Workplace issues are a problem as old as time itself.
It’s why Adam and Eve didn’t always get along.
There is only so much disrespect one can take in life.
And professionally it leads to some life and death situations.
Case in point…
Redditor Maleficent_Shoe3791 wanted to discuss their story for some feedback. So naturally they came to visit the “Am I The A**hole” (AITA) subReddit.
They asked:
“AITA for not arriving to my coworker’s shift early because she wants to go to church?”
The Original Poster (OP) explained:
“So I work in home care and basically I leave when the next person in schedule shows up.”
“A certain coworker always gets scheduled after me and she arrives 2 hours late at minimum, one hour on a special day.”
“Never on time.”
“You cannot leave the patients unattended and you don’t get paid overtime so I stay extra for free.”
“I’ve spoken to my boss and he says it’s church related so it’s basically okay.”
“Lately she’s been asking me to come in early.”
“I usually get there at 8 and she’s asking me to come 5 for ‘church reasons.'”
“Not gonna lie, I just ignore her and don’t show up until 8.”
“Recently she pulled crap where she would just leave at 5-6ish and text me saying ‘I left.'”
“Meaning I’d have to hurry my a** to the job to make sure the patients won’t leave the house or hurt themselves.”
“It’s absolutely ridiculous.”
“And before anyone asks, our bosses won’t respond to our messages and calls most the time.”
“I spoke with her the next time I saw her saying what she did was absolutely stupid and she blamed me for not coming earlier?”
“AITA for not coming earlier for her shift?”
Redditors shared their thoughts on this matter and weighed some options to the question AITA?:
- NTA – Not The A**hole
- YTA – You’re The A**hole
- NAH – No A**holes Here
- ESH – Everyone Sucks Here
Redditors declared our OP was NOT the A**hole.
It’s a tricky situation.
Let’s hear some thoughts…
“NTA. You need to document everything and go to HR. This is an HR problem. You’re losing time and money.” ~ urbanstroller
“I would bet this a very small “company” and the owners are the bosses.”
“Probably no HR to go to.”
“But OP should definitely look at labor laws in their area and any governing entities that license this business.”
“This is not okay.” ~ coneyb11
“NTA. Honestly this sounds to me like there’s grounds for a discrimination lawsuit here.”
“Sounds like the coworker and the boss follow the same religion and OP doesn’t.”
“So obviously the blasphemer’s time is less valuable and important than the good Christian’s /s.” ~ Usual_Doubt998
“This shouldn’t be allowed that you aren’t allowed to leave but can’t get paid overtime.”
“That’s absolutely unacceptable that you are consistently working unpaid 1 or 2 hours.”
“Honestly, I would be salty if it was just 10 minutes per day.”
“I would start looking for other jobs immediately and since it sounds like you two are the only people working.”
“I would insist that she makes up any time (comes in early to relieve you) if she starts her shift late.”
“Aldo definitely make a labor complaint.”
“But honestly, the best way to stop this petty drama is to find a different job because your employer is horrible and should have put a stop to this ages ago.” ~ asecretnarwhal
“There’s nothing you can do about the other employee if your employer isn’t doing anything.”
“BUT! If this is in the US, there is no legal way to not be paid for time you are on the job.”
“This is FEDERAL law and it’s called wage theft.”
“You can file a grievance and force your employer to pay your back wages, too.”
“Start looking for a new job, OP, and read up: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd “
“NTA now but you will be if you keep taking this abuse from your employer.” ~ HopefulConcentrate73
“Yes OP can and probably should do this.”
But honestly if this is a small home care company (sounds like it), I think the crap is likely to slide downhill on OP.”
“That the owner will back up the worker that he/she has been protecting apparently for quite a while, clearly letting the other worker skip out, show up late, etc.”
“Which affects OP and OP isn’t being paid extra.”
“So I suggest if there is another home care employment agency in your city to just try to catch on there.”
“OP is going to get fired anyway if OP reports the other worker to APS for leaving early.”
