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Imagine working as an independent contractor, and a company sends you out for jobs. When a job is available, multiple people can submit a request to work that job, but that doesn’t mean everyone will get hired since they only need so many people.

Imagine working on one of these jobs with another independent contractor who was sent to the job via the same company. What would you do if this coworker left early without telling anyone he was leaving? Would you mind your own business or tell someone he left early?

In this story, one person is in this situation, and he’s not sure what to do. He doesn’t necessarily want to get the guy in trouble, but he also doesn’t want the guy to get picked for a job instead of him when he doesn’t think the guy is working as hard as he is.

Let’s read the whole story.

WIBTA for ratting on another contractor for leaving early without telling anyone

For some context, I contract through a audio visual labor company that I’ll call ABC, that receives an order for labor through a client, ABC then sends the labor request to me, and I go work on behalf of them.

This is pretty industry standard and the labor request goes out to plenty of other people as well, and then ABC picks who goes to the jobsite based on who says yes to the request.

I get the job invite, accept it, and am assigned to the job. I show up with the other contractors who are working on behalf of ABC for this client.

One contractor kind of sounds like a slacker.

One of the contractors, who I will call Dave, is this guy around my age who while working, tells me that when we work for this client, he typically leaves early because he doesn’t like how they do things.

It’s worth noting this client is based in the area and often uses ABC for extra labor hands.

Later during the job, about 6 hours in, I suddenly notice he is missing, so does one of my other coworkers.

The thing that makes me and my other coworker think Dave left is because this job is only in one room, it’s not anywhere else. Additionally, the client who would be responsible for cutting us is in that one room pretty much the whole time.

We finish the job no problem without seeing him again.

OP has a decision to make.

I’m a little torn on if I should let ABC know about this.

On one hand, Dave leaving without saying anything didn’t affect the quality of our work (it was a pretty simple setup) and I don’t want to be a narc.

But on the other hand, if him and I both apply to the same gig that ABC sends out, and ABC assigns him to the shift instead of me, I’m a little bothered knowing that I am making less money because someone who would just leave when they feel like it is taking my spot.

So WITBA for letting ABC know about this? Any insight, especially from other contractors is appreciated.

That’s tough. Should he mind his own business or tell someone Dave left early? Let’s see what Reddit suggests.

This person thinks it depends.

Another person thinks it might be worth talking to the client.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about an employee who totally rearranges her schedule, only to have her boss change plans last minute.

This is a good question.

One person wonders if telling on him is worth it.

He needs to think this through. If it will negatively impact him by telling on the other guy, he shouldn’t do it. If it will positively impact him by telling on the other guy, he should do it. If it has no impact on him whatsoever, he could mind his own business unless he feels like telling on him is the right thing to do.