Archives Looking for past posts? 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 May 2020 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