Or is my colleague

[Iwishiwereheather]

So colleague is senior to me but we also have the same manager.

My manager and I have an agreement that I can log out of my phone 3-4pm. Our job isn’t particularly call based and you get like 3 a day max. Due to anxiety I’m allowed this break a day.

Today my manger was off and the senior told me to log in, he said he was aware of the agreement but one time wouldn’t hurt would it?

I think if discussed beforehand then I would have done it but springing it on me with 10 minutes to go I think is very unfair. There were other people logged into their phone so they weren’t left with no one answering calls.

It doesn't sound necessary. If more warning was given that on this particular day you were needed (perhaps some of the managers work had to be covered to finalise the day by this colleague so you'd essentially be covering them? I'm trying to picture a necessary sort of reason) then that would be fine, as you say.

Short notice to me would only be justified if a colleague was unwell; if the person acting as manager or supervisor in absence of the manager was actually struggling in a way that would impact the team and not just the individual; or if for some random reason the calls drastically increased that day.

I'd probably cover it, raising that I couldn't see the justification but would support the team and then discuss it with the manager for future eventualities. BUT I don't have a job right now nor do I know how significantly your anxiety impacts the rest of your day or week.

I think this is worth a pleasantly worded bit of feedback to your manager on their return.

'Everything was fine - except it felt quite awkward when Fred told me to log on my phone in the last hour as 'it wouldn't hurt'. I thought that was agreed as part of my Reasonable Adjustments, not that it only applied when you were in. Would you be able to confirm the position with me, please?'

Manager then sees Fred hasn't quite understood the significance of the arrangement and reminds him that this is part of your adjustments, you get reassured that it's OK, at worst Fred has his nose put out of joint and you have a paper trail showing that this is an ongoing arrangement that cannot be overridden by somebody acting up. Which makes it easier for you to politely restate your boundaries if he tries it next time your manager is off (and he can't say 'Don't know what the problem is, she was logged on for the last hour on Friday').

I am finding it really weird those that are saying the senior wasn't unreasonable because they are assuming they have managerial duties because the manager isn't there. someone at OPs work may well cover for the manager but who said it was this particular colleague?

I am senior at my work, alongside a couple of others, and none of us have the authority to over ride our manager. None of us. Nor do any of us effectively step into his role when he is not there.

I also don't see myself as being in charge of those who are not seniors. That isn't necessarily a seniors role. Colleagues who are 'lower in rank' may come to myself if they are having trouble with something but they do not come to me to ask for permission. That role is, and remains alone, with the manager.

As already pointed out, people's language is very important in scenarios like these. It often gives away their real perspective and goal. "it's not that difficult" and "one time won't hurt will it?"

Dismissive in every way. This colleague quite clearly does not agree with the arrangement and, as already stated, OP had absolutely no obligation to of agreed to what was being asked.

YANBU if this is an agreement for a reasonable adjustment for disability.

I am disabled and have these in place at work as agreed with by my line manager. If someone asked me to change these ‘just one time’ they would be kindly told to fuck off. It’s these adjustment that might seem silly to other people but they make the work day bearable and I genuinely would not be able to work without them.

@ChronicallyCurious

YANBU if this is an agreement for a reasonable adjustment for disability.

I am disabled and have these in place at work as agreed with by my line manager. If someone asked me to change these ‘just one time’ they would be kindly told to fuck off. It’s these adjustment that might seem silly to other people but they make the work day bearable and I genuinely would not be able to work without them.

This!

It's the same for me. My reasonable adjustments are in place for a very good reason!

I agree with the poster who pointed out OP's colleague's language of 'it can't hurt' is very suggestive of his underlying attitude.

Years ago I worked somewhere where you could use a colleague's fixed desk and specialist chair on days they weren't in, but not days they were in and you weren't allowed to adjust any settings on the desk and chair. Fixed desks were clearly marked. One of my colleagues used someone else in my team's fixed desk despite me warning them said the desk owner was in that day. The colleague refused to budge when the person whose desk it was showed up so that poor person was left all day without their desk, their specialist chair, keyboard and mouse. They were so upset and I was the only person who had stood up for their right to use their own specialist equipment. It really tainted my opinion of the colleague who refused to budge.

If its an agreement between you and your manager they were completely out of order and undermining the arrangement you had in place. It isn't their say so as to whether "it wouldn't hurt" - that's between you and your manager - and they put you in a difficult and uncomfortable position.

I'd mention it to your manager when they are back in as this individual overstepped the line and you shouldn't have to explain why you have this in place to anyone.

@ChronicallyCurious

YANBU if this is an agreement for a reasonable adjustment for disability.

I am disabled and have these in place at work as agreed with by my line manager. If someone asked me to change these ‘just one time’ they would be kindly told to fuck off. It’s these adjustment that might seem silly to other people but they make the work day bearable and I genuinely would not be able to work without them.

Thank you. I agree in that to some my hour may sound silly but it really does help me out. Knowing I can complete my work without being on edge or have any interruptions.

I think it instilled in me this fear that it can just be snatched away from me with no warning, when I didn’t have this fear before. Which honestly did upset me and raise my anxiety.

If it was a problem then I think the minimum would be have a conversation with me or at least say this arrangement will finish at the end of the week/month etc.

But thanks for the replies and it’s something I need to discuss with my manager.

I think it instilled in me this fear that it can just be snatched away from me with no warning, when I didn’t have this fear before. Which honestly did upset me and raise my anxiety.

I know that feeling OP. I've worked places before where people try and remove reasonable adjustments and I don't think they get how stressful that is for people who need their reasonable adjustments to do their job.

My husband did disability training years ago where they asked people to do their (office) jobs in a room with no light, desk, chair or computer. Everyone was like 'hey I need light, a desk, a chair and a computer to do my job' which was the point - when someone needs a reasonable adjustment asking someone to do their job without it is like expecting someone to reply to emails with no phone, computer or tablet.

@Kintsuji is quite right. The reason for the adjustment is irrelevant, in fact the adjustment itself is irrelevant. OP is asking if a person senior to her, but not her manager, should be able to request a change to the adjustment, especially at 10 minutes notice. An adjustment can be anything, and how it aids you to do your job is no one’s business. And we shouldn’t judge what that adjustment is, a PP said it sounded odd! So what, it aids me to do my job if I can stand on my desk for 10 minutes at lunchtime (it doesn’t)! But if it did, and my manager agreed to it, that would be my adjustment.

OP, YANBU, you shouldn’t be asked to change an adjustment.