Workplace Drama Erupts As Rebel Employee Clashes With New Management Over Refusal To Complete Tasks Outside His Job Description

“This was not what I signed up for!”

Jesse

• Published in Interesting
• December 22, 2023

Imagine having the perfect boss. One that felt less like a superior and more like a partner-in-crime and friend. As impossible as this sounds, that was our narrator’s (Original Poster’s) reality.

Whether it was extending deadlines, swiftly resolving complaints, or even watching a cat over the weekend, this duo had each other’s backs. OP even stood in as his best man during his wedding—yup, they were that close.

Suddenly, the winds of change came whirling in all their unpredictability and disruptiveness. And with it came an office coup that left OP’s beloved boss dethroned and demoted. 

A new character assumed his stead, and that was the beginning of OP’s problems. The familiar script of mutual support and understanding crumbled, replaced by the cold, unfeeling pages of a professional drama.

One of OP’s greatest sources of rage was how his new boss constantly assigned him her other subordinates’ tasks—tasks that weren’t even part of his job description.

The first few times, OP begrudgingly obliged. However, as the frequency increased, he had to put his foot down; OP explicitly stated he’d no longer accept tasks that weren’t part of his job description. And so began the Cold War.

She immediately launched a targeted passive-aggressive attack on him: ignoring his due dates, withholding information and even writing him up for being a minute late to lunch! 

At this point, OP was convinced she was trying to get him fired out of spite. How does he navigate this corporate minefield?

The story in detail

A bit of background

A new management took over at OP’s workplace and the new boss has a habit of assigning other people’s tasks to him

OP got fed up and made it clear to his boss that he would no long do any task that isn’t in line with his job

Ever since, OP’s boss has made them a target at the office

Here’s how the Reddit community reacted to the story:

“You could have handled this so much better. After a few of these tasks you could have talked to her about the overall trend.”

“YTA for how you handled it. You chose to make an enemy for no reason.”

“YTA for shooting yourself in the foot at your job, especially if you have a family.“

“These things don’t sound complicated or overly time consuming and probably shouldn’t detract much from your normal duties.”

“YTA if your first step was an ultimatum. That never works in a business environment unless it is your absolute last resort.”

“YTA. Pulling the ‘it’s not my job’ card looks bad every time. If you had time and could do it, just do it.“

As the Reddit jury deliberated, opinions varied like leaves in the wind. Many argued the tasks OP complained about seemed straightforward—it was customary to be assigned other minor tasks that deviated from the regular routine every once in a while.

That being said, his boss probably could’ve handled it better; she certainly took an immature approach. 

Ultimately, with proper communication, this was a minor office debacle that could be sorted out swiftly.

What do you think about this story? Let us know in the comments. 

Jesse