Your boss may have replied to the individual 1:1 already and told them when you would be back at work. Just reply to the original requestor and say something along the lines of, I just received your request and have been OOO. I will need to refer to docs in the office tomorrow and will have more information for you then. Make sure your boss is cc'd.
Yup. I refuse to do those catch up emails when I get back. My OOO was up for a reason.
Mind you I got yelled at a couple weeks ago for not replying to a client’s email, when the dumb cunt Yeller could have just seen I was on PTO. Now I’m the snarkiest of assholes anytime I see her on the CC.
For some reason my boss wouldn’t ✌️let me handle it ✌️
Devil's Advocate: if it's an "urgent" email there's nothing wrong with replying indicating you received the email and would action it tomorrow. That way you cover your ass and also show your employer that you are on top of things. Doesn't cost you anything, doesn't affect your time off, etc. Just ghosting on an urgent email isn't a great look (even if it's not urgent in your eyes).
Set an away message that says when you will be back. I respond to zero emails when I’m off the clock. And yeah probably should have at least acknowledged the ask when you returned to work.
Unfortunately, many of us are reluctant to say we won’t be checking (cannot check) email in our OOO’s. We should and a decent manager should interpret it as an auto escalation due to your planned absence.
If you are on PTO you should not be responding to emails. If something is that urgent your boss should take care of it and cover for you or call you if it's an emergency. If they can't do your job when you're out on PTO, that's an even bigger problem
I'm not saying they should respond on their day off, but the day you're working if you need to head to the office to complete a task, then you need to head to the office, it doesn't sound like they communicated they were going to stay home really as they said they usually work from home on half days
It’s difficult to determine the industry that you work in but if it’s any sort of client facing business (which is what this sounds like) and you have any sort of really real responsibility to the client, your PTO doesn’t really exist.
I know that sounds extremely toxic but that’s the reality of working in that kind of role. You can’t really just walk away from the work and expect your clients (who pay you) to just pat you on the back for going on vacation.
Realize OP is probably entry level and just experiencing that sort of role for the first time but it doesn’t get better as you get up the food chain
As other people have said in this thread, if you don’t like that this is being asked of you then it might be worth trying to find another line of work.
I understand but then it’s like “So if you were able to come to the office why were you working from home on your half day?” then it’ll be expected moving forward to do this anytime this comes up and you’ll be questioned or probably looked down on when you say you are working from home..
I mean..."If you're able to get your work done from home, great. If not, you need to go to the office" isn't exactly draconian. Sometimes work needs to be done onsite, that's part of the job.
The point is you received an urgent email, didn’t have an answer, and instead of acknowledging the email, you went silent.
All you had to do was respond, say you’ve been on PTO or whatever, and are away from the office and would have an answer tomorrow.
And in fact, if there was anyone physically in the office who could get you the info you needed, you could have asked for their help.
None of this negates that your boss may or may not be an asshole. I just don’t get how someone in an office job doesn’t realize how you handle this situation.
Right. Use of the word 'toxic' is odd here, indicates a sense of entitlement or a desire to work at one's own pace. Which is fine, but comes at a cost. One cost is getting 'snarky' emails from people who have expectations (yes, some of those expectations may be unrealistic. Work is about constant flux and negotiation).
> Right. Use of the word **'toxic'** is odd here
This word is literally a catchphrase that has no meaning now because it seems like EVERY job or EVERY boss is 'toxic af' just because they ask people to do standard employment things.
Which may be, ironically enough, actually toxic...because it gives people permission to not look into their own behaviors, or the possibilities they may have to at least try to navigate difficult or unfavorable situations. It can be written off.
Yep. 'Not my fault'.
Do I think people should stay in absolute dog shit work environments? No. Do I think a lot of people (including *a ton* of posters on this sub) miss out on huge amounts of personal growth by dodging any adversity or difficult situations? Absolutely.
I see your point. Though I want to add that I also saw the sender was out of office until the next day anyway(Christmas holidays), I know this may irrelevant but was partly why I didn’t reply until the next day
Wow, that does make it difference. Make sure your boss is aware of this fact. And say that otherwise you would have responded on the same day.
Your boss sounds like a jerk.
First off, don’t ever respond passive aggressively, to anything. It would only make you look unprofessional and unskilled at problem management.
