Boundaries are a precious thing, especially when you have a boss who is always on a power trip and likes treating staff like they are children.

Check out how this employee put his boss’s overstepping boss in his place.

We’ve got all of the details below.

Focus on the work at hand, right? You got it boss.

I have taken a week off to focus on helping my son recover from his illness, but joined a virtual meeting.

My boss’s boss Murad joins the call and wants everyone to turn on their cameras, so they all do.

Sam: OP, you can keep your camera off, it’s not required.

It started with a lot of assumptions.

Murad: OP is here? Must be to take minutes. He can turn his camera on as well.

Murad cuts in and tells me to put my camera on, so I do, but I’m not dressed for it.

Murad: OP, that tee is not office appropriate.

Me: It is quite appropriate for home though, where I currently am.

Then it’s clear Murad’s hunger for control will not be satisfied this time.

Murad: I would suggest you take your work seriously. Please focus on the matter at hand.

Me: You are right. I should focus. (Disconnect)

In a call later, Sam said that while he explained to Murad that I was on leave. Murad never joins that call anymore.

Here’s what folks are saying.

A virtual staff mutiny. Interesting.

It probably better to not commit to anything while on leave. Some staffer will always try to get you to do more.

I’m a big automation dork and I don’t know how this could be done. Plus it would be unprofessional.

It’s definitely middle manager syndrome from a senior manager. Sad.

I imagine his face would be blank. His type aren’t really known for being full of life.

See you later, alligator.

You’ve gotta love stories like this one.

If you liked that story, check out this post about a group of employees who got together and why working from home was a good financial decision.