History NotAlwaysWorking / TropesTToZ

* {{Technophobia}}: [[https://notalwaysright.com/theyre-using-microsoft-2000-bc/313948/ This boss of an office]] takes it to an extreme: His office has absolutely ''no'' electronics in it (because, according to an employee, the boss "doesn't trust computers or the internet"), and every employee is required to do everything by hand with pencil and paper nor are they allowed to bring their cellphones into the office. The story takes place in ''2012''. Unsurprisingly, new hires (the submitter included) seldom last more than a day.

* TaxidermyIsCreepy: [[https://notalwaysright.com/boss-taxing-taxiderming/91828/ This manager]] taxidermies his dead pets, and encourages the submitter to do the same to their dead dog. The submitter has to take a moment to vomit. Later, he goes further by texting the submitter links to taxidermy websites, and even goes to their home (where the submitter's mother has to chase him off), resulting in him being put on probation.

* {{Technohobia}}: [[https://notalwaysright.com/theyre-using-microsoft-2000-bc/313948/ This boss of an office]] takes it to an extreme: His office has absolutely ''no'' electronics in it (because, according to an employee, the boss "doesn't trust computers or the internet"), and every employee is required to do everything by hand with pencil and paper nor are they allowed to bring their cellphones into the office. The story takes place in ''2012''. Unsurprisingly, new hires (the submitter included) seldom last more than a day.

* WhoNamesTheirKidDude: [[https://notalwaysright.com/those-prices-are-barking-mad/168215/ This airline booking agent]] seems to think this trope is in play as he doesn't quite comprehend that the "people" in question are the submitter's ''pets''.

'''Submitter:''' “Ma’am, do you really believe I am flying with five people named after: [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milo_Hamilton a famous — and now deceased — sports announcer]], [[Creator/WaltDisney the father of Mickey Mouse]], [[Series/TheAndyGriffithShow two fictional characters]] [[Theatre/InheritTheWind from the early 1960s]], and [[[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_II,_Duke_of_Austria what is widely proclaimed to be the last king of Austria]]? I think you need to reconsider that. Otherwise, I will soon be the richest person alive, as I have either created time-travel or mastered cloning.”\\

'''Submitter:''' “Ma’am, do you really believe I am flying with five people named after: [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milo_Hamilton a famous — and now deceased — sports announcer]], [[Creator/WaltDisney
the father of Mickey Mouse]], [[Series/TheAndyGriffithShow two fictional characters]] [[Theatre/InheritTheWind from the early 1960s]], and [[[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_II,_Duke_of_Austria what is widely proclaimed to be the last king of Austria]]? I think you need to reconsider that. Otherwise, I will soon be the richest person alive, as I have either created time-travel or mastered cloning.”\\

* TakeThisJobAndShoveIt: A lot of stories that deal with a BadBoss will often end this way, with the submitter quitting because they have had enough of their boss's bullshit.

** [[https://notalwaysright.com/you-cant-dismiss-the-karma-on-this-one/131545/ This manager]] managed to [[HoistByHisOwnPetard invoke]] it, by giving the submitter the most difficult possible tasks as part of a bullying campaign. When she ends up firing the submitter for not giving in to her bullying (resulting in the manager losing a wrongful dismissal suit), it turns out that, since the submitter was doing all the hard work on a project, ''nobody else had the required knowledge to finish it''. And while the submitter certainly ''can'' help them out, they make it clear that there's no way they're going to lift a finger for their BadBoss.

** A possible {{Inversion}} in [[https://notalwaysright.com/this-story-is-a-real-treat/214863/ this story]]. Some unnamed border collies are brought into an animal shelter from different parts of Ireland. To tell them apart, the manager listed them under the names of the places they came from, but then forgot to give them proper names. As a result, the submitter, a German unfamiliar with Irish language or naming customs, accidentally names one of them "[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/County_Mayo Mayo]]."