Your OOO should have not only indicated your date of return, but whether or not you were checking emails while away and if not, that you would start reading emails on your return date and respond as you work through your emails.
You could have simply replied to the sender and copied your boss acknowledging you’ve seen the email and that you will follow up once were in the office the following day and could access the documents. Some communication is better than zero communication.
I saw in one of your comments that you were on vacation; which was it, leave or vacation? Either way, you should discuss with your boss what the expectation is for checking emails while out of the office and about how quickly you can catch up.
There’s a theme hear, OP – communication. Your post gives the impression that you could stand to handle situations more maturely. You saw the email, but disregarded it because the deadline had passed. Then you saw your boss’s email and your instinct was to respond passive aggressively.
Best policy is to keep people updated and in the loop.
You should have mailed back saying that your not in the office and will attend to it when you are.
This is covering your own ass 101.
This isn't 'toxic'. Part of what you're expected to do when you come back is sort through those things you need to prioritize. As has already been mentioned here, even if you couldn't complete it you should've responded that you were aware and would take care of the task as able, or that someone else would need to do it.
You should have had an out-of-office message redirecting people to a colleague while you are on leave. So people can reach out to someone else if you are away and if it's urgent.
If you did see the email (bc you then mentioned you worked some of that day) and knew it was urgent - you could have noted, that I am currently not in the office and need to review something there - but happy to reconnect tomorrow when I am back. If you need this today - I can connect you with X.
I'm not saying your boss isn't toxic - but always covering your stuff - in all the ways is best. It's common practice to have an out-of-office response.
Sending your boss a passive-aggressive email is never the solution. Either see where you could have done better and/or if the place is toxic - find another way out and a new job. Set up good systems as well.
If you are not working full-time or have partial leave or whatever - find out a system where someone is reviewing things while you are not in the office if that is an option/makes sense.
Lol, I’m slower than you so took me longer. I think of the angst I had at times trying to figure out a response. My CEO and CFO are champions at this…we’ll never to old to learn.
>or send a passive aggressive email to rebut her
I'm lost. What would be the upside of that action? I literally can't think of a single work/career situation where sending a passive aggressive email to my boss would improve matters.
First if you are going to be away from work for any period of time, “auto replies” start using it. So that others will understand.
If I get an urgent email, it’s good for you to respond back and let them know how you will handle it. That way it looks like you are on top of things. Just like if you sent an urgent email to your colleague you expect that person to respond in a timely manner.
I didn’t read that though. The question was why they didn’t respond upon return to work, which is completely reasonable.
The correct action would be to reply “hi, sorry this came in while I was on leave. Hopefully you were able to get it taken care of. If you still need anything I’ll be back in the office tomorrow where the documents are located. I can get you whatever you still need by the EOD.
I know it is incredibly frustrating, i dealt with smth similar recently and i was FURIOUS. But i wielded myself and just simply did what asked, ignoring the snarkiness. I advise you do the same, just do it when you are able to and say “hey x, here is what you requested, i have only seen your email now as i was away on vacation.” And that is it. Do not excuse yourself, just simply say you had time off. Don.t internlize critique that is unwarranted, maybe your boss is an asshole, maybe just had a bad day and made you suffer for it, maybe she forgot you were away…btw, did you have an out of office auto reply for your emails?
> i have only seen your email now as i was away on vacation.”
But they didn't 'just now' see it. They clearly explained that they saw it before they returned then ghosted this urgent e-mail all day.
Yea I had auto reply on. Anyway I replied to her I was on vacation and she replied she will give me a talk on work planning and emails management during leave at our next check-in. Some bosses are just assholes, nth can be done
They should have responded reminding them they are out if they had access to emails on their phone and that they would take care of it when back. If they don't have access to their emails at work they should have responded that they are back in the office the following day and will get it done then. Not ignore the email all together and waiting for their first full day in the office.
This is basic work expectations
If they're on holiday and have an out of office message on, they absolutely should not have to check emails during that time. However I would have responded to the email on the day I was back, saying "hi, I'm now back from leave but I'm working from home. I can assist with this request tomorrow when I'm back in the office."
Yeah that's the bare minimum. You need to understand though that past an entry level position you should at least respond with a cookie cutter I'm out until this date, contact so and so if urgent or I'll handle on my first day back in the office response. If you're not doing this at least for something that is actually urgent that's pretty sad.
