I Just Got Fired - Long.

[Robinrs]

Wow, what a mess.

Both of you were wrong, she has what I call "middle manager syndrome" and you treated her like the visiting aunt, not the "Mom"... and she felt slighted. She is your direct superior and you did treat her with insubordination. She handed it incorrectly by not going to HER boss to handle this, instead doing the PMS thing... so inappropriate in the workplace.

I cannot imagine it being pleasant for you from now on... sounds like it's time for you to find another place to work. She's going to make it miserable for you because you slapped her in the face with something she KNOWS is wrong... and no one likes that.

Good luck...

 

[NYPDwife]

Are you saying I don't work hard or that I don't appreciate the part time hours, because I do. That's why I looked for this particular type of job, but what I didn't sign up for was the BS.

I don't think your working relationship with your boss is going to improve any time soon. It's not what's dished out to you, it's how you respond to it. Not very professional in my opinion.

It doesn't matter if heyour boss sits on her hands all day and you do all the work. You either do the work you're given or you can quit. It's like that with any job. There's always someone else who could do the job without complaint who loves the part time hours, even if they have to work hard.

 

[arminnie]

it's hard to be nice when you bust your butt all day and your boss is just messing around and then expects you to do their work too.

but what I didn't sign up for was the BS.

Is this your first job? Or have you just been lucky up until now.

There will always be people who shovel out BS and expect you to do their work. You have the choice to either find another job, learn to live with it or hope that you get a new supervisor.

 

[ilisao]

Are you saying I don't work hard or that I don't appreciate the part time hours, because I do. That's why I looked for this particular type of job, but what I didn't sign up for was the BS.

No one signs up for the BS. But the fact of the matter is, it exists. And it's your responsibility to handle it in a professional manner, or leave.

 

[Caropooh]

Wow, I can't even begin to imagine talking to my boss like you did! It is not your place to comment on what personal things she is doing. That would be her bosses place. I understand that you were upset, but this is one of those times when you keep your opinion to yourself and walk away from the situation.
She also doesn't sound like she handled it very professionally. But being your boss, she does have the right to reprimand you for not doing what she assigned you.

 

[Mom2Nick]

Are you saying I don't work hard or that I don't appreciate the part time hours, because I do. That's why I looked for this particular type of job, but what I didn't sign up for was the BS.

BS or not this is typical of the workforce. As a subordinate it's your job to do what your supervisor tells you to do. Knowing she was already upset with you and you went and did something you never did and never were asked to do - of course she's going to be mad. Then to leave like you did telling your supervisor you would see her Monday was the height of arrogance. It was completely disrespctful to her AGAIN and you also failed to do what HER superior told you to do which was to say goodby and have a nice weekend. You choose to be snarky instead.

If you are NOT fired over this I can guarantee you will be shortly and your supervisor will make your life a living hell until she is successful.

 

[Liberty Belle]

Honestly, I wouldn't dream of saying what you said to my boss (and I've had some doozies). You just don't do that. It definitely sounds like insubordination, to me.

It's always best not to assume, and in the situation you gave, I probably would have said, "I'm working on these graphs now, would you rather I stop and take care of the emails?" Thay way you both would be clear. Most likely, she would have told you to go ahead and finish the graphs, but you should have asked, if you weren't clear.

And, I also think you saying "See you on Monday" seemed very snarky. That's very different from the "Goodbye. Have a nice weekend" that the other manager told you to say.

I agree she did not speak to you professionally, but after what you said to her, I can understand her being upset enough to be rude back to you. She should not have, of course, but it's understandable.

 

[PatsMom]

I don't think I would go back to that job even if I weren't fired. If I were the supervisor involved, I would make the OP's life a living hell. Whether a good supervisor or bad, none that I've ever worked for would have tolerated the insubordination. I've had to cover for bosses who spent a ton of time on personal stuff and I didn't enjoy it so I can sympathize with the OP's frustration. Maybe its my military background, but insubordination just isn't a good thing.

OP, good luck in whatever you decide to do. Personally, I would be reading the help wanted ads over the long weekend.

