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You can find posts from 2024 below, or find earlier years here: 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2024 January February March April April 2024weekend open thread – April 27-28, 2024open thread – April 26-27, 2024my boss is resentful when I do well, contacting the company that fired my husband, and morefriend drama may collide with job huntI’m flooded by job candidates calling for more infoI help mentor college students … and the current crop is really immatureshould I correct a service person’s grammar, flower arranging as staff appreciation, and morecan I ask to be reimbursed for my expenses in a driving-heavy job?your non-compete agreement is now illegal (or it will be in 4 months)my boss wants us to meet with a spiritualist to fix the negative energy in our buildingcoworker is bitter that I wouldn’t play a game, employee has bad BO, and morehave we changed our views about working from home?update: there’s nothing I can do about my nightmare workload … right?I feel overwhelming guilt about taking time off workI don’t want to participate in my office’s steps challenge, returning to a job I criticized, and morethe noise complaint, the romantic violin, and other business trips gone awryformer employee is lying about her job with me … to cover up her time in jailan employee showed up for a video training while lounging in bed and smokinginterviewing with blue or pink hair, building staff damaged my bookcase, and moreweekend open thread – April 20-21, 2024open thread – April 19-20, 2024coworker interrupts me with questions she could answer herself, playing a game at a public-facing job, and moreshould I ask my boss why I was their second choice for my job?updates: the unavailable lactation room, the “unapproachable” manager, and morelet’s discuss business trip mishapshiring manager assaulted a police officer, coworker and I have the same name, and moremy employee shuts down when I give her feedbackupdate: our employee retired … but now she won’t leavehow much paid time off do you get?intern was working two full-time jobs, employee makes patients feel unwelcome, and morewhy don’t bosses realize people will leave if they’re not treated well?how to write a thank-you email after a job interviewshould we fire the relatives of Nazis?patients at my sleep clinic want to sleep naked, upgrading business flights and hotel rooms, and morethe White House has proposed new overtime rules that could increase your paycheckwhen your awful coworker is the boss’s kidI promoted one employee instead of her coworker, and now my whole team is upsetI’m worried my coworker is abusing his wife, a chronically late colleague, and moreweekend open thread – April 13-14, 2024open thread – April 12-13, 2024should a successful gamer put it on their resume, “free” company gifts that aren’t free, ad moresomeone who barely managed me put negative feedback in my annual reviewupdate: dealing with a problematic member of a board games groupknowledge swap! share your expertise with people hereis the kiss emoji appropriate at work, manager wants me to find coverage after I quit, and moreI manage my sister, and she overshares about her breaks and sick timemistakes at work: a round-upmy coworker doesn’t like it when I set boundaries on conversation topicscompany won’t do anything about a horrible coworker, eating tiny lunches in a group, and moremy coworker’s obsession with coffee is an all-day distractionmy employee quit over a misdirected emailhow much money do you make?employee writes overly casual emails, employer told me to remove TikTok from my phone, and morethe arrogant sports car driver, the wild turkeys, and other stories of workplace parking dramaam I sabotaging my former intern’s job prospects?I organize orgies — can I talk about it in my job hunt?manager wants to match outfits, in trouble for a text sent outside of work, and moreweekend open thread – April 6-7, 2024open thread – April 5-6, 2024coworker said his boss kneed him in the groin, I feel unappreciated, and morewhat to do when everyone on my team is experiencing a personal life crisisupdate: I lied about a meetinglet’s talk about workplace parking warscoworker says she loves shoplifting, asking to take over a specific person’s job, and moreI think my boss was a cheerleader in another lifemy father keeps responding to my employee’s Facebook postsmy boss keeps bringing her sick child to workcoworker won’t stop talking about how young I am, how to ask if meetings will provide food, and moremy employee is too buddy-buddy with mehere are the 10 best questions to ask your job interviewermy boss says my work is bad, but all evidence says the oppositelaying off employee who’s having chemo, quitting your job when you win the lottery, and morethe XL gloves, the eyeball embalmers, and other stories of office supply obsessions run amokemployee came to work dressed as Jesusmy employee asked if I’m pregnantmother-in-law manages sister-in-law and covers up her drunk driving, lactation room is occupied, and more March 2024weekend open thread – March 30-31, 2024open thread – March 29-30, 2024how do I motivate an unresponsive employee, company won’t promote me because of childhood trauma, and moremy company has no reporting structure and no trainingupdate: an employee is out to get my star performer, and no one else careslet’s discuss sacred office suppliesshould