AITA for refusing to cover for a coworker who keeps leaving early and expecting me to handle his work?
I work in a corporate team where everyone usually helps each other out when things get busy. I’m fine with that.
But one coworker (let’s call him R) has started leaving early almost every day for the past two months. He’ll send me a quick message like, “Hey can you finish this one task for me?” or “Just handle this request if it comes in.” It’s never urgent it’s just his regular work.
At first I helped, thinking he had something going on. But it kept happening. Sometimes he leaves at 4 PM, sometimes 3:30, while the rest of us stay till the end of the shift.
I finally told him last week that I won’t be able to cover for him anymore because I already have my own workload. He said, “Bro it’s just teamwork, why are you being rigid?”
Then he told our manager that I’m not supportive and not a team player. Luckily my manager asked me first and I explained the situation.
Now R is giving me attitude, not responding to chats properly, acting cold, and telling others that I refused to help the team over minor tasks.
I don’t think it’s my job to constantly do someone else’s work just because they feel like leaving early every day.
AITA for refusing to cover for him anymore?
It’s not your job to do his work. Definitely not
Definitely not the jerk. You’ve been patient, helped when you could, but it became his habit. Standing up for yourself and your time is not only fair, it’s necessary. Let him deal with his own work.
NTA, had coworker like this. Don’t give into the manipulation. It’ll sort itself out. My coworker eventually got the entire office to refuse to help him with anything, he ended it by lying and saying someone else did the work he did but we had already given up on helping him. It bit him in the ass. Then a few weeks later he quit on his own.
Sometimes these posts are so dumb. You know you’re NTA. Do you really need internet strangers to reaffirm you of that in this minor situation?
Bro he was taking the piss. Let everyone know at every opportunity what a slacker he is.
TL;DR
You can finally sleep at work without guilt—just say no, and let the office’s collective “I’ll deal with it” attitude do the rest.