Bored employee reveals co-worker's tactics to get day off: 'I have noticed a pattern...'

A user on Reddit recently narrated a lighthearted yet frustrating workplace episode involving a colleague whose personal emergencies appeared to follow a curious pattern. Posting in the Indian Workplace forum, the individual described how he and two teammates—Victor and Paul—worked night shifts and followed a rotating schedule for weekend duties. Each person was responsible for covering weekends for one full month in sequence.

The system functioned smoothly until irregularities began to surface. The storyteller recalled that in December, Paul was assigned weekend shifts but unexpectedly took leave toward the end of the month, citing a serious health condition affecting his wife. As a result, Victor stepped in and gave up his own time off to ensure work continuity.

A similar situation unfolded again in March. Upon logging in one night, the narrator found an email from their manager stating that Paul would be unavailable due to his wife being hospitalized, which meant someone else needed to take over his scheduled weekend responsibilities. Once again, the burden fell on the remaining team members, forcing them to sacrifice their personal time.


Over time, the narrator began to notice a recurring pattern. According to him, these emergencies and medical appointments often seemed to arise just before weekends or precisely when Paul was scheduled for additional work. He pointed out that even in January, Paul had taken a week-long leave for similar reasons. The frequency and timing of these absences raised doubts, although there was no clear way to verify the situation.

The employee expressed his frustration about the growing imbalance in workload, noting that repeated last-minute changes were eating into his and Victor’s personal lives. Despite his suspicions, he acknowledged that questioning the authenticity of a colleague’s personal crisis was nearly impossible, as management would likely treat it as a private matter.

Adding a humorous twist, he jokingly considered hiring someone to investigate the situation, though it was clear his comment reflected irritation rather than intent. With April approaching and his own turn to handle weekend duties, he anticipated working even more weekends than planned due to the accumulated adjustments.

The story sparked lively reactions from other users. Some suggested subtle ways to address the issue, such as expressing concern and offering to visit the colleague’s family member, implying that such gestures might reveal the truth. Others emphasized that the organization should ensure better staffing support, arguing that even genuine personal emergencies should not come at the cost of other employees’ well-being. Many agreed that repeatedly absorbing extra work without question could set an unhealthy precedent, encouraging individuals to draw clearer boundaries.