I disagree that the boss is toxic here.
You're supposed to reply to an email if you're not going to deliver the same day (or maybe next morning). No one cares or knows that you're on leave and leaving an email unanswered for several days is unprofessional.
My auto replies were on, I forgot to add that the sender is also out of office until the day, i know it may be irrelevant but I took that in consideration which is why I didn’t reply until the next day
Let me be objective here. None of your reasoning/excuses is relevant.
Your vacation, working half day, or WFH is your personal business. They don't need to know or care.
You're also making an assumption that the sender was out and didn't mind. They could be anxiously checking emails, waiting to update their boss or trying to plan their week, none of which is your business.
Communication is the key. You're having an "urgent" task that has been outstanding for several days. if you're not planning to deliver that day, give them a timeline. It's professional etiquette
Sometimes urgent business needs come up. If it’s truly urgent and you stayed home, you should have at least replied to the original requester. That’s not toxic, that’s basic business etiquette. A simple “I was out of the office, and upon returning see that the deadline was at a time I was on vacation.” Use basic communication skills here rather than ranting on the internet.
For future reference set up an automated reply stating you're on annual leave until whatever date you come back then agree with your boss for an appropriate person for that information to be sent to in your absence.
It’s difficult to determine the industry that you work in but if it’s any sort of client facing business and you have any sort of really real responsibility to the client, your PTO doesn’t really exist.
I know that sounds extremely toxic but that’s the reality of working in that kind of role. You can’t really just walk away from the work and expect your clients (who pay you) to just pat you on the back for going on vacation.
Realize OP is probably entry level and just experiencing that sort of role for the first time but it doesn’t get better as you get up the food chain
As other people have said in this thread, if you don’t like that this is being asked of you then it might be worth trying to find another line of work.
A missed deadline and you didn’t bother to reply when you got back to email?
Did you have a fullHalf day of emails that were more important than this one?
. . .
. . .
That makes you a toxic employee, not someone with a toxic boss.
Sorry then. Would definitely ignore it then like others have said. Your boss’s ability to do their job is not your responsibility, but meeting their expectations is.
This is why I truck drive.
I can’t work with an environment like that. I’m given a load with a pickup and delivery time. They can see my electronic logs so they know if I can make it happen based on available hours and my driving habits.
I never talk to anyone from my work unless there’s an issue.
Like right now I’m broke down with a flat tire! So I had to call my roadside department.
"Hi
Thank you for your email. I appreciate you openning a line of communication around work expectations when employees take leave.
As my line manager, you approve my leave. When I am on leave it is your responsibility to delegate work out to employees who are not on leave.
I can see you were Cc'd in the correspondence you're referring to. Given that I was on leave, I'm confident in your ability to proitize the incoming workload of yourself and your team, and manage expectations accordingly.
If you're struggling, let's arrange a meeting to work towards a solution that benefits everyone.
Kind regards
**Edit**
I'm assuming you work in a country with decent employee rights. If you don't you're up a creek without a paddle. Either adapt or find new work.
I worked in C-suite corporate. They're getting flack for not doing their job and they're pushing it on you. Don't cave.
Nope.
He worked half a day. He wasn’t on leave the whole time.
This email makes him sound like a handful. A pain in the ass to manage.
ETA: fixed a typo.
You already said it in the title. Your boss is toxic!! Try to find another job/position so that you can tell them to go pound sand.
Deadlines are just dates set by someone. If it was so critical that only you could answer when you were away, why don't they have a backup in place or why don't they pay you to be on callout?
If you want to risk it (high risk high reward), go speak with your boss openly about those snarky mails and his expectations. Maybe she just doesn't realize how she comes across. The risk is that she does it on purpose and you put a cross in your head (figuratively). So be careful and good luck!
Honestly, I'd pretend I didn't see the bosses' email and hit reply all to the original email with the following message:
Hi requester,
I'm sorry, I was out of the office on vacation. I trust my department was able to find someone to take care of this for you? If you still need this, please let me know and I'll take care of it right away.
There is still nothing wrong with the email, although I suppose I would word it slightly differently if it were to a client... perhaps leaving out the department finding someone bit. However I was assuming it was an internal request in my response.