we have “fun” out-of-office messages, managers trash-talk my old job, and moreshould our office kick everyone out at 5 pm?I found a perfect candidate — do I need to interview others?my coworker is spreading a rumor that I have bulimiacompany wants me to tell my current job I’m interviewing with them, telling a former intern to honor time commitments, and moreI was promised a raise for doing a lot more work … and it didn’t come throughI sent a text about my problem employee to the wrong personmy coworkers are obsessed with talking about their kids … and I’m the only childless one herewearing revealing exercise clothes around coworkers, telling an employer I have another offer, and morethe plant saver, the altruistic horse, and other stories of kindness at workthe surprising agony of office coffee cultureemployee uses the bathroom stall with the door wide opencoworker wants to withhold PTO as punishment, religious gifts for colleagues, and moreweekend open thread – March 23-24, 2024open thread – March 22-23, 2024coworker is taking credit for my work when she applies for jobs, scam job offer, and morehow do I stop myself from getting overly attached in the application process?updates: the complaint about a new hire, the colleague who doesn’t do any work, and morelet’s talk about kindness at workmy boss is upset I went over her head, I overheard damaging gossip, and morestories of Machiavellian triumphs at work, part 2how can we get people to stop applying for every open position we have?why ask my salary expectations if you’re not going to meet them?candidate’s mom keeps emailing to follow up for her, pimple patches at work, and morecan I negotiate a later schedule before accepting a job?how to ask for more vacation timemy satellite team resents that we don’t get the perks offered at our headquarterscoworkers complained it’s not fair that I miss meetings, boss makes awkward comments about money, and morethe fake union organizer, the lemon zest, and other Machiavellian triumphs at workmy coworker doesn’t take the hint that she’s interrupting memy kind, caring colleague wants to heal my MSwe’re supposed to send compliments for Women’s History Month, Glassdoor can un-anonymize you, and moreweekend open thread – March 16-17, 2024open thread – March 15-16, 2024boss edits emails before forwarding them to his wife, manager wants to pull an offer over traffic tickets, and moremy coworker is working alone overnight despite explicit instructions not toupdate: my boss keeps asking me to do things that aggravate our community partnerswhat’s the most Machiavellian thing you’ve seen or done at work?is it patronizing to say I’m proud of my team, asking for help from a candidate we rejected, and morehow do people take months off from work to film a reality TV show?updates: parking lot gate wars, the employer that wanted more notice, and morethere’s nothing I can do about my nightmare workload … right?am I a hypocrite for dating a customer, coworker sends political texts outside of work, and moreis it reasonable to leave without notice when my company lets employees go without notice?how do I turn down a persistent favor-asker?can I threaten legal action to get a better job offer?friend’s job offer was pulled for being a jerk, is my girlfriend’s CEO overstepping, and morewhat does “energetic” mean in a job posting?does my staff resent me for being frequently out of the office?my friends are entitled contractors who are overstepping work boundariesI’m in a family business with a cheater, I don’t want to be the face of a company campaign, and moreweekend open thread – March 9-10, 2024open thread – March 8-9, 2024my friend is an awful coworker, apologizing for past mistakes, and morecan I do anything about a senior-level colleague who doesn’t do any work?updates: the fragrance-free office, the meeting monopolizer, and morehow does unlimited PTO actually play out in companies that have it?should an employee pay for damage to a work vehicle they caused, who answers the phone, and moreI’m buying a business — how do I tell one employee (who’s currently my coworker) that I’m not keeping her on?employee keeps trash-talking her own workI broke my leg, and my team barely acknowledged itexplaining a shaved head, missing work conversations because I don’t smoke, and moremy employee makes up words and is impossible to understandmy new boss treats me like his assistant … which isn’t what I was hired forI might run into the person whose life I ruined at a work eventI don’t want to stock the kitchen anymore, asking why the friend I recommended wasn’t hired, and morethe special notepads, the staggered departures, and other stories of ridiculous policies at workhow should we handle a dog-phobic employee in a dog-friendly office?my best employee is disappointed that I’m not dealing with a bad employeecan I ask for a salary cut, I don’t want to share a bed with my boss, and moreweekend open thread – March 2-3, 2024open thread – March 1-2, 2024is it OK to flirt at networking events, coworker spies on me, and more February 2024how to ask for a disability accommodation for a job interviewupdate: recovering professionally after an internet hate campaignit’s Leap Day! let’s discuss ridiculous workplace policiesdo I have to drive my employee’s employee, AI attending meetings, and morecan I teach a very disorganized employee to be more independent?update: can I offer to pay a