'AITA for refusing to cancel my vacation because I didn't finish a task I had 2 weeks to complete?'
AITA for not canceling my vacation because my co-worker has a deadline.
SouthernWork7036 writes:
My firm recently merged with a larger firm. I'm the boss's executive assistant. Some admin from the larger firm asked me if I could upload some of our old contracts. I said I'd work on it. She said she needed it in two weeks (tomorrow).
I had some, but not all, of the contracts. Maybe 33%, and I uploaded them the next day. No small feat given my workload. I assumed the other lawyers on my team had the rest. They only had a few, and those just got uploaded yesterday. I didn't know what they had until they went through their files, and they're busy. The rest, I assume, is with my boss.
I had planned on taking tomorrow off, and today is my WFH day. Since my boss is in meetings all day and leaving early, I'm not going to get time to finish this project as I need to discuss it with her to find the missing contracts. Even if she wasn't busy, I'm not driving to the office after putting in 11-hour workdays this week.
I told my coworker that she's going to have to wait until next week because my boss is too busy today and I'm off tomorrow. She asked if I wasn't off tomorrow, would I be able to finish the project. I said probably. She asked me to cancel my day off.
I told her that's not happening. I don't work for you; I work for my boss, and she didn't give me this assignment. I'm helping you out. Besides, what difference does it make if it gets done tomorrow at the end of the day or on Tuesday? I did what I could do.
She got mad at me and complained how this was setting her work back. I said you wouldn't have one contract if you asked anyone else to help you out. I told her that my boss said it will have to wait until next week, and if she has a problem with it, then take it up with her. Have a great weekend.
There isn't much agreement in the comments.
1_Voice says:
If you're doing her a favor that's outside of your obligations, NTA (Not the A^@$ole). On the one hand, changing your day off to help her could go a long way towards fostering a good working relationship; on the other, it could encourage her to take advantage of you in the future. If you've already discussed it with your boss, & your boss has said it'll have to wait, I'd stick with that.
OP responded:
She's not worth it to cancel my day off let alone cancel my day off AND come to the office to finish a project that may or may not get done. All that will do is set up this expectation that I'm willing to drop everything for her.
Lokea_01 says:
YTA (Ypu're the A^#%ole). You had 2 weeks to get it done. If it was too big of a hassle for you, you should have told your coworker earlier that you couldn't do it it time.
Listen_2learn says:
“She asked if I wasn't off tomorrow then would I be able to finish the project. I said probably. She asked me to cancel my day off” - passive aggressive and unprofessional coming from someone you don’t work for or under?!
Her deadline emergency should have been managed properly by communicating proactively and following up. Your response was on point and YWNBTA (You would not be the a%@*ole).
Chen932000 says:
YTA (You're the A^(@ole). You cant agree to do something then do it half asses and in the end say “sorry couldn’t get it done.” If the task wasn’t part of your mandate (from your boss) then don’t agree to do it. Once you agree to do it you’ve taken on that responsibility.
What do you think?