'AITA for refusing to cover for my lazy coworker and take the blame for his incomplete work?'
"AITA for refusing to lie to my boss and causing my coworker to get fired?"
LiveTradition6222 writes:
So, I (26M) work at a marketing agency. One of my coworkers, "Jake" (29M), has always been a bit lazy but charming enough to get away with it. Our boss is strict about deadlines, but Jake has a habit of showing up late, disappearing for "coffee breaks," and procrastinating until the last minute.
However, he's good at sweet-talking and somehow always avoids consequences. Last week, we had a huge project due. I was drowning in work, but Jake spent half the day chatting and scrolling on his phone.
At the end of the day, he asked me to cover for him and tell the boss that we "collaborated" on his part of the project—basically meaning I’d take responsibility for his incomplete work. I was exhausted and said, "No, I'm not doing that, Jake." He got annoyed and said, "C'mon, bro, we all gotta look out for each other."
I stuck to my word and didn’t lie when our boss asked why his section wasn’t done. I calmly explained that I had finished my tasks and wasn’t aware of Jake’s progress. Well, Jake was called into a meeting the next day and ended up getting fired.
Now, some of our coworkers think I’m an AH for not “having his back,” saying I could’ve just covered for him to avoid the drama. Others say Jake deserved it for constantly slacking. I honestly don’t think I was wrong, but the guilt is starting to creep in. So, AITA?
Here are the top rated comments.
TheFunnyTraveller says:
NTA. He was going to drag you down eventually. This is his own doing; don't feel bad.
radiantfaithxo says:
Not the a%#@ole. Why would you cover for him and take the blame? You work in a group and each member has to play their part. If Jake doesn't feel like working, then I can't see how he could keep the job without pulling you under.
CarFinancial5440 says:
What would have happened if your boss ended up finding out about your lack of truthfulness? Having been in a similar situation, you aren't doing any favors by aiding in the deceit.
Not only does it paint you in a bad light, it enables the other group members to be rewarded for their behavior. The exception I would consider making would be if "Jake" was usually a solid group member but was having a "person problem" that warranted consideration and compassion.
damemistreess says:
NTA. Jake's firing was due to his own laziness, not your honesty.