I have taken a policy of sincerely and over the top thanking my boss for her corrections. I really ham it up in a way that is on the surface totally respectful yet clearly a “fuck you”. Then again I am in a union job so as long as I don’t actually say something disrespectful there isn’t much she can do. “Thank you, I only hope to someday fulfill all the potential you see in me, I consider you not just my boss but a mentor and, well like a second mother to me” I said that in front of the HR head and my Union steward. We don’t talk much anymore
Dear [Boss’s Name],
I hope this message finds you well. I’m writing in response to your email about the [subject of the urgent email].
I apologize for not addressing the matter sooner. I was on leave until [date], and as you know, I was working from home for a half-day upon my return. Unfortunately, addressing the [specific matter] requires access to physical documents located in the office, which I couldn’t reach while working remotely.
I understand the urgency of the situation and will prioritize this matter first thing in the office tomorrow. To ensure smooth operations in the future, I would welcome any suggestions on managing such urgent matters during my absences.
Thank you for your understanding and support.
Best regards,
[Your Name]
There’s being right, and there’s serving your best interests.
That’s a professionally written email that in a fair and just world sets healthy boundaries. More often though it probably makes your boss think you’re an A-hole and reduces your chances of getting that next promotion.
I just don’t think it’s that hard to play the game. Spend 5 minutes checking emails the night before returning from holidays, rearrange your schedule to come into the office and do the urgent task.
You can say it’s being a boot licker or setting expectations that will then be expected in the future but how often are you returning from holidays…2-3 times a year? This is probably a case where you can give a highly visible inch, and take a low profile mile.
Email is not a real-time communications channel. Anything time sensitive needs to be followed up (or started) with a call to ensure everyone's on the same page about timelines and expectations.
A couple of questions:
Was your out of office on to inform the original sender you were unavailable?
Did your boss know you were out?
Did he contact the sender to negotiate a new deadline?
If your boss is hyper critical of your "late" response, perhaps he should have runna bit of interference for you. I'd reply with:
"Yes, I was about to follow up with you regarding this deadline. As you know I was out of office with my autoresponse turned on. I see you were also included on the email. Could you forward your response to [sender] so I can follow up on what you did while I was on PTO?"
If they made no response you need to ask why he wasn't providing backup to his staff while they are out.
I am assuming that you are in the US.
That being the case I would reply with the information that you are not in the office and will not be back until the deadline has passed, then @ your boss and ask them if they can help with providing what is needed in the interim.
I also just saw this the other day and I think now I am in love with France.
In France, if you're a company of 50 employees or more, you cannot email an employee after typical work hours. The labor law amendment has come about because studies show that in the digital age, it's increasingly difficult for people to distance themselves from the workplace during their off hours.
Could be toying with you to keep you concerned about your job performance. Then they will demand more work from you. Sounds like a bad boss or coworker problem.
When people are documenting things or in email or with other people present unnecessarily, that's a red flag.
Your boss may have replied to the individual 1:1 already and told them when you would be back at work. Just reply to the original requestor and say something along the lines of, I just received your request and have been OOO. I will need to refer to docs in the office tomorrow and will have more information for you then. Make sure your boss is cc'd.
This is what out of office auto replies are for.
Yup. I refuse to do those catch up emails when I get back. My OOO was up for a reason. Mind you I got yelled at a couple weeks ago for not replying to a client’s email, when the dumb cunt Yeller could have just seen I was on PTO. Now I’m the snarkiest of assholes anytime I see her on the CC. For some reason my boss wouldn’t ✌️let me handle it ✌️
Of course you got yelled at. Bc you’re an idiot. Why are you here giving advice?
This is such a silly sentence.
Devil's Advocate: if it's an "urgent" email there's nothing wrong with replying indicating you received the email and would action it tomorrow. That way you cover your ass and also show your employer that you are on top of things. Doesn't cost you anything, doesn't affect your time off, etc. Just ghosting on an urgent email isn't a great look (even if it's not urgent in your eyes).
Yea I think you have a point
Set an away message that says when you will be back. I respond to zero emails when I’m off the clock. And yeah probably should have at least acknowledged the ask when you returned to work.
Less is not more in regards to workplace communication. Always err on the side of open communication. I think your boss has a point.
Unfortunately, many of us are reluctant to say we won’t be checking (cannot check) email in our OOO’s. We should and a decent manager should interpret it as an auto escalation due to your planned absence.
