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Daily Mail
7 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Boss sparks outrage with 'absurd' texts to an employee on their holiday: 'This is beyond inappropriate'
A boss has been slammed online for attempting to cancel an employee's approved annual leave after the worker had already arrived at their destination. The text exchange, shared on British career expert Ben Askins ' TikTok account, has gone viral and sparked fierce debate about workplace boundaries and power abuse. In the messages, the boss contacted the employee late in the week with a blunt message: 'Hey, I am sorry to do this so late, but there has been a mistake with the annual leave and I am going to have to cancel the second half of your annual leave this week. You will need to be in the office Thursday and Friday.' The stunned employee replied, 'Huh? But I am already in Mexico?' Unfazed, the manager continued: 'Sorry, like I said, there is nothing I can do. I am going to update the system now saying you will be in.' The employee made it clear this wasn't possible: 'But I won't be in? I am literally in another country, there is no scenario where I can make it back in time.' Incredibly, the boss doubled down and suggested a new flight. 'You will have to move your flights around. I have just checked and there is one on Wednesday evening that you can get.' A boss has been slammed online for attempting to cancel an employee's approved annual leave after the worker had already arrived at their destination The employee, increasingly frustrated, asked: 'This is a joke right? You aren't seriously asking me this?' The response was serious: 'Definitely not a joke. And I am not asking, I am telling you the situation. I appreciate it isn't ideal but too many people are off Thursday and Friday and so you are going to have to be back here by then. I have updated the system.' At that point, the employee shut it down: 'You can do what you want. Even if I wanted to come back in time (which I can't), I wouldn't, and if you push this I will be reporting this.' Ben Askins, who regularly posts workplace advice to his large TikTok following, was stunned by the boss's behaviour. In his video, he told viewers the demand was 'completely out of order' and reminded workers that annual leave, once approved, is a right, not something that can be taken away at a manager's convenience. He pointed out the absurdity of the situation, saying it was not the employee's job to solve rota mistakes made by management. Instead of trying to drag a worker back from their holiday, the company should have looked for a contractor or a temporary solution. The video struck a nerve with thousands of viewers, many of whom shared their own workplace horror stories in the comments. The text exchange, shared on British career expert Ben Askins' TikTok account, has gone viral and sparked fierce debate about workplace boundaries and power abuse One person said they would only consider returning under one condition: 'Pay for my flights, reimburse my holiday in full and book me another holiday where you won't disturb me - and we have a deal.' Others couldn't believe the employee even replied. 'Their first mistake is replying. No signal in Mexico,' one viewer joked. Another added, 'Why do people reply when on holiday? I would just leave it unread.' One user recalled being in Dubai for their brother's wedding when the assistant manager of a German supermarket demanded they fly home for a four-hour shift - or face disciplinary action. Another explained how they're expected to check the work roster daily, even on scheduled days off, or risk being written up if it changes without notice. Others shared stories of their leave being cancelled due to staffing changes, with one employee billing HR for their pre-booked trip after cover fell through - and receiving only a snarky 'have a nice trip' in response. While the texts in question came from the UK, similar workplace protections exist in Australia. Once leave is approved and commenced, cancelling it without mutual agreement is generally considered unlawful. The incident has sparked broader conversations around toxic management, poor planning, and the erosion of work-life boundaries. Commenters were quick to express their frustration with bosses who treat employees as if they are on call around the clock. In the words of one viewer: 'I actually genuinely hate bosses and managers who think they own you simply because you work for a company. It's sickening.' Askins echoed those sentiments and urged employees to know their rights. He said the boss in this case didn't just mishandle the situation - they trampled over basic employment standards and common sense. For many watching online, the story wasn't just about one bad manager. It became a symbol of the creeping expectation that workers should sacrifice personal time for jobs that offer little in return, even when they're halfway across the world.
Daily Mail
07-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Law firm is punished after forcing a junior employee to work 24-hours straight - and making a VERY bizarre demand
A law firm which monopolised an employees' time, including forcing her to watch an ice hockey film late at night, has been fined $50,000. Melbourne 's Magistrate Court ruled on Wednesday that Erudite Legal, which is now deregistered, had breached workplace laws through its 'repugnant' environment. The court heard that a female lawyer was underpaid $8,000 in three weeks of employment at the firm, the Australian Financial Review reported. During this time, she worked days ranging from 12 to 18 hours, the court was told. In one instance, the court heard that the lawyer, whose identity has not been publicly disclosed, worked a 24-hour shift from 12pm to 12pm during her first week. Her boss, Shivesh Kuksal, reportedly told her to rest a few hours and return at 6pm, after which she then worked until nearly 1am. The following day she was informed she would work in a hotel room where she had to share a bed with the office manager, the court heard. After finishing a 14-hour day at 1am, the lawyer was reportedly instructed by Kuksal to watch Miracle, an ice hockey film in which a coach, played by Kurt Russell, takes the 1980 US Olympic team to victory. Kuksal texted the lawyer during the film to ask which scenes she was watching, as well as sending her a message quoting the movie. 'Gentlemen, you aren't talented enough to win on talent alone,' it read. The court also heard that not only did the hours make her pre-existing medical condition worse, but they complicated arranging for her mother to return home from hospital. The lawyer was also reportedly made to work during leave to attend her ex-partner's funeral. '(Her) time was monopolised by (Erudite Legal) and she was isolated both physically, and in her capacity to communicate, from her family,' Magistrate Kathryn Fawcett said. 'In all the circumstances, they made her working environment so repugnant that it constituted a repudiatory breach of contract.' Erudite Legal did not defend the case and did not comply with a court order to rectify the underpayments. The firm's number was disconnected and it has been deregistered according to ASIC and Daily Mail Australia could not contact the firm, or Kuksal, for comment. A law firm made a female employee's working environment 'so repugnant that it constituted a repudiatory breach of contract' The firm was fined $22,200 for failing to pay on time as well as $26,640 for the unreasonable hours. In November 2024, Supreme Court Justice Gorton ruled in a separate case that Kuksal could not engage in legal practice. He was restrained from sending emails from the domain '@ sending correspondence purporting to be sent by or on behalf of Erudite Legal or representing the affairs of Erudite Legal. It followed a 2023 decision which found Kuksal used a furniture company to hold customers' furniture for ransom and send threatening letters from the law firm.
