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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be shocked at boss telling me off for being late back

469 replies

onlyafewdaystogo · 23/01/2019 11:10

I am retiring from work next Wed, after many years working for this company. Last year our dept got a new Manager who's a bit of a stickler.

Anyhow, due to upcoming retirement several groups of colleagues have been taking me out for lunch in the last few days. Yesterday I went to an Italian restaurant with some people from another Dept that I have a lot of dealings with.

We had a lovely relaxing lunch and I got back to work at 3 o'clock instead of 2.30. My boss knew this group were taking me out. He called me into his office about an hour later and told me off for being late back from lunch and said it's the second time it's happened in recent days and I'd have to watch my timekeeping.

AIBU to be Shock. It's always been the norm when someone is retiring that they spend the last week or so winding down and not really being bound by the normal time bands etc.

My colleagues were really surprised and annoyed when they heard.

OP posts:
DarlingNikita · 23/01/2019 13:14

The OP has not returned to say anything about her job that makes not being there, i.e. not doing the job OK
echt, she says in her third post 'I am basically at the stage where I'm tidying out my desk and doing last bits and pieces of filing. I have no real work to do as I'm not involved in any forthcoming projects or any committees… My replacement won't be arriving for a couple of weeks so I have no 'training in' duties to attend to.'

Which is fairly clear.

Puzzledandpissedoff · 23/01/2019 13:15

Yes, it was a bit petty; after all you won't be there

Like PPs, though, I'd perhaps be a bit concerned about the time the colleagues lost while they were with you. I guess it depends how often folk leave - if it's rare no harm done, but if there's a big turnover that could add up to a lot of lost time if everyone did the same

EdWinchester · 23/01/2019 13:16

What a silly jobsworth.

My manager recently retired. He gave his 3 months' notice and treated him self to working mornings only for 12 weeks. That that WAS taking the piss.

Carnivaloftheanimals · 23/01/2019 13:16

Have we been reading different threads Echt. The OP has explained that she has no work to do except catching up on filing. She also made her Manager aware that she was going on a farewell lunch with some colleagues in another dept. You don't inform your Manager of your lunch plans unless you're letting them know you might be back late.

Perhaps it's because you work in a school that you don't understand how things work in a more officey type situation, or can't read easily between the lines of the OP's post. I don't mean that in a rude way. If a teacher posted about something you'd probably instinctively understand stuff that | don't about a school working environment.

echt · 23/01/2019 13:16

Wow, there are some arseholes on MN. If any of you knocking this are managers, then please take a look at yourself

I've been a manager for about thirty of my forty years and a union rep for 25-ish of that time, and I know that protecting the contract, the conditions of service is paramount.

In terms of this thread, the OP has not served the discussion well, as I have pointed out three times already, not giving info that would have enabled a more nuanced debate about the alleged "stickler" manager.

tubspreciousthings · 23/01/2019 13:18

What a tosser.

I'd have been tempted to ask what he intended to do about it, since I'm retiring next week (in case he'd forgotten). I'd also let him know that it was custom and practice that this happened when someone was leaving and had wound down their projects.

I also don't think you were wrong to tell your colleagues, this will be a warning to them that he's going to trying to run a tight ship so they might want to think about moving on themselves if they didn't like that kind of environment

Have a great retirement! Envy

ReflectentMonatomism · 23/01/2019 13:18

As a teacher, I'm having a bit of a hmmgrin as to how that would go down with classes

My children were unfortunate enough to have head teachers retire at each stage of education. The heads had checked out years before and left complete shitshows behind them.

IsItThatTimeAgain · 23/01/2019 13:20

Seems like a waste of his time considering you have a week left.

FuckingYuleLog · 23/01/2019 13:23

The op may well not have a lot to do but I’m sure that’s not also the case for all the guests to their multiple farewell lunches? For all we know someone from the other dept may well have had words with her manager about the op taking half their team for the afternoon. Maybe ok for a one off but I’ve never heard of anyone having a week of multiple celebrations just because they’re retiring???

echt · 23/01/2019 13:23

She also made her Manager aware that she was going on a farewell lunch with some colleagues in another dept. You don't inform your Manager of your lunch plans unless you're letting them know you might be back late

Doesn't mean s/he agrees or it's OK.