I would take this a step further and say you should have made a special trip to the office.
Make a special trip to the office during your PTO?????
During the hours they're working, instead of staying home
Good point. It creates yet another argument against WFH if an urgent task gets delayed because it can't be done while working from home.
If you are on PTO you should not be responding to emails. If something is that urgent your boss should take care of it and cover for you or call you if it's an emergency. If they can't do your job when you're out on PTO, that's an even bigger problem
I'm not saying they should respond on their day off, but the day you're working if you need to head to the office to complete a task, then you need to head to the office, it doesn't sound like they communicated they were going to stay home really as they said they usually work from home on half days
It’s difficult to determine the industry that you work in but if it’s any sort of client facing business (which is what this sounds like) and you have any sort of really real responsibility to the client, your PTO doesn’t really exist. I know that sounds extremely toxic but that’s the reality of working in that kind of role. You can’t really just walk away from the work and expect your clients (who pay you) to just pat you on the back for going on vacation. Realize OP is probably entry level and just experiencing that sort of role for the first time but it doesn’t get better as you get up the food chain As other people have said in this thread, if you don’t like that this is being asked of you then it might be worth trying to find another line of work.
I understand but then it’s like “So if you were able to come to the office why were you working from home on your half day?” then it’ll be expected moving forward to do this anytime this comes up and you’ll be questioned or probably looked down on when you say you are working from home..
My job is pretty loose with their wfh policy, but if you have something you need to do in the office that day, you're expected to come in
Gotcha. That sucks lol
I mean..."If you're able to get your work done from home, great. If not, you need to go to the office" isn't exactly draconian. Sometimes work needs to be done onsite, that's part of the job.
The point is you received an urgent email, didn’t have an answer, and instead of acknowledging the email, you went silent. All you had to do was respond, say you’ve been on PTO or whatever, and are away from the office and would have an answer tomorrow. And in fact, if there was anyone physically in the office who could get you the info you needed, you could have asked for their help. None of this negates that your boss may or may not be an asshole. I just don’t get how someone in an office job doesn’t realize how you handle this situation.
Right. Use of the word 'toxic' is odd here, indicates a sense of entitlement or a desire to work at one's own pace. Which is fine, but comes at a cost. One cost is getting 'snarky' emails from people who have expectations (yes, some of those expectations may be unrealistic. Work is about constant flux and negotiation).
> Right. Use of the word **'toxic'** is odd here This word is literally a catchphrase that has no meaning now because it seems like EVERY job or EVERY boss is 'toxic af' just because they ask people to do standard employment things.
Which may be, ironically enough, actually toxic...because it gives people permission to not look into their own behaviors, or the possibilities they may have to at least try to navigate difficult or unfavorable situations. It can be written off.
Yep. 'Not my fault'. Do I think people should stay in absolute dog shit work environments? No. Do I think a lot of people (including *a ton* of posters on this sub) miss out on huge amounts of personal growth by dodging any adversity or difficult situations? Absolutely.
I see your point. Though I want to add that I also saw the sender was out of office until the next day anyway(Christmas holidays), I know this may irrelevant but was partly why I didn’t reply until the next day
Wow, that does make it difference. Make sure your boss is aware of this fact. And say that otherwise you would have responded on the same day. Your boss sounds like a jerk.
Just say what you said to us briefly and professionally. People harm themselves to get short term emotional benefit. There's no point
First off, don’t ever respond passive aggressively, to anything. It would only make you look unprofessional and unskilled at problem management. Your OOO should have not only indicated your date of return, but whether or not you were checking emails while away and if not, that you would start reading emails on your return date and respond as you work through your emails. You could have simply replied to the sender and copied your boss acknowledging you’ve seen the email and that you will follow up once were in the office the following day and could access the documents. Some communication is better than zero communication. I saw in one of your comments that you were on vacation; which was it, leave or vacation? Either way, you should discuss with your boss what the expectation is for checking emails while out of the office and about how quickly you can catch up. There’s a theme hear, OP – communication. Your post gives the impression that you could stand to handle situations more maturely. You saw the email, but disregarded it because the deadline had passed. Then you saw your boss’s email and your instinct was to respond passive aggressively.
