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Original poster

Was I wrong or is my boss being unreasonable?

28 replies

BuzzieBo · 22/05/2023 22:32

Today at work, I did not feel well. A terrible headache. I saw my boss at lunch time and she said I could go home, but we were short staffed so I said I would stay.

I got EVERYTHING done and ended up leaving about 15 minutes before my shift ended as I still felt unwell. There's really was nothing left for me to do.

My boss then rang me saying I should of seen her and asked to leave early? She's not happy and said that if I was well enough to stay then I was well enough to complete the whole shift!?! She wants to talk about it tomorrow.... arrrgghh! Now I have a headache and feel sick with nerves!

OP posts:

topcat2014 · 22/05/2023 22:34

Sorry your boss is so dreary.. honestly some people! How do they retain staff?

Zoraflora · 22/05/2023 22:42

Boss said you could go home at lunch time but you decided to stay due to staff shortages. She possibly thought you werent very sick if you were happy to to carry on.

I wouldn’t leave early without checking but my workplace may have different rules to your.

Azandme · 22/05/2023 22:43

You should've let her know before leaving.

Mangledrake · 22/05/2023 22:47

Well, she said you could go home!

Strange that she is making such a fuss. I wouldn't emphasize the "got everything done". I would tell her you thought you had permission to go home but did stay absolutely as long you could stay standing, v sorry that you misunderstood her, will ask at the time in future if ever in similar situation.

She sounds mad but for that reason, I wouldn't bother arguing. Get well soon.

ginswinger · 22/05/2023 22:58

Just remind your boss of the circumstances-they might have forgotten you were poorly and did her a favour. If she persists, reconsider the favours you do for her.

Aprilx · 23/05/2023 06:37

Perhaps she just wants to clarify process around leaving early. You decided to stay so she probably assumed you were feeling better and would complete the shift.

SquigglePigs · 23/05/2023 06:53

You weren't unreasonable to go home early but you should definitely have told/asked her.

Lefteyetwitch · 23/05/2023 07:06

YABU you agreed to stay. If you did need to leave it sounds like she would have been more than happy for you to. However you can't just unilaterally decide to walk out! You absolutely need to alert your line manager.

Greenfairydust · 23/05/2023 07:59

And some companies wonder why they can't retain staff...

Willmafrockfit · 23/05/2023 08:02

it would have been polite to let her know you were leaving early

GoodChat · 23/05/2023 08:05

You should have told her as you'd said you were ok to stay.

Flufs · 23/05/2023 08:05

Out of politeness should have said you were going early but no big deal. You had a headache and felt rough and needed to get home.

Quveas · 23/05/2023 08:36

It sounds to me like six of one and half a dozen of the other. But yes, I think if you'd said you would finish your shift, you should have told her before leaving early. Quite apart from anything else, it could be a safety issue, not knowing that someone is no longer in work if there was some sort of emergency and you can't be found.

Tellmeimcrazy · 23/05/2023 08:43

You should have at least let her know you were leaving the premises.

Geneticsbunny · 23/05/2023 08:48

It might be for something like fire safety? If they don't know who is on site then they can't make sure everyone has been evacuated in a fire?

Original poster

BuzzieBo · 23/05/2023 08:51

Thanks for all your replies.

I probably should of told her I was leaving - I wasn't thinking straight and just really needed to get home. However, I do think it was OTT to ring me and leave me worrying about it all night!!

I think I will just apologise and say I misunderstood our conversation at lunch. Wish me luck!

OP posts:

Gazelda · 23/05/2023 08:55

You told her you were unwell then later on you disappeared.
Perhaps she was worried about you and had been searching then calling to see if you were ok?

GoodChat · 23/05/2023 09:03

BuzzieBo · 23/05/2023 08:51

Thanks for all your replies.

I probably should of told her I was leaving - I wasn't thinking straight and just really needed to get home. However, I do think it was OTT to ring me and leave me worrying about it all night!!

I think I will just apologise and say I misunderstood our conversation at lunch. Wish me luck!

She had to call to make sure you were ok.

If you never normally leave early and told her you were well enough to work she doesn't know what happened to force you to leave early.

SheilaFentiman · 23/05/2023 09:07

I think a quick text or email to say you had done everything but were still feeling bad and so heading off would have been a good idea.

I have been in her position searching for a member of staff and was actually quite worried, especially when he didn’t pick up his phone.

Original poster

BuzzieBo · 23/05/2023 09:08

If she had rang me saying she was worried about me and wanted to check I was OK, that would be more than fine, I would of appreciated it!

But that was definitely not the reason she called. She was annoyed and I feel she wanted me to worry about it overnight.

TBH makes apologising a bit harder when I feel that was her intention but I also think it's one of those things I am just going to have to do.

OP posts:

Gazelda · 23/05/2023 09:12

I get the feeling you don't think you did anything wrong/would do differently in hindsight.
And you feel she's deliberately tried to worry you overnight.
You begrudge apologising.

Is there more to this?

Quveas · 23/05/2023 09:46

BuzzieBo · 23/05/2023 09:08

If she had rang me saying she was worried about me and wanted to check I was OK, that would be more than fine, I would of appreciated it!

But that was definitely not the reason she called. She was annoyed and I feel she wanted me to worry about it overnight.

TBH makes apologising a bit harder when I feel that was her intention but I also think it's one of those things I am just going to have to do.

So it was alright for you to disappear without telling anyone and potentially leave her wondering what had happened and if you were ok overnight - but it isn't ok for you to have to wonder what she's going to say because you walked out of work without telling anyone? I think maybe give your head a wobble? Whether you get on with her or not, she gave you the opportunity to go home earlier and you said no, you would stay in work. Your reasons for that are irrelevant. You said you'd stay in work and then you didn't - you left early and didn't tell anyone. Honestly, whatever you think her reasons here are, you were in the wrong and should apologise for that.

Dinkler · 23/05/2023 09:57

She's not in the wrong. Even from a boring fire safety view you should let supervisor/boss know if you're leaving early. She probably just thought you felt better and it was back to a normal day?

SheilaFentiman · 23/05/2023 10:03

I very much doubt she deliberately wanted you to worry about it overnight. She called around the time the issue occurred - why should she wait until the morning?

Littleworkaholic · 23/05/2023 10:08

To be honest I can see why she’s annoyed, she offered to let you go, you said no, which says you were well enough to stay , and then you left early without telling her. You should have told her you can’t just walk out.

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