** A possible {{Inversion}} in [[https://notalwaysright.com/this-story-is-a-real-treat/214863/ this story]]. Some unnamed border collies are brought into an animal shelter from different parts of Ireland. To tell them apart, the manager listed them under the names of the places they came from, but then forgot to give them proper names. As a result, the submitter, a German unfamiliar with Irish language or naming customs, winds up accidentally giving one of them the name "[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/County_Mayo Mayo]]."

[[NotAlwaysWorking/TropesAToE Tropes A to E]] | [[NotAlwaysWorking/TropesFToL Tropes F to L]] | [[NotAlwaysWorking/TropesMToS Tropes M to S]] | Tropes T to Z

** Along with many, ''many'' other boneheaded choices, [[https://notalwaysright.com/its-so-weird-but-i-cant-stop-reading/266012/ this intern]], after being told not to steal other workers' lunches, finally brings his own… in the form of a pound of raw steak… which, upon finding he couldn't grill it at work, ''ate it raw''.

* TheyJustDontGetIt:
** Stories under the "Ignoring/Inattentive" (formerly "Not Listening") tag tend to be cases of this.
** [[https://notalwaysright.com/infinitely-loopy-part-2/57885/ Taken to the extreme here]]. The caller tries to get her problem reassigned to another IT Manager, because the current one is on vacation. The help desk person ''repeatedly'' says that the away manager is already assigned to the case, and ''not once'' seems to understand what the caller is actually saying.
** [[http://notalwaysright.com/companies-will-pay-for-not-paying-attention And here too]]. Apparently for these workers (and [[http://notalwaysright.com/the-grapes-of-a-customers-wrath these workers as well]]), "I don't want to buy the wine" means "I don't want to show you my ID, give me the wine".
*** [[http://notalwaysright.com/what-an-alco-hole This worker]] goes even further, construing the laws for "You can't sell alcohol to minors" and "You can't sell alcohol to an adult buying on behalf of minors" to mean "You can't sell alcohol to an adult who happens to be accompanied by minors, even if the alcohol is clearly for the adult".
*** Justified in the last two lines of [[https://notalwaysright.com/last-shift-shifty-sausage/59347/ this story]]: the cashier passing out and the manager's line about shifts implies he's so sleep-deprived from overwork he can't ''comprehend'' the customer wasn't buying alcohol, only that they didn't want to show ID.
** [[http://notalwaysright.com/a-penny-saved-is-a-customer-spurned In response to a customer who has a malfunctioning debit card]] (on a Sunday, while on vacation), the bank employee not a few times says "just don't spend money", not seeming to get that ''this isn't an option'', especially for that customer at that time.
** [[http://notalwaysright.com/this-boss-needs-work This boss]] really doesn't seem to understand that when an employee quits, that's ''it''; they ''don't work there'' anymore.
*** [[http://notalwaysright.com/mails-a-thousand-papers-but-doesnt-get-the-message This company]] has a similar problem.
** From [[http://notalwaysright.com/breaking-bank this story]]: "..as I have explained, I am unable to pay any more at present." "[[BlatantLies I understand]], but why are you not paying a greater amount?"
** [[http://notalwaysright.com/this-transaction-has-gone-up-in-smoke Here]] is a tobacco example similar to the liquor examples above.
** [[http://notalwaysright.com/this-transaction-has-gone-up-in-smoke-part-2 Part 2]]: an idiot/JerkAss cashier who needs to have their manager called in for ''basic math skills''.
** [[http://notalwaysright.com/tgim This employee]] ''really'' wants to work (read: get paid for) Mondays even though the store in question is not open on Monday.
** [[http://notalwaysright.com/a-debtor-way-to-deal-with-them This company]] had to deal with a bill collector that continued asking for someone who never had anything to do with them despite filing multiple complaints with the FCC. Even after the boss [[TheGadfly gave them permission to mess with the caller]], they still had to prank the collector no less than ''six'' times before they finally gave up.
** Apparently "I don't have a bag" is too complicated a concept for [[http://notalwaysright.com/serious-baggage-issues this girl]] to understand.
