To be annoyed I'm being 'told off' for 'working'

[squiddybear]

Last week I had a week off at work, it is my first week off I had since I started the role and was looking forward to it. Due to the nature of the role I kept my emails on as notifications as lots of things could have gone wrong.
Day 1 I received a panicked email stating something was missing and they needed it for a meeting that day. I ignored this and then got an email from my boss to them saying that they would have a word with me for not planning better and they could only apologise for my mistake! Now there was no mistake the paperwork was there so I emailed back advising them where the paperwork is and reminding them how they can access it.
Day 2 I received a call on my personal number who had left a voicemail it turns out it was someone from a different department and there had been a big thing that had happened and it was imperative that it get sorted straight away. I called my colleague and explained the situation so that it got resolved. (Person who called me was isolating and had no access to the email system so wouldn't have known I was out of office)
Rest of the week had been quiet and I was asked to sign in on Friday to take part in the team 'Christmas party' which I did.

This week I was pulled into a meeting with my boss basically chiding me for working. Saying it wasn't on and that I was being silly etc. I explained that I wanted to make clear where the paperwork was to avoid any situations like that later on in the week and due to the urgent nature of the phonecall I received it was not something that could have been left hence why I passed the message on so that it could be dealt with.

AIBU to be pissed off that I'm being told off for this. In my eyes I'm an adult and I am fully aware that I was doing this 'in my own time'. I feel like I'm being treated like a naughty child!

I'd be more annoyed tha my manager implied I'd done a shit handover. It very unprofessional of them to say this to another colleague. Especially including you in an email while on leave.

Of course you are going to email to defend yourself. I couldn't not bring this up with my manager. Did you raise it?

I never check emails while I'm off but if I'm just having a holiday at home like we all are at the moment, I just tell my boss he can message me if anything major is needed. Most things that could happen can be dealt with by another member of the team. I can't remember the last time I was called but I always plan well in advance for my holidays and do work in advance and leave a good handover.

"But your boss is right; you shouldn't be working or reading emails when you're on holiday. It's bad for your mental health long term and it's therefore bad for the organisation if you haven't had a proper break. It also builds an expectation that people will be available for work while on holiday- if I was your colleague I'd be annoyed"

Normally, I'd agree, but her boss was blaming her for things she wasn't guilty for in emails! How can she not react in that case!

@Plussizejumpsuit yes - response was 'well it was no where to be seen' (I found it by opening the filing cabinet draw!)
I was not going to let him make out id done a shit job when it was just lack of reading!

@CheetasOnFajitas yep. It was an unknown number which a message was left from the colleague explaining the issue that we had. I immediately phoned my colleague who was looking after my team and explained the situation asking him to deal with it and call back said person with details.

I would have left it til I was back at work and had the discussion with my boss about implying I had done a poor job. You were on leave and they need to work things out when you’re not there. Your leave us time to switch off from work which you can’t do if you’re checking and reading work emails. As a manager I’d have had a word too tbh, nit because you had “shown me up” but because working through holidays means you don’t get the rest you need from work and ultimately can affect your mental health.

I work in an education environment. This kind of crap seems to be rife. Your manager is an idiot. Definitely do what @unmarkedbythat suggests.

I knew from your first post you were something in Education.

You showed him up, good for you.
Just agree and carry on doing what suits you best.

So, basically, you were damned if you did "cos you was working when you shouldn't be, tut tut tut" and damned if you didn't "how could you let things go wrong like this, tut tut tut and let's leave out that nobody here took any notice of you when you tried to tell your colleagues where stuff they needed was stored ready for use".

No wonder you are pissed off, wankers.

You're not wrong to be pissed off. Your boss basically threw you under the bus about the "missing" paperwork, so when you explained where it was, it made them look a twat. Therefore they decided to use any excuse to have a go at you.

I’m an EA and rightly or wrongly, I’m expected to keep an eye on my emails on my days off!

YANBU

And your boss is a tool. Once you have your feet a bit further under the table, don’t stand for him making you look incompetent to others

Tbh sounds like you were very professional. Was the boss maybe telling you off because he felt he was supposed to, rather than actually meaning it? My boss tells me off for answering urgent work emails when on hols because I’m supposed to be resting, but in fact they appreciate that I don’t drop the ball and can be reached to signpost my covering colleague if something big comes up (like happened with you).

Well at least you know that for the next holiday you just switch your phone off and ignore all contact until you return to work.

Corporate bullshit at its finest 🤨

@madcatladyforever

I feel your pain OP. My micromanaging ex boss would ring me at one minute to 5 daily to check I hadn't gone home one second too early yet if she caught me still working at 5.10 she would ask me why I couldn't manage all my work within work hours. I could have strangled her.

"Because some idiot keeps ringing up and interrupting me!".