn’t the first choice for my job, I took a counteroffer but now want to quit, and more
- weekend free-for-all – January 18-19, 2020
- open thread – January 17-18, 2020
- how to set up a meeting to ask for a raise, my boss doesn’t trust us to work from home, and more
- my abusive boss was fired after I complained about her — what do I say to coworkers?
- how late can I call employees at home?
- dealing with stress about the Australian fires at work
- employee doesn’t take the hint that she’s interrupting me, read receipts, and more
- my employee accidentally posted porn to the company group chat and now wants to resign in shame
- these are the best questions to ask your job interviewer
- my boss says I talk too much to coworkers
- here’s a way to make tax season easier
- saying the Pledge of Allegiance at work, asking a coworker to chew with their mouth closed, and more
- is my boss trying to tell me he’s unhappy with my work?
- I have nothing to do at my internship
- my friend uses her sister’s assault as a motivational story at work
- my boss moved in with my boyfriend’s sister, working at home with a baby, and more
- I’m burned out and overworked and my bosses keep piling more work on me
- why don’t people walk out of bad job interviews?
- my boss expects me to share my personal health/diet/spirituality/fitness goals every week
- I sent a text about my problem employee to the wrong person, growing out gray hair, and more
- weekend free-for-all – January 11-12, 2020
- open thread – January 10-11, 2020
- the value of a college degree “just in case,” student won’t take my feedback, and more
- are these unreasonable expectations for a part-time contractor?
- update: will it hurt my chances of getting hired if I can only do video interviews?
- how do I shut down coworkers who demand an explanation for my occasional wheelchair?
- my coworker is trying to manage me so she’ll get promoted, reporting my husband’s coworker, and more
- how do I tell my boss if she doesn’t fill the empty position I’m covering, she’ll lose me too?
- why do job interviewers seem to lead me on?
- I found out my coworkers have been mocking me in a group chat for years
- coworker saw embarrassing content on my phone, my dad keeps responding to my employee on Facebook, and more
- I’m in trouble for leaving for a business trip without a late coworker
- how do I get my rich boss to pay me back for lunch?
- my needy boss wants me to “adopt” her
- my manager over-uses “like,” is lunch included in an eight-hour day, and more
- we got quizzed on our new boss’s horses, family, and vineyard
- should you call in sick for a cold?
- the new overtime law is here — if you earn less than $35,568, read this
- asking an employee to use a different name, telling candidates about our drinking culture, and more
- weekend free-for-all – January 4-5, 2020
- updates: getting pregnant at a new job, boss said I’m lying about my health, and more
- open thread – January 3-4, 2020
- update: how do I work with someone I can’t stand?
- updates: the self-deprecating employee, the car-borrowing boss, and more
- update: should I stay in my well-paid job even though I have nothing to do?
- updates: the coworker who lashes out, the dunce caps, and more
- my favorite posts of the decade
- New Year’s free-for-all – January 1, 2020