** [[http://notalwaysright.com/how-to-polarize-your-customers This teller]] keeps telling a customer they have to remove their sunglasses, not understanding when the customer repeatedly tells them that they're ''not actually sunglasses''.
** [[http://notalwaysright.com/cannot-change-the-change-outcome This clerk]] insists on giving a customer five dollars back for a one-dollar DVD return and taking one dollar for a five-dollar DVD purchase. The customer just accepts it (and gives the extra change to charity) after the clerk fails to understand the problem after it is pointed out to her two times.
** [[http://notalwaysright.com/security-going-all-full-metal-jacket This security guard]] decides that a family helping their young daughter put on a jacket means that they stole it. It doesn't matter that it's stained, has no tags, and is a brand the store does not sell. When the guard ''finally'' gets that it was not stolen, several hours later, [[NeverMyFault he asks a coworker "why didn't you tell me?"]], when said coworker ''did, numerous times''.
** [[http://notalwaysright.com/a-vacuum-of-sales This demonstrator]] seems to believe that a family claiming they don't have carpeting on their floor means they ''don't have a floor at all''.
** "[[http://notalwaysright.com/affogato-be-kidding I suppose if they misheard 'ice water' as 'affogato,']] mishearing "I'm allergic" as "I'd like extra" isn’t too far of a stretch, but still..."
** The conversation in [[http://notalwaysright.com/the-new-white-bread-america this story]] was apparently a daily occurrence for the submitter.
** [[http://notalwaysright.com/working-against-the-clock This clerk]] at a jewelry counter can't seem to understand how a wind-up watch works without a battery. Despite having it explained to them by ''multiple people''.
** [[http://notalwaysright.com/the-bill-that-keeps-on-billing This]] receptionist just doesn't get that the customer in question has not been getting bills for eight months because a.) they moved from Connecticut to California, and b.) their old address was wrong in the system, so the bills were not forwarded, and keeps saying "you should just pay your bills when you get them, because we've been sending you bills for eight months".
** [[https://notalwaysright.com/will-need-some-stress-medications-after-this/64622/ This other receptionist]] put a note in a patient's file that they needed to make an appointment to see the doctor before they could get some medication. Normally that would be fine, except that she's also under the delusion that because the note is in the patient's file, the patient should be magically aware of it immediately (never mind the fact that the file isn't in a public system). Then, when the receptionist denies the patient immediate access to the doctor, and the patient points out that they're on a special list on the wall immediately behind the desk guaranteeing them a meeting with the doctor without an appointment, the receptionist doesn't believe them and shouts at them instead. Fortunately this attracts the doctor, who when the receptionist refuses to back down has security remove her, while continuing to scream that she put a note in the file.
** For [[http://notalwaysright.com/blt-better-luck-tomorrow-part-4 these employees]], customers apparently have to specifically ask for lettuce and tomato to be added to their ''BLT sandwiches''. That lettuce and tomato are in its name, right after the bacon that they ''did'' add, means nothing.
** Likewise for [[http://notalwaysright.com/with-no-bacon-comes-irresponsibility this restaurant]], where a BBQ '''bacon''' burger apparently does not come with bacon - and, to add insult to injury, the waitress the submitter asked about it charged extra for the "add-on" after getting them the bacon they were supposed to get in the first place.
** [[http://notalwaysright.com/how-to-win-the-war-against-telemarketers-part-7 This Indian Telemarketer]] doesn't seem to understand that the family he's repeatedly calling is not interested in what he's selling despite the numerous times they insult him and threaten to call the police. The telemarketer finally stopped after the police contacted his superiors.
** [[http://notalwaysright.com/pig-headed-about-the-sign Despite the US Navy]] telling their cooks to put meat signs on their food so their Arabic guests won't accidentally eat food that is against their religious beliefs, one cook doesn't understand why he has to put a sign on his Calico corn despite the fact the dish contains pork.
** [[https://notalwaysright.com/gluten-