“And again is likely to be left out to dry legally by home care agency for being somehow being the one responsible for the client be left alone.”
“This sucks big time for OP who is getting cheated of money and time.”
“But it’s also sucks for the poor client/patient who is likely isn’t being well cared for when this crummy worker is there ‘going to church’ sounds like a story.”
“But even if it’s true, doesn’t guarantee that the worker does a decent job caring for the client/patient.”
“OP, line up a new job and take it you can, but at least have it as a back up when you have to call APS on this worker who leaves early.”
“Also, be ready with documentation, like the texts from worker and the employer, dated notes on conversations you’ve had with the worker and the employer, etc.”
“And report the home care agency to the local (city/counry/state????).”
“Medicaid department for suspected Medicaid abuse and client negligence.”
“NTA as long as OP stops enabling this worker to cheat her and the client/patient.” ~ sailingisgreat
“OP keep any text she sends saying she left and I’d seriously try to record her re: getting there late, etc.”
“IF the client is on Medicaid that would be ideal because they are sticklers on proper documentation and following laws.”
“See great info on post above regarding that.”
“If put on the trail of anything out of the ordinary, they’ll do all the work for you.”
“I worked for a large in-home agency as a CNA a million years ago.”
“They also refused to pay overtime and we’d get paid our regular rate even if we’d gone over 40 hours. “
“They we’re turned in to the local employment law agency.”
“Suddenly every employee got a check for the correct rate for everything they’d ever worked over 40.”
“I’d been there 4 years.”
It was a fricking big check and they had to send out thousands of them.”
“Don’t just eat it, what they’re doing is wrong and they can be forced into line but you gotta be willing to give them that initial push!”
“Good luck and so very NTA!” ~ Faisfancy
“NTA. How is not paying you for hours worked even legal?”
“I’m in the US and if this situation were reported, you’d be getting so much in back over time pay.”
“Is there anyone, besides your turd of a boss, that you can report your co worker to for leaving patients unattended?”
“That is absolutely not ok.” ~ CapriLoungeRudy
“NTA.”
“Though I think your bosses don’t care because they’re relying on you to clean up her mess.”
“PLEASE STOP!!”
‘Honestly, I’d find somewhere else to work for because you shouldn’t give away your work for free.”
“Your company owes you money for this and you should try contacting local agencies devoted to patient safety and/or unfair labor practices or you’ll end up doing this forever.”
“Do NOT come early. Seriously screw this person.”
“Work ONLY the hours you are assigned.” ~ Maleficent_Ad_3958
“NTA but you should have the client file a report.”
“Unless it says in the contract that she has religious exemptions then she is breaking the contract.”
“You should also inform anyone she looks after that she is supposed to be there the whole time unless there’s an emergency.”
“That’s not how jobs work.” ~ OptmusJonzz
“NTA. Keep those texts and any attempts you make to call your bosses about it.”
“Same for the unpaid overtime. DOCUMENT IT ALL.”
“If in the US, you can make a complaint to the Labor Relations board.”
“It may not solve your problem of wages being denied but it gets it documented by a government agency.”
“And you can report your coworker – or even your employer – anonymously to a social service agency for neglecting the clients.” ~ Remarkable_Whole9517
“Lol, no.”
“Going to church doesn’t mean you get to show up late for work and your colleagues work without pay.”
“Your boss is an idiot.”
“This is a gross violation of federal.and state labor law.”
“I don’t even know what your state is or even if you’re in the U.S.”
“But I can’t imagine Amy place where working for free so a colleague can show up late for a shift is permissible.”
“Go to HR immediately. Do not stop at Go. NTA.” ~ ArmNo8807
OP came back with an update…
“Edit- They’ve done something new.”
“They posted the new schedule for this week and now it’s saying I work from 8AM-8 and she’s working 10PM-8AM.”
“No other name in between our names.”
“This time gap is only occurring when she works after me.”
Sounds like Reddit has OP’s back.
OP… don’t let people walk all over you.
It maybe time for some drastic action.
Good luck.