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Imagine being hired for a job. You’re bilingual, but nobody knows that when you’re hired. Would you be willing to help your coworkers by translating phone calls, or would you refuse since that’s not really your job?

In this story, one man is in that situation, and he really didn’t want everyone to find out that he speaks two languages. But they did anyway. Now, his supervisor desperately wants him to translate a call for her, but he is annoyed with her and doesn’t want to do any favors for her.

Should he translate the call anyway? Let’s read the whole story to decide.

AITA for refusing to translate a call for one of my supervisors at work?

When I got hired the company did not know that I spoke Spanish. I speak it but would not say I’m fluent.

I’m not sure how they found out but I remember a coworker asking me to help with a Spanish call so I did. However, I told her this is not something that I’m going to do all the time and I asked her to keep it hush as I don’t want everyone to know I speak Spanish.

Next thing you know it spread like wild fire and I had people from all departments asking me to translate calls.

If I am not busy I don’t mind helping but when I’m overwhelmed I won’t do it and for some reason people feel entitled to the fact that I speak Spanish.

This supervisor sounds annoying.

Anyway, one of my supervisors loves to micromanage and she finds a problem with everything in the office.

I needed help this week and she made a big deal about it and basically told me and another coworker to “use our best judgment and figure it out for ourselves because she’s busy”

She does this all the time and we avoid asking her for help because of this. This often leaves us stressed because what we need help with we are not qualified to “figure it out on our own” as we are not nurses but simply coordinators.

The supervisor was really persistent when she needed a favor.

A few days later she is emailing me to call a Spanish speaking patient.

I saw the email but I was eating my lunch and was not rushing to do her any favors as I had a work load myself.

I saw she called my extension and I did not answer because I was trying to focus on my work and figured I’ll call her back in a few minutes.

My cell phone was on DND (Not because of her but because of personal reasons)Turns out she was calling my cell phone too.

OP stands his ground.

She called my extension again and I got up and went to the bathroom (I actually had to use it)

When I came back she sends me an email in all caps saying that she has been trying to reach me since 2pm (it was 3:30 by this time) and that when she calls me I need to pick up the phone.

So I reply to her first email request telling me to make the call and told her that I was busy at the moment and to please use the translation line as we’ve been granted permission to do so by the owner of the company.

She replies “when I call you you pick up the phone”

The supervisor doesn’t back down.

I ignore this and then get another email saying that “as per upper management we are not allowed to use the translation line if there are Spanish speaking staff in the office.”

I let her know that I was busy with my work and that she should consider hiring more Spanish speaking staff. I also reminded her that when I was hired they did not know I even spoke Spanish. I also reminded her that when I assist with translation it is a courtesy.

She then says that we are a team and should want to help each other.

I kindly reminded her about those times I needed help and was forced to figure things out on my own because she was busy. I also said if we really are a team then she should understand that I’m busy too and not add to my workload to lessen hers.

AITA?

The supervisor does sound annoying, and OP was not hired to be a translator. Should he do it anyway?

Let’s see what Reddit has to say.

Exactly!

Here’s a similar comment.

Boundaries are important.

Everyone thinks he should be paid for help translating calls.

If they value his skills, they can pay him extra. If they want him to be a translator, they need to modify his job description and give him a salary to match his skillset and job responsibilities. Otherwise, he doesn’t owe it to anyone to translate anything since that is not his job. He should just stick to doing his actual job.

If they need a translator, they should hire one.