 

[doxdogy]

I really do understand where you are coming from. And yes you were wrong in saying what you did to your boss. I am a lot like you are, I can't stand to just sit idly at work and do nothing. Drives me nuts. Sounds like she has some serious issues of her own. If you do keep your job and you want to stay, just bite your tongue the next time and just do what she tells you. There is only one boss (my last one) that I have ever really popped off too. Thankfully, I was able to do it in a manner that he thought I was kidding him.

 

[luvsJack]

I know you probably are really not wanting to hear everyone telling you what you did wrong and were probably looking for a little reassurance that your boss was in the wrong. I know how you feel when it seems like you are doing all the work and others (bosses or co-workers) are doing nothing. And, having been the boss and the type of boss that did more than my share of work, it is very frustrating to me when my higher ups seems to think their position means they do no work. You just have to know that it will catch up with her one day.

With all that said, your first mistake was back at the time she went to lunch. When she said "there are only a few emails, I'm going to lunch", I would have understood that to mean she was delegating that to you. Even if you had other things to do, apparently she meant for you to complete those emails.

 

[stitchlilo]

I would fire you based on your story. You did not just do on thing wrong but many. See the numbers below.

Ugh, I hate my boss.

I am a part-time administrative assistant. I left my old part-time job (with holiday, sick and vacation leave) b/c I wasn't a "true" admin asst. I found this job and was told that I was to be a back-up to the "office manager". I love what I do and what that consists of is booking flights, cars and hotels for sales guys, typing itineraries, filing, etc. Another part of my job was to answer the daily foreign quote requests via email. Now my boss and I shared this job. Every day for one hour, I would sit at her desk and reply to the quote requests, enter the quotes in the system and file the emails away. Now, USUALLY my boss prints them out in the morning and hands them to the National Sales Manager so he can write the prices on them, then she leaves them at her desk for me to do. Whatever quote requests come in after 2 PM are SUPPOSED to be done by her. Lately, all she can spend her time doing is personal stuff so I'm stuck trying to reply to quote requests that I have to do and that she should have done. But you know what? I GET IT DONE!

I know that people do personal stuff at work, I know I do. But I also know that I don't surf the net, or check e-mails or plan my Disney trip while I have something else to do. I'm the type of person that hurries up, does what needs to be done and then I screw around.

But yesterday was the final straw..I'm working on the sales presentation for the yearly trip to Vegas. This includes booking all flights, reserving group space at the hotel, planning the menu, looking up restaurants and making dinner and show reservations, typing the itineraries and assembling the PowerPoint presentation. I LOVE DOING THIS. This is the part of the job that makes me really happy. Last year when I did this, my boss had no problem picking up the slack on the foreign quotes b/c I was busy. This year, it's been a little slow so I've been doing the quotes each day. But yesterday, I was given the numbers for the graphs that were to go in the presentation. Now, I'm only part time, so I had to take 6 months worth of numbers for 8 markets and graph them, format the graphs and then put them into the presentation. And I'm so anal about aesthetics in my work so it takes me a bit to make sure everything is uniform and eye-pleasing. She comes over to my desk at 1 and tells me,1 "I'm going to lunch, there are only a couple of e-mails", so I said "I'm busy doing graphs" and she just left. Now maybe I'm wrong, but I took her silence as a don't worry, you keep doing what you're doing b/c it's important. When she comes back from lunch, she throws a hissy fit b/c the emails aren't done at which point 2 I told her that I was trying to get the graphs done and I figured she could do them. Now, she pulls out the boss card and says, "we'll it's your job". 3 So I got pissed and said "well maybe you could've gotten them done if you weren't busy refilling your cat's prescription, booking your sisters flight and finding a new oil company for your house". I WAS WRONG PEOPLE I know that, but it was true . So she got really pissed and went off on the National Sales Manager for giving me stuff to do b/c since she's the office manager, she has to delegate my work.