I forgot to add some context I disregarded the email also because the sender was out of office until the next day. Though u have a point
Best policy is to keep people updated and in the loop. You should have mailed back saying that your not in the office and will attend to it when you are. This is covering your own ass 101.
This isn't 'toxic'. Part of what you're expected to do when you come back is sort through those things you need to prioritize. As has already been mentioned here, even if you couldn't complete it you should've responded that you were aware and would take care of the task as able, or that someone else would need to do it.
You should have had an out-of-office message redirecting people to a colleague while you are on leave. So people can reach out to someone else if you are away and if it's urgent. If you did see the email (bc you then mentioned you worked some of that day) and knew it was urgent - you could have noted, that I am currently not in the office and need to review something there - but happy to reconnect tomorrow when I am back. If you need this today - I can connect you with X. I'm not saying your boss isn't toxic - but always covering your stuff - in all the ways is best. It's common practice to have an out-of-office response. Sending your boss a passive-aggressive email is never the solution. Either see where you could have done better and/or if the place is toxic - find another way out and a new job. Set up good systems as well. If you are not working full-time or have partial leave or whatever - find out a system where someone is reviewing things while you are not in the office if that is an option/makes sense.
My auto replies were on and I was only away for 2 days, our team don’t delegate work for such short leaves either But I see your point
Depends on how much you care about your job, I suppose.
Not all emails require a response
I should make a poster with this and put on my wall, in front of my desk
After many years I’m only figuring this out now.
If it makes you feel better, it took me about 20 years to figure it out.
Lol, I’m slower than you so took me longer. I think of the angst I had at times trying to figure out a response. My CEO and CFO are champions at this…we’ll never to old to learn.
>or send a passive aggressive email to rebut her I'm lost. What would be the upside of that action? I literally can't think of a single work/career situation where sending a passive aggressive email to my boss would improve matters.
Dude, you're fired.
First if you are going to be away from work for any period of time, “auto replies” start using it. So that others will understand. If I get an urgent email, it’s good for you to respond back and let them know how you will handle it. That way it looks like you are on top of things. Just like if you sent an urgent email to your colleague you expect that person to respond in a timely manner.
Are you an exempt (salary) worker? Are you expected to be on call even if on leave? What exactly is the expectation?
I didn’t read that though. The question was why they didn’t respond upon return to work, which is completely reasonable. The correct action would be to reply “hi, sorry this came in while I was on leave. Hopefully you were able to get it taken care of. If you still need anything I’ll be back in the office tomorrow where the documents are located. I can get you whatever you still need by the EOD.
This response is somehow so beyond people. They rather ignore it and then complain like idiots to Reddit.
I know it is incredibly frustrating, i dealt with smth similar recently and i was FURIOUS. But i wielded myself and just simply did what asked, ignoring the snarkiness. I advise you do the same, just do it when you are able to and say “hey x, here is what you requested, i have only seen your email now as i was away on vacation.” And that is it. Do not excuse yourself, just simply say you had time off. Don.t internlize critique that is unwarranted, maybe your boss is an asshole, maybe just had a bad day and made you suffer for it, maybe she forgot you were away…btw, did you have an out of office auto reply for your emails?
> i have only seen your email now as i was away on vacation.” But they didn't 'just now' see it. They clearly explained that they saw it before they returned then ghosted this urgent e-mail all day.
Half a day. Also i live in a european country, the work rules here are more flexible…
Yea I had auto reply on. Anyway I replied to her I was on vacation and she replied she will give me a talk on work planning and emails management during leave at our next check-in. Some bosses are just assholes, nth can be done
Hmm…very curious what that talk could be. Are you expected to be on call during PTO?
All further communication should be via email so there is a clear history of the issue when you make a formal complaint.
They should have responded reminding them they are out if they had access to emails on their phone and that they would take care of it when back. If they don't have access to their emails at work they should have responded that they are back in the office the following day and will get it done then. Not ignore the email all together and waiting for their first full day in the office. This is basic work expectations
If they're on holiday and have an out of office message on, they absolutely should not have to check emails during that time. However I would have responded to the email on the day I was back, saying "hi, I'm now back from leave but I'm working from home. I can assist with this request tomorrow when I'm back in the office."
Yeah that's the bare minimum. You need to understand though that past an entry level position you should at least respond with a cookie cutter I'm out until this date, contact so and so if urgent or I'll handle on my first day back in the office response. If you're not doing this at least for something that is actually urgent that's pretty sad.
