A
male
age
36-40,
*optop
writes:My boss has sent me a shitty text message saying the following: "you have authorised 'john' to have this saturday off as holiday and not put anyone in at 8am, so as it stands, i cant enter the store. not your finest rota this week, needs improving."Now, i will admit, i am at fault here, as i forgot to ask another colleague if they are ok to come in at 8am instead of 9am but i simply forgot - i will hold my hands up to this error. there has been a time, where my boss has forgotten himself to do exactly the same thing, should i bring that up? how do i go about responding to my manager? he has text me on my day off and it is has made me feel upset, it is also the second time in a row where he has text in a negative manner. I appreicate anyone who can give me some advice on how to respond to this.thanks.
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female
reader, anonymous, writes (17 June 2016): Why does the boss not have a key to the store?? Sounds like this is the way to fix the issue to me.
I think you should discuss it in person when you are both back at work, as sometimes the sentiment behind a text/email is misinterpreted. Apologize and discuss the issue of what constitutes an emergency on a weekend that warrants a call or text, and the fact that no one needs to hear a complaint from a manager via text. That should be talked about in person.
Hope this helps!
A
female
reader, Andie's Thoughts +, writes (17 June 2016):
 I don't think it's unprofessional for him to alert you to an error like this when you've left the place unopened for an hour. The mistake is just that; a genuine mistake, but how would you fix the problem for Saturday, if you don't know about it asap? If your job is rotas (a very important job) you have to fix it when you mess up - not great on your day off, but it affects opening hours and the same mistake later in the day could leave it unattended, which is why it's important to fix it immediately. Personally, I'd suggest apologising, then offering to cover the hour.Making mistakes is human, but you need to fix this one as soon as possible, rather than tit-for-tat making it about his mistake before.
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A
female
reader, Honeypie  +, writes (17 June 2016):
 Contacting you on your day off is not a great great issue if you ask me, but it's not entirely good mannered either - I'd call it... petty to be frank. Not uncommon at all though. Might also be why he texted and not called.
However, instead of making a big deal out of it - you could when you apologize tell him you will discuss this issue on XX-day (your next day at work).
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A
female
reader, mystiquek +, writes (17 June 2016):
 The best way to handle it is to own up to the mistake, apologize and state that in the future you will be more careful so this situation doesn't occur again. You were in the wrong and getting into a battle with the boss is one that you won't win, will only cause hard feelings and could possibly cost you the job down the road.
I do totally understand where you are coming from about being contacted on your day off. When I worked for the government it happened to me far too many times (once I was up north for a funeral) and it really upset me. I could have understood if it was important but it never was. I started letting my husband answer my phone and suddenly whatever they were calling about wasn't so important and they stopped calling (LOL). I realize you can't do that but if it truly is your day off, you should not have to respond.
I would wait till things calm down and then politely ask that in the future could you please not be contacted unless it TRULY is an emergency? Good luck..sometimes you just have suck things up to keep a job, but I do think your boss was in the wrong to contact you about something on your day off.
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A
female
reader, YouWish +, writes (16 June 2016):
 There are two issues here. The first one is the rebuke, which is justified. The second one is his contacting you on your day off to rebuke you, which unless it's an emergency, is not cool.
As for your mistake, you don't have a leg to stand on here, and trying to "turn it around" on him for having made a similar mistake in the past will only get you in much hotter water and make your situation that much worse. He's your boss, no matter how many mistakes he's made in the past.
You respond shortly by saying that you apologize, and that you will not let it happen again.
As for the second issue, you DO have a leg to stand on. You can ask him humbly to wait until Monday to censure you. Otherwise, you can shut off your cell phone on your day off, which in this day and age is unfathomable, but pre-cell phone people enjoyed very greatly.
I don't know if you are a salary or hourly employee, but if you're the latter, you DO have a leg to stand on. Your time is YOUR TIME. Unless he's paying you to read his texts, he should be reserving contacting you for emergencies ONLY. Some bosses don't realize that even though you work for them, they don't own you 24/7. Your time is not his time, and time is as much of a commodity as money. Unless your mistake burned down the building or killed someone, he has no business texting you like that, because he is stealing your time from you, and it can wait.
So stay respectful and ask him to deal with issues on WORK time. Wait until the issue has cooled off and you've apologized for it. Tell him that he wouldn't appreciate you calling or texting him about work on his days off and after hours. If you're salary, that argument is a little less valid, but still, your time is YOUR TIME.
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A
female
reader, anonymous, writes (16 June 2016): Want it to become a p...ing contest?Think you will win?In life, your feelings get hurt. You get upset. All kinds of people will upset you. You have to pick your battles.I do not think you have anything at all to gain to say anything about this, especially since you are not coming from a position of strength. It only makes you appear bitter and petty.I would say absolutely nothing about it. I would just apologize, make it brief and to the point and leave it alone from there on. And try not to make the same mistake again. And continue doing your job with your head held high. Do not let pettiness affect your outlook. People are who they are. You cannot change them. Especially bosses. You sort of have to go with the flow, and take some hits. If your boss was really out of line, then the advice would be different.
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A
female
reader, aunt honesty  +, writes (16 June 2016):
 I don't see anything wrong with the text that he sent you, it is quite standard and professional if you ask me. You acknowledge yourself that you are in the wrong and made the mistake therefore write back and apologize for the mistake, say you will fill in for the hour, and hopefully this will stop you from making the same mistake in the future. He is your boss, never throw it back in his face that he has made the same mistake, this is not your business to say. Admit you are wrong, try harder and accept the message.
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A
male
reader, toptop +, writes (16 June 2016):
toptop is verified as being by the original poster of the questionthanks guys, i appreciate the advice. i understand i am at fault and will own up to my error. i just wondered if this is deemed 'professional'? from him, considering i am on a day off?
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A
female
reader, chigirl  +, writes (16 June 2016):
 It's a small business? Then the manager probably sent you this text because they feel that professionality is uneccessary because you are such a small business.
You can respond with this: "Thank you for informing me of this error. I will talk to you about it when Im back at the office". Or simply thank you for alerting. No extra fuss, it's just not worth it in this case.
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A
female
reader, anonymous, writes (16 June 2016): Say youre really sorry and it was a genuine mistake. If you can do anything to help like open the shop early on saturday then offer to do so. Everybody makes mistakes though so dont let it spoil the rest of your day off. By the time you go back to work i expect your manager would have forgotten all about it. I think he is also in the wrong texting you on your day off to reprimand you.
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A
female
reader, Honeypie +, writes (16 June 2016):
I agree with Sage,
YOU suck it up. You apologize and MAKE things right. IF that means you have to go in for 1 hour Saturday (8 to 9) till whomever is on at 9 shows up.
His text wasn't angry per se, he was just annoyed that you screwed up. My guess is he was expecting more from you. So SHOW him that you CAN handle the job you have been given.
Show him you CAN do better and WILL do better, and when you FAIL you FIX it.
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A
male
reader, Sageoldguy1465 +, writes (16 June 2016):
 You 'fess up to your blunder in a most humble "Mea culpa"...AND you go in and open on Saturday.....
Tell the boss that you are outrageously embarrassed at yourself for making such a mistake... and you'll be certain that it will never happen again.
Don't even THINK about mentioning that he may have done the same thing... mud-slinging battles only assure that BOTH participants will emerge dirty.....
Good luck....
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