So fine, yesterday I leave and today I come in. Now let me explain something, I'm the type of person that tells you what needs to be said and I'm done. I don't let things "fester" as my mom's husband calls it. But anyway, I come in this morning, and MAKE SURE to say a CHEERY good morning to my boss, who just grunted something back. Fine. I go to my desk and try to find another spot for dinner in Vegas for the sales trip. I take my time looking on Zagats and look at and print menus for the National Sales Manager to choose from. After this, my boss calls me and says she wants to see me in the conference room. I go in and she shuts the door and immediately tells me that she doesn't appreciate me telling her about her work ethic. 4 I tried to explain how I felt, got nowhere and just decided to apologizeShould have done this yesterday. . She complains again, so I reiterated my apology. I just wanted to get the hell outta there.

5 Then, I didn't have anything to do so I took the quotes off the National Sales Managers desk and decided to price them myself. I've never done it before and figured it would be a good learning experience. Well, I bring them back to the NSM to check and he tells me that I did a good job for my first time, to which she storms in his office and tells me "you're quoting the emails?" so I said yes, that I wanted to help the NSM b/c he's been busy and the less stuff he has to do, the more he can work on the Vegas presentation with me (he's swamped). Then she proceeds to pull the boss card again, with "Well, I TELL YOU WHAT TO DO" (she was semi-yelling) and "Don't come to J asking for stuff to do, I give you your work". 6 So I told her that I didn't ask for them, I pulled them off his desk while he was on the phone b/c I wanted to help. So she huffs and I walk away.

Now, I'm headed to her desk and she's already walking towards me , so I ask her "Do you have anything for me to do?" and she says (with an attitude) "look up flights" so I grabbed the Travel Request and was walking back to my desk when she says "CONFERENCE ROOM, NOW!". Now, I'm a 33 y/o grown woman, there's no need to yell at me! . I walk behind her and she stands in the doorway and yells "What's your problem?", 7 so I tell her, I don't have a problem, she's the one with an attitude and told her to stop trying to treat me like a child and not to speak to me like a 5 y/o.

Then she shouts "go sit down" (in the conference room) and 8 I said, no, I don't want to so she says well then, you can just leave, 9 so I said FINE!You quit.

Now, while I was packing up (and cursing under my breath), I call the SVP to tell him that it's my last day and he tells me to come into his office. I go in and I'm upset so I'm tearing up (I hate that ).He gives me a tissue and asks what happened so I'm telling him and he said I was wrong for calling my boss out on her personal stuff, but to get over it since I apologized. then he says she does not have the authority to fire me so just go home and cool down and come back Monday. He said he would speak to her and if she gave a GOOD reason for firing me, then he would call me, but he was doubtful that would happen. Then he says I want you to say goodbye to your boss and tell her to have a nice weekend. So I (reluctantly) agreed.

10 Now, while I'm walking past, I say, "I'll see you Monday"He said tell her tho have a nice weekend. and she SARCASTICALLY says "oh, you're coming back?". I didn't respond, grabbed my stuff and walked out.

Now, I know I'm wrong for calling her out, but am I right somewhere?

10 different places you did wrong. Sorry you need to learn to deal with people better.

 

[Robinrs]

I would fire you based on your story. You did not just do on thing wrong but many. See the numbers below.


10 different places you did wrong. Sorry you need to learn to deal with people better.

Sad but true... I had an employee like that once, and I started procedures on her the minute she started mouthing. No one wins in situations like this, especially the subordinate.

 

[NMAmy]

As a subordinate it's your job to do what your supervisor tells you to do. Knowing she was already upset with you and you went and did something you never did and never were asked to do - of course she's going to be mad.

I would have fired you over this alone. You did not do the task she assigned to you one day and then the next day, all on your own, you decided to take over a task that was not assigned to you at all without clearing it with your supervisor. Combined with your attitude toward your supervisor the previous day, you're walking a very thin line there and you deserve to have some kind of disciplinary action at the very least.

 

[NYPDwife]

I would have fired you over this alone. You did not do the task she assigned to you one day and then the next day, all on your own, you decided to take over a task that was not assigned to you at all without clearing it with your supervisor. Combined with your attitude toward your supervisor the previous day, you're walking a very thin line there and you deserve to have some kind of disciplinary action at the very least.

Hmmm, I wonder what my disciplinary action would be? I never received an employee handbook b/c apparently a p/t doesn't have rights there.