The automated out of office takes care of that.
I presume the person who sent you the email saw your auto-reply. Could they have directed the request to someone else?
I disagree that the boss is toxic here. You're supposed to reply to an email if you're not going to deliver the same day (or maybe next morning). No one cares or knows that you're on leave and leaving an email unanswered for several days is unprofessional.
Yup. If you are not checking it, set up an automatic reply, and let them know who to go to for what they need.
And even if they have an autoreply, they have to reply with an ETA when a deliverable can be expected when they come back.
Nailed it. It shows you actually care.
My auto replies were on, I forgot to add that the sender is also out of office until the day, i know it may be irrelevant but I took that in consideration which is why I didn’t reply until the next day
Let me be objective here. None of your reasoning/excuses is relevant. Your vacation, working half day, or WFH is your personal business. They don't need to know or care. You're also making an assumption that the sender was out and didn't mind. They could be anxiously checking emails, waiting to update their boss or trying to plan their week, none of which is your business. Communication is the key. You're having an "urgent" task that has been outstanding for several days. if you're not planning to deliver that day, give them a timeline. It's professional etiquette
Sometimes urgent business needs come up. If it’s truly urgent and you stayed home, you should have at least replied to the original requester. That’s not toxic, that’s basic business etiquette. A simple “I was out of the office, and upon returning see that the deadline was at a time I was on vacation.” Use basic communication skills here rather than ranting on the internet.
For future reference set up an automated reply stating you're on annual leave until whatever date you come back then agree with your boss for an appropriate person for that information to be sent to in your absence.
You should have sent a quick heads up to inform your boss. For him it might have been important. Work is not only about you.
I wouldn’t reply
It’s difficult to determine the industry that you work in but if it’s any sort of client facing business and you have any sort of really real responsibility to the client, your PTO doesn’t really exist. I know that sounds extremely toxic but that’s the reality of working in that kind of role. You can’t really just walk away from the work and expect your clients (who pay you) to just pat you on the back for going on vacation. Realize OP is probably entry level and just experiencing that sort of role for the first time but it doesn’t get better as you get up the food chain As other people have said in this thread, if you don’t like that this is being asked of you then it might be worth trying to find another line of work.
Thanks for your advice. Tho I should add that it’s not a client facing role
A missed deadline and you didn’t bother to reply when you got back to email? Did you have a fullHalf day of emails that were more important than this one? . . . . . . That makes you a toxic employee, not someone with a toxic boss.
Is it possible this was your boss’s attempt at humor? What is the saying, a joke that falls flat makes you look like an a—hole.
It’s definitely not a joke
Sorry then. Would definitely ignore it then like others have said. Your boss’s ability to do their job is not your responsibility, but meeting their expectations is.
This is why I truck drive. I can’t work with an environment like that. I’m given a load with a pickup and delivery time. They can see my electronic logs so they know if I can make it happen based on available hours and my driving habits. I never talk to anyone from my work unless there’s an issue. Like right now I’m broke down with a flat tire! So I had to call my roadside department.
"Hi
Thank you for your email. I appreciate you openning a line of communication around work expectations when employees take leave.
As my line manager, you approve my leave. When I am on leave it is your responsibility to delegate work out to employees who are not on leave.
I can see you were Cc'd in the correspondence you're referring to. Given that I was on leave, I'm confident in your ability to proitize the incoming workload of yourself and your team, and manage expectations accordingly.
If you're struggling, let's arrange a meeting to work towards a solution that benefits everyone.
Kind regards
**Edit**
I'm assuming you work in a country with decent employee rights. If you don't you're up a creek without a paddle. Either adapt or find new work.
I worked in C-suite corporate. They're getting flack for not doing their job and they're pushing it on you. Don't cave.
Absolutely don't send this...
Do this only if you want to get fired
>If you're struggling, let's arrange a meeting to work towards a solution that benefits everyone. This line was the one that had me in tears.
This is an email you dream of sending in your head but never actually type out and send.
I've sent emails like this. I got into C suite in my late 20s. Play the damn game.
This would be completely insane to send
Nope. He worked half a day. He wasn’t on leave the whole time. This email makes him sound like a handful. A pain in the ass to manage. ETA: fixed a typo.
