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You can find posts from 2020 below, or find earlier years here: 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2020 January February March April May June July August September October November November 2020 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