coworker’s vet bill?should I tell my boss my coworker is working a second job during her hours for us?complaints about a new hire before she’s started, employer sent my rejection to my father, and moreI’m in charge of our disgusting office kitchenour company has an annual golf trip … but the women don’t playI lied to my interviewer about being employedI can’t carry coffee at work, employee refuses to do a critical duty, and moreupdate: my boss is abusive and blames it on PMDDvideo calls are the worst way to do job rejectionscompany asked me to spend an hour giving feedback on their hiring processcandidate said “you shouldn’t hire me,” inappropriate music in a family-friendly store, and moreweekend open thread – February 24-25, 2024open thread – February 23-24, 2024management talks to us like we’re children, napping in the wellness room, and morecan I bring a friend-with-benefits back to my hotel on a work trip?Ask a Manager in the mediaI’m a night owl — how can I adjust to a new job with early hours?I was fired during my probationary period, mentioning kids in a cover letter, and moremy boss reprimanded me for not answering an email … in four minutesmy employee eavesdrops on meis it safe to share at my company’s “courageous conversation” on menopause?should I be worried by maxed-out company credit cards, an aggressive-driver coworker, and moremy boss keeps asking if I’m OKhow to give constructive criticism at workI’m supposed to share a bed with a coworker on a business tripare managers “deeply concerned” if you ask for feedback, I got in trouble for saying I didn’t want to be “a dick,” and moreupdate: I have to go to an awkward Valentine’s Day work dinner right after a breakupmy employee is hassling coworkers about their clothesmy coworker doesn’t want me to have a communal candy dish because of temptationcoworkers have a mean group chat, company won’t tell us who’s been laid off, and moreweekend open thread – February 17-18, 2024open thread – February 16-17, 2024coworker wants us to read her Christian novel, managing a colleague’s feelings, and moreis it insensitive to be excited for snow at work?updates: the ChatGPT boss, the candidate who recently took another job, and moremy store is doing great because I’m breaking all our policieswe have to walk almost a block to get water for our coffee, my coworker is never here, and morethe drunken voicemail, the press release revenge, and other stories of workplace romance gone wrong … and rightmy former employee lied to get a new job — should I do anything?my new employer made me take a personality test and my results were horriblefired coworker left us all a church flyer and a link to her music, is Mardi Gras OK for work, and moreI was rejected because I told my interviewer I never make mistakesemployee wants a higher raise than she earnedis it normal to cancel days off for a resigning employee?I’m stuck in a job I can’t quit, an X-rated view from my office window, and morea coworker is harassing my neighbor (who is having chemo)my assistant keeps arguing with memy boss and my employee won’t stop asking me to spend the night at their housesI’m trying to leave a board but can’t escape, asking a coworker not to bring her baby in, and moreweekend open thread – February 10-11, 2024open thread – February 9-10, 2024boss is obsessed with the dress code, managing a know-it-all, and morewhat are the ethics around asking an employee not to talk about her raise?update: I reported my boss’s boss for racism and now feel guiltyask the readers: when workplace romance goes horribly wrongdo professional clothes need to be seasonally appropriate, how to tell coworkers I’m married, and moreour admins hate all the coffee I buy the office, but they insist I have to keep tryingI ramble nervously when I give employees feedbackmy coworker brought sex workers back to our hotel on a business tripdo I really have to attend a company dinner, boss is moody and distant, and moremy employee meets deadlines … but is much slower than the rest of usI work from home and can’t focusan employee is out to get my star performer, and no one else caresemployee is demanding Diet Coke as a religious accommodation, desk is covered with photos of feet, and moreupdate: men are hitting on my scheduling bot because it has a woman’s namemy employee helped a fired coworker get a new job … and lied to me about itis my coworker justified in being angry that I reported him for sending out personal mail from the office?should you call to “confirm” an interview when you don’t really have one, coworker has imaginary cats, and moreweekend open thread – February 3-4, 2024open thread – February 2-3, 2024surly coworker resents that he’s in a junior role, parking lot gate wars, and morethe postage stamps, the airport page, and other deranged responses to resignationsupdates: lying about a Glassdoor review, the time-off request, and morewhat’s the worst or weirdest way you’ve been rejected for a job?coworker misuses the office snack budget, manager eavesdrops through thin walls, and more January 2024how much can I pet my cat on video calls?managing mental health at work: a round-upmy coworker blamed me for not being offended enough by a racist comment toward meour “neurodiversity awareness panel” was a letdown, coworker is stonewalling me, and morehow to work with a friend who has stopped talking to mehow can I make our on-site perks fair for our remote