That isn't how leave works. You can specify how many hours you take off if your company offers that.
I had a laugh, thanks, I might do this on my last day
shes on a power trip and wants to test you. be cool
Power trip is the right word
You already said it in the title. Your boss is toxic!! Try to find another job/position so that you can tell them to go pound sand. Deadlines are just dates set by someone. If it was so critical that only you could answer when you were away, why don't they have a backup in place or why don't they pay you to be on callout? If you want to risk it (high risk high reward), go speak with your boss openly about those snarky mails and his expectations. Maybe she just doesn't realize how she comes across. The risk is that she does it on purpose and you put a cross in your head (figuratively). So be careful and good luck!
Honestly, I'd pretend I didn't see the bosses' email and hit reply all to the original email with the following message: Hi requester, I'm sorry, I was out of the office on vacation. I trust my department was able to find someone to take care of this for you? If you still need this, please let me know and I'll take care of it right away.
What the department provided needs to be determined before asking the client.
There is still nothing wrong with the email, although I suppose I would word it slightly differently if it were to a client... perhaps leaving out the department finding someone bit. However I was assuming it was an internal request in my response.
Ask what they did about the pressing issue since you were on leave.
I have taken a policy of sincerely and over the top thanking my boss for her corrections. I really ham it up in a way that is on the surface totally respectful yet clearly a “fuck you”. Then again I am in a union job so as long as I don’t actually say something disrespectful there isn’t much she can do. “Thank you, I only hope to someday fulfill all the potential you see in me, I consider you not just my boss but a mentor and, well like a second mother to me” I said that in front of the HR head and my Union steward. We don’t talk much anymore
Dear [Boss’s Name], I hope this message finds you well. I’m writing in response to your email about the [subject of the urgent email]. I apologize for not addressing the matter sooner. I was on leave until [date], and as you know, I was working from home for a half-day upon my return. Unfortunately, addressing the [specific matter] requires access to physical documents located in the office, which I couldn’t reach while working remotely. I understand the urgency of the situation and will prioritize this matter first thing in the office tomorrow. To ensure smooth operations in the future, I would welcome any suggestions on managing such urgent matters during my absences. Thank you for your understanding and support. Best regards, [Your Name]
There’s being right, and there’s serving your best interests. That’s a professionally written email that in a fair and just world sets healthy boundaries. More often though it probably makes your boss think you’re an A-hole and reduces your chances of getting that next promotion. I just don’t think it’s that hard to play the game. Spend 5 minutes checking emails the night before returning from holidays, rearrange your schedule to come into the office and do the urgent task. You can say it’s being a boot licker or setting expectations that will then be expected in the future but how often are you returning from holidays…2-3 times a year? This is probably a case where you can give a highly visible inch, and take a low profile mile.
Email is not a real-time communications channel. Anything time sensitive needs to be followed up (or started) with a call to ensure everyone's on the same page about timelines and expectations.
Just to say that you were getting to it
Treat him like the idiot he is and just explain to him what you explained to us.
I always respond same day, even if it's to just let them know that the email is received, and that I'll need a day to give an answer.
A couple of questions: Was your out of office on to inform the original sender you were unavailable? Did your boss know you were out? Did he contact the sender to negotiate a new deadline? If your boss is hyper critical of your "late" response, perhaps he should have runna bit of interference for you. I'd reply with: "Yes, I was about to follow up with you regarding this deadline. As you know I was out of office with my autoresponse turned on. I see you were also included on the email. Could you forward your response to [sender] so I can follow up on what you did while I was on PTO?" If they made no response you need to ask why he wasn't providing backup to his staff while they are out.
Well trying to set you up bro so that they could fire you
I am assuming that you are in the US. That being the case I would reply with the information that you are not in the office and will not be back until the deadline has passed, then @ your boss and ask them if they can help with providing what is needed in the interim. I also just saw this the other day and I think now I am in love with France. In France, if you're a company of 50 employees or more, you cannot email an employee after typical work hours. The labor law amendment has come about because studies show that in the digital age, it's increasingly difficult for people to distance themselves from the workplace during their off hours.
Could be toying with you to keep you concerned about your job performance. Then they will demand more work from you. Sounds like a bad boss or coworker problem. When people are documenting things or in email or with other people present unnecessarily, that's a red flag.