Mum calls childless colleague a b**** for wanting Christmas annual leave

30 November 2023 , 11:29

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The woman has been left wondering what she should do (stock image) (Image: Getty Images)

Having time off over the Christmas holidays is important for most people, so one woman was understandably baffled when her co-worker, who is a parent, demanded priority for annual leave.

There's no doubting that Christmas is different for those with children, it's equally magical and stressful, but most important of all is to spend time together. But that doesn't mean those who don't have kids don't need time off too.

One self-described "cat mum" claimed that her "hateful" colleague "thinks because she has kids, she is the centre of the world". As such, she has complained that the single women won't "cover her" over the holidays.

Asking for advice on Slate's Dear Prudence column, the anonymous woman explained that because she is an early rise and lives close by to her work, she often covers her "more overburdened colleagues" for their weekend shifts, if they help her out in return.

She wrote: " I spent all my 20s being expected to work every holiday or school vacation because my time was never as valuable as a parent's, despite having ageing parents of my own (they live overseas and I haven't seen them in two years because of the pandemic). Or a life. Or interests. So I basically bargained with several of my coworkers to cover all their weekend shifts if they gave me their guaranteed holidays this year."

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However, one colleague, Gwen (not her real name), "constantly complains that I will not cover her, but calls me a b***h for asking her to cover New Year's this year". She continued: "Because that is such a child-friendly holiday. The arrangements I have made have been on the down-low, but Gwen is threatening to go to HR. She will not win, but she could bring everything down with her since HR is notoriously averse to conflict. What do I do here?"

Slate's advice columnist recommended the woman "stand firm" and let her colleague sit in her own feelings, which will no doubt involve her doing whatever she wants with her "outrageous complaints". However, 'Prudie' couldn't guarantee she wouldn't suffer any "negative repercussions". She added: ". But you won't be working on New Year's Eve because someone bullied you."

Ariane Sohrabi-Shiraz