employees?my new coworker is obsessed with other people’s weightexpecting more from a near-retirement employee, a disruptive speakerphone, and moreboss wants us to do early-morning and evening meetings so he can attend from his vacationthe problem with jobs that claim they’re “like a family”I have to go to an awkward Valentine’s Day work dinner right after a breakupemployee is a terrible singer, how to say “I’ll quit over this,” and moreweekend open thread – January 27-28, 2024open thread – January 26-27, 2024coworker told everyone I’m having an affair but I’m not, colleague’s office is gun-themed, and morehow can I tell our freelancers they should charge more?updates: interviewing with a service dog in my lap, stuck working for father, and morelet’s discuss deranged things your employer did when you resignedI won’t supervise smoke breaks for minors, backing out of a chaotic freelance project, and moremy soon-to-be-ex manager wants to be my friend … I’m leaving because of himmy employee faked an emailhow to live with premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) at workcoworker doesn’t come to the office even though it’s required, do I have to use the phone, and morenew coworker with my exact experience got hired at a higher level than me — how upset should I be?how to get severance pay when you’re fired or laid offsomeone made a mean “self-evaluation” for my boss, and she’s punishing us allmy boss announced layoffs while wearing sunglasses, writing job candidates are using AI in their applications, and moremy employee complains he’s overwhelmed while golfing mid-dayan employee keeps complaining about her boss, who I managemy company’s top exec is crowdfunding for their kid’s school projectmanagers don’t know we can read their “private” Slack channel, wife’s coworker is trampling our boundaries, and moreweekend open thread – January 20-21, 2024open thread – January 19-20, 2024employee “works” after playing video games all night, what does mileage cover, and morehow to deal with a stomach attack in the middle of a meetingupdate: my boss expects me to respond immediately no matter what I’m doinghave you ever quit a job in your first week?nude drawing as a work social event, resigning coworker is upset that she wasn’t invited to a conference, and morethe pizza offense, the bathroom lock code, and other stories of strangely dramatic reactions to mundane changes at workI manage a friend and it’s not going wellhow can I get people to stop misreading professional friendliness as a real connection?company says coming in early or staying late “doesn’t count,” I know who’s unvaccinated because of my job, and morethe microwave battle, the bagel club chaos, and other stories of strangely dramatic reactions to mundane changes at workmy new employee refused to help a coworkercan I take care of my baby during the workday if my job is undemanding?boss is paranoid that I have a secret email account, voluntary task has suddenly become mandatory, and moreI delay writing back to people and then never do it — can I fix this?I had to share a bed with a coworker on a business tripboss is upset over flowers, coworker keeps hitting on me, and moreweekend open thread – January 13-14, 2024open thread – January 12-13, 2024I was asked to take down a family photo, coworker is working a second job during her hours for us, and moremy boss renegotiated my new job’s start date behind my backupdates: introduced as my dad’s kid, mentor falsely accused someone on my behalf, and moreask the readers: strangely dramatic responses to mundane work eventsI work with Leslie Knope, stressed out in first post-college job, and moremy boss wants a “guide to getting the best out of me”everything you need to know about how to take vacation timeour employee was the victim of a sextortion scam — did we mishandle it?boss doesn’t want me to read documents before signing them, employer is revoking work-from-home, and moremy boss wants to do walking meetings and I can’t keep up with her pacehow can I get what I need from my flaky boss?a hoarder at work is causing a mouse problemshould management be included in a company raffle, NSFW music on a work laptop, and moremy boss is trying to “quiet fire” me — can I just ignore it?my new hire keeps uncovering problems … and I’m embarrassedmen are hitting on my scheduling bot because it has a woman’s namemy boss flipped out when I said I “have options,” interviewing a candidate who was recently hired elsewhere, and moreweekend open thread – January 6-7, 2024open thread – January 5-6, 2024coworker offered to be my “work mom,” asking an employee to blur her Zoom background, and moremy interview was canceled because I was “rude and pushy”update: my former boss won’t leave me alonehow do I find clothes that look businessy but not stuffy?a guy I hooked up with is joining my team, employee gave me cash for a holiday gift, and moremy new hire’s office looks like a dark, flickering bat cave … and is scaring off patronsthe employee I just promoted wants to step downam I just a sympathy hire with no real skills?new boss says job now requires constant travel, employee chewing tobacco at his desk, and moreI feel weird telling coworkers I live with my parents in my 30sI manage someone who wants more praise from his own employeesI think my boss is ChatGPTcoworker made it obvious she didn’t want the gifts I gave her, employee’s husband hangs around, and more