Perhaps it's because you work in a school that you don't understand how things work in a more officey type situation, or can't read easily between the lines of the OP's post

Could you explain this to me? Like, the bits I've not er..got?

The OP still hasn't said whether the new manager knew about the expected arrangements about retirees, i.e. for a week or more they do less and don'y keep to normal hours ( see OP's OP)

slashlover · 23/01/2019 13:26

It also depends if OP warned her manager she might be late, phoned at 2:30pm to tell him OR just wandered in at 3pm without a care in the world.

To all the people saying to tell the manager "Just sack me." You are aware that he could start a disciplinary with OP even with a week to retirement? I'm not sure how it would affect her retirement if thatwas to happen.

WhentheRabbitsWentWild · 23/01/2019 13:28

echt

You are the kind of management who causes people to be off with stress, anxiety, depression or a full blown break down !!!
And yea, its happened to people I know . All because of a hard hearted , jobsworth MANAGER

haverhill · 23/01/2019 13:31

Blimey, some of these replies are equally hilarious and depressing.

OP, YADNBU. Your manager sounds like a petty, petty little man.

gamerwidow · 23/01/2019 13:32

The OP still hasn't said whether the new manager knew about the expected arrangements about retirees, i.e. for a week or more they do less and don'y keep to normal hours ( see OP's OP)
These are universally accepted rules of behaviour if you need someone to explain this to you you're a bit of a twat.

Original poster
Onlyafewdaystogo · 23/01/2019 13:32

Echt to answer a few of your questions:

The Manager is new to our dept. but not new to the company so would be well aware that people about to retire are not expected to stick rigidly to the time bands.

I told him the other Dept had invited me out for lunch in the local Italian and hoped that was okay and he just nodded.

The other Dept do not report to my manager, they report to a different manager who was at the lunch with us.

I have no actual work to complete here - just shredding, filing and packing and emailing contacts to let them know I'm leaving and to give the name and date of commencement of my replacement.

Once again thanks to all who have wished me a happy retirement.

OP posts:
allthgoodusernamesaretaken · 23/01/2019 13:33

several groups of colleagues have been taking me out for lunch in the last few days

I think several lunches is taking the mickey a bit

ReflectentMonatomism · 23/01/2019 13:34

You are aware that he could start a disciplinary with OP even with a week to retirement? I'm not sure how it would affect her retirement if thatwas to happen.

Unless she is a policeman accused of a serious crime such that the Home Secretary personally deems her pension forfeit, and Amber gets that decision taken in the next eeek, the answer is “no effect whatsoever”.

Harold Shipman got his full pension. He did more than turn up late

namechangedforanon · 23/01/2019 13:35

I work in HR... he sounds like a douche.

What is it achieving telling you off? They need to get a grip

RiverTam · 23/01/2019 13:35

echt you're not really doing the reputation of teachers any good here, you know. Her having a long lunch isn't having any impact on anyone else. She is no longer involved in the 'business' of the business. And it's blindingly obvious to anyone with an ounce of sense that her job isn't teaching, or anything like it.

TheWernethWife · 23/01/2019 13:35

Slash how on earth could that affect her retirement, surely she would be gone well before the paperwork was done.

dancinginthehall · 23/01/2019 13:36

Where I work it would be considered unusual if someone within a few days of retirement was sticking rigidly to their normal hours and not even taking a few extra long lunch breaks.

They also, if they're women, usually come in late on their last day because they've been at the hairdresser, knowing that there will be presentations and photographs later on in the day.

namechangedforanon · 23/01/2019 13:36

"You are aware that he could start a disciplinary with OP even with a week to retirement? I'm not sure how it would affect her retirement if thatwas to happen."

Highly unlikely that he would be able to action what would likely be a first formal warning, a second/final warning and then disciplinary procedures.... LOL

Ginkythefangedhellpigofdoom · 23/01/2019 13:36

Op is probably not back to answer you because she/he is at work and is to busy working to do so.

willywillywillywilly · 23/01/2019 13:36

Oh your boss is a twat. Smile and ignore, and enjoy your retirement Flowers

cstaff · 23/01/2019 13:37

What's he going to do - fire you. Tell him to fuck off - again can he fire you for that a week prior to your retirement. What a smallminded twat.

Enjoy your retirement.