Imagine being knowledgeable about how to repair a lot of electronic and technical equipment. If you were employed to do something else, would you be willing to use your repair knowledge to help employees who needed their phone, computer or tablet repaired?

In this story, one IT employee is in this exact situation, and he refuses to take on a side job. When the situation escalates, the supervisor has to get involved.

Let’s see how the story plays out.

NO, I will not fix your computer

A few years ago, I was working my first real IT job.

I worked in a large hospital.

In this case, I was working with our mail room staff on a special purpose system for package logging.

It’s nice of him to offer advice.

I genuinely liked working with these guys and regularly provided IT advice to an aspiring IT guy (I had been in a similar situation a year prior).

In this case, he was asking me about tablet repair which he knew I had done previously (and will never do again).

As we are talking we notice someone had walked up to the counter, listening intently. He turns to help here and do the standard greeting thing and she turns to me and asks if i can fix tablets.

I respond that I am capable of repairing some things.

He was not about to take on another job.

She immediately starts shuffling in her purse and I immediately stop her. I inform her that it is a conflict of interest for me to take on private work during my work day.

Of course she demands my personal contact info.

When I refuse, she asks for the MAILROOM supervisor.

He states that I do not work for him and even if I did, he would never allow me to give out my personal info for those reasons.

This guy got the best service I was able to provide for the rest of the time I worked there.

She was pretty bold to expect him to fix her tablet. I’m glad the mailroom supervisor had his back.

Let’s see how Reddit responded to this story.

One person calls the woman entitled.

Another person shares a story about a horrible boss.

Here’s another way OP could’ve handled it.

Just because someone knows how to fix something doesn’t mean they have to do it.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a daughter who invited herself to her parents’ 40th anniversary vacation for all the wrong reasons.