Pre-approved office leave turns into disciplinary action for employee because of one unanswered message
Track Record Overlooked
The increasing pressure for employees to stay connected outside of work hours is drawing fresh scrutiny, as questions arise around whether approved time off truly allows workers to disconnect. A recent incident involving a disciplinary action for ignoring a work message during vacation has highlighted growing concerns about blurred boundaries in modern workplaces.The issue came to light through a Reddit post by a user who described how their friend, a colleague from a different department, was formally written up after missing a Slack message while on leave. The employee had taken time off to celebrate his anniversary, having given two months' notice, secured managerial approval, and set up an out-of-office response.Two days into his vacation, he received a message from a co-worker with a 'quick question.' Since he was off-duty and enjoying personal time, he didn't respond. Upon returning to work, however, he was issued a formal disciplinary note citing 'delayed communication.'The Reddit post emphasized that the employee had consistently gone above and beyond in his role. He was known for taking on extra responsibilities, meeting deadlines, and even checking Slack outside regular hours. The formal write-up came as a shock, not just to him but to colleagues who viewed his conduct as dependable and proactive.The employee, according to the post, expressed regret about the level of commitment he had shown, feeling that his efforts had ultimately gone unrecognized in the face of what he viewed as an unreasonable expectation to remain available 24/7.
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