Is it okay to call an employee about a non-emergency work related issue on their day off?

In today’s story, one boss seems to think calling employees when they have the day off is no big deal, but one employee feels quite differently about it!

And it turns out that when the tables are reversed, the boss doesn’t like it much either.

Let’s see how the story plays out…

Ring ring! Here’s me on your off day!

I work part time hours, four days a week, always same days.

It’s stated in my work contract.

My boss is generally great.

For example, she checks in about our workload and if it’s too much, we agree on what to drop.

She also understands that we all have a life besides the job.

For example, I once had won opera tickets for the next week, and it was busy as hell at work.

Nevertheless, she encouraged me to go and rearranged the schedule.

She will NOT work for free.

What she does not understand is that I never work for free.

Don’t check e-mails on my days off, don’t answer quick questions etc.

If there’s an actual emergency (like if a patient of mine has gone suicidal), it’s different, but in general, when I’m off, i’m off.

Her boss called to chat.

So, I have been working there for a month or so.

It’s my day off and my phone rings, it’s my boss.

I scramble to pick up, ask what happened.

Turns out: nothing special, she just had the time to review some paperwork I had submitted and wanted to clarify a few details.

Says herself that she knows I’m off and it probably could wait for Monday, but she would love to get it off her desk today, so maybe I could take a quick minute?

She agreed not to call again on days off, but she still called again!

I told her that yes, the info is correct, but to please not call me again on my day off unless it’s both urgent and important.

She apologised and said that of course, days off are off.

A few weeks later, my phone rings, it’s boss.

I scramble.

It was good news.

Well, it’s nothing special again, she just wanted to tell me that my requested vacation days for next year work fine and are hereby approved.

Could’ve written an e-mail or waited for the next business day, but she thought a call was quicker, and since it’s something positive for me, I surely wouldn’t mind.

I told her: No you’re right, of course I don’t mind, thank you for the info!

Then I waited for the right moment.

The boss wanted volunteers to work between holiday days off.

Well, two or so weeks after that, she asked the whole team during the team meeting if there are a few more people who could come work on a day between two holidays (when most would take the one day off and get three free days in a row).

Told us all to check our calendars and next team meeting, we would regroup and see if we have enough volunteers.

I remembered the issue during breakfast with my boyfriend on Sunday, asked him about that date and turns out he was scheduled to work.

So I thought you know what, I can work too if we can’t do anything special over those days anyway.

She decided to call her boss right away.

And of course it could have waited until Monday or until our team meeting, and I could also have written a quick message if I wanted to get it out of my head, but I decided to call.

My boss answered pretty much immediately and sounded a bit panicked when she asked what happened.

So I told her “Oh nothing special, I was just talking with my boyfriend about day X and we have no plans, so I can come work”.

Her boss got the point.

She went “Really? I thought something bad happened! Why do you call me on a Sunday for this? It could have waited!”

And I sweetly answered “Yes I know that it’s your day off, but since it’s just a quick info, and it’s also a good thing, you wouldn’t mind a short call”.

She just said “Thank you. But next time, please wait for Monday”.

After that, she never called on my day off again, any now I’ve been working there for two years.

That was perfect payback! And it worked!

Let’s see how Reddit reacted to this story…

An apology would’ve been nice.

This reader thinks the revenge is “hilarious.”

Here’s a similar story…

This reader points out how polite she was while getting revenge!

This person thinks she is lucky to have such an understanding boss.

It definitely sounds like her boss got the message!

Well played.

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.