AITA for telling my “boss” that I don’t take orders from her?

A Reddit user shared a workplace conflict after her company merged with another, putting her under the supervision of an administrator named Linda. The user has had a hybrid schedule for years, approved by her managers, but Linda insists she work in the office full-time, particularly to cover other assistants next week while the managers are away.

Standing by the managers’ original agreement, the user refused Linda’s request, emphasizing that her loyalty lies with the managers. Read on for the details of their workplace standoff.

‘ AITA for telling my “boss” that I don’t take orders from her?’

I’ve been an executive assistant to three managers for the last five years at an entertainment agency. I always had a hybrid schedule to compensate for not being able to take time off and for having to work when I do take time off.

My bosses rarely come in the office anyways and I get my work done just as quickly at home as I do in the office. The difference is not having to spend two hours a day in traffic.

A few months ago, we merged with a new company. Everything is the same except that now my “direct” supervisor is someone named “Linda” isn’t a manager but an administrative person at the new companythat we merged with. However, the managers outrank her and I still work with the same managers.

Linda was not okay with my WFH a few days a week. I told her there was no way I would stay if I had to come into the office five days a week. I also told her that I already got approvals from the three managers to keep my hybrid schedule and there’s nothing she can do about it.

The managers are going to be out next week for the holiday so I planned on WFH all next week. I won’t have much to do with them gone but I can’t take time off if they’re out.

Linda asked me if I was working next week and I said yes although the managers are not. She said that was great because she had several projects for me and other EA desks to cover since other EAs would be taking time off.

I said I am not coming into the office next week. I am WFH. Next week will be the closest thing to a vacation that I will have all year and I’m not wasting it by coming into the office. That’s not fair that I can’t take time off but I also have to provide coverage so other people can take time off.

She said that she was still my direct supervisor. I said yes, but the managers have final say and until they say I can’t WFH, then I’m WFH. I also reminded her that the managers outrank her so I’m going to do what they want me to do as I have done for the last five years. Not her.

She said she was going to be o**rwhelmed with so many admin out next week and needed the help. I said that’s not my problem.
She can’t do anything against me. She has to run everything through the managers. She’s basically the middle woman between the admin and managers but me and the managers already had a direct relationship long before the merge.

Check out how the community responded:

Limp-Star2137 −  NTA. The short staffing issue is not your problem. As long as you’ve got your bases covered, enjoy your sort-of vacay. 

Anonymous-Haunting −  Talk to the managers about the chain of command issue and ask for a solution. Meanwhile start looking for a new job.

If she is really your direct supervisor eventually the new company is going to make you obey her, as this broken hierarchy will eventually create a problem and your managers’ bosses’ bosses will almost certainly default to how they set it up, with her setting your work requirements. . Honestly, ESH. 

NandoDeColonoscopy −  Your org chart is a mess right now bc of the merger and this is untenable long-term. You treating WFH as a vacation and getting confrontational with your new supervisor probably won’t do you any favors once things settle more post-merger, and I would probably start looking for a new job ASAP.

I don’t think anyone here is an AH, bc it isn’t you or Linda’s fault that the org chart is a mess, so I’m going NAH, but you don’t come across great here.

naraic- −  Hey OP sit down with your managers and talk about the situation. A merger happened and the org chart is screwed. You need to figure out if this is a temporary thing or if this person is in charge of you long term in ways that matter.

Sea-Jackfruit-6606 −  This isn’t a good situation. How is it possible that you are in a job where you don’t get vacations but it looks like pretty much everyone else does? The way that company works seems a mess. I’d consider looking to renegotiate your contract or look for another job.

Covert-Wordsmith −  NTA. Who’s idea was it to approve vacations for an entire department on the same week? That’s their s**ew up.

O4243G −  You need to start looking for a new job. I’ve worked in the admin space for over a decade and your insubordination under the new management is being noted and will likely end with your termination once they’re through the transition process and the new org chart is established.

The company that is now in charge utilized their admin capability in a way that is different than your old company clearly did and they will fire you if you can’t get onboard with the way they do things.

The new parent company doesn’t give a s**t how your managers used to do things – they expect you to do things the way THEY expect you to do them.

She’s not the “middleman between you and management” she is your supervisor – she’s your manager.
Start shining up your resume because you are replaceable and they will replace you.

Life_Buy_5059 −  I think you are being very silly, making enemies and lording your status of reporting to people who outrank her over her. She may be a petty tyrant, but you are being very short sighted.

Gray-Fox1979 −  NTA – Not your fault that time off was granted to so many others at one time. And I agree that if you don’t get to take any real time off that it’s insulting that you’d have to cover those who can.

Lily_May −  NAH. Your company is the a**hole. It’s clear that you have the same role as before the merger; it’s also clear that Linda’s been told you’re in her department.  It cannot be both ways.

This needs to be formally sorted out, because right now both of you are going to be in conflict. Tell your bosses it needs to get sorted. And let Linda twist. The idea that she genuinely thinks, “one employee gets zero PTO therefore she’ll cover everyone else work” is demented.