 

[Buzz's Girl]

I do understand your frustration, but you went way over the line and the "see you Monday" comment could only be construed as "neener neener, I told on you and you can't get me" by your less than mature manager. You did not do yourself any favors there, and would expect that the SVP, who was supporting you, isn't going to be happy about it either.

Monday you need to go in with tail between your legs. Tell your manager that you are sorry, you regret your words and actions and that you would appreciate the opportunity to learn from this and start over. DON'T say "you regret what happened" because that includes her in the blame. Then go to the SVP and apologize that your behavior disrupted the office. Employers don't want employees that cause strife in the ranks, so don't be one.

You need to COMPLETELY let go of monitoring her activities. What she does or doesn't do is her bosses concern, not yours.

You need to start doing a better job of communicating what is on your plate. I would go to her first thing every day, give her an update of your pending jobs and ask what you can help her with.

Just be the bigger person here, no matter how much it hurts.

 

[NYPDwife]

I do understand your frustration, but you went way over the line and the "see you Monday" comment could only be construed as "neener neener, I told on you and you can't get me" by your less than mature manager. You did not do yourself any favors there, and would expect that the SVP, who was supporting you, isn't going to be happy about it either.

Monday you need to go in with tail between your legs. Tell your manager that you are sorry, you regret your words and actions and that you would appreciate the opportunity to learn from this and start over. DON'T say "you regret what happened" because that includes her in the blame. Then go to the SVP and apologize that your behavior disrupted the office. Employers don't want employees that cause strife in the ranks, so don't be one.

You need to COMPLETELY let go of monitoring her activities. What she does or doesn't do is her bosses concern, not yours.

You need to start doing a better job of communicating what is on your plate. I would go to her first thing every day, give her an update of your pending jobs and ask what you can help her with.

Just be the bigger person here, no matter how much it hurts.

Thank you.

 

[Buzz's Girl]

Thank you.

You're welcome. I hope it works out for you. It sounds like a really fun p/t job.

 

[tarheel618]

OP while I think you made a mistake I really hope that you can work this out and keep the job that you love

 

[kinntj]

Are you saying I don't work hard or that I don't appreciate the part time hours, because I do. That's why I looked for this particular type of job, but what I didn't sign up for was the BS.

No, I didn't say that. I just meant that if you think your work load is too much because your boss isn't doing her share, then there's others out there that won't pay much attention to that and will just do it.

You have to learn to read people and know where your boundaries are. Every boss is different. Some would have praised you for taking the extra work off of someone elses desk and do it. Some, like your boss, wants you to go through them before taking on additional work. Bosses like to be asked if there's anything more you can do for them or you could suggest doing those other things for someone else.

Definately take this situation and learn from it whether you continue to work there or take it to the next job. If you don't learn now, you'll end up like my friend who doesn't stay employed very long. It seems to me you need to learn who's boss.

 

[JimB.]

Bad moves on both of your parts, but if push comes to shove, I would expect you may come out on the short end of the stick.

However, as a "boss" in a workplace, my take on HER is the following:

1. She does not give clear direction. Saying "there are just a few e-mails......." (IMHO) is NOT telling you to do them. Saying "there are just a few e-mails left, please deal with them while I am at lunch" IS. Big Difference.

2. Having you do company activites of any sort is perfectly appropriate. Having you do company activities while she is doing personal business is, once again, appropriate, but (IMHO) highly unethical on her part. She is telling her company that it's ok for her to get paid by them doing personal stuff. Has she ever told you that?

3. You have a responsibility to behave professionally on the job. So does she. IMHO, by "being the boss", she has a higher responsibility than you. I have had to deal with subordinates who are acting badly many times & I have NEVER raised my voice or been "uber-confrontational" like she seems to have been. "Praise in public, Criticize in private" is a philosophy that really works. By shouting at you across the office was a very bad move that. (IMHO) will lose some of the respect her subordinates hopefully have for her.



It's sounds like you really like your job & I hope it works out.

BTW, I don't see the "see you monday" as being "snarky". Maybe a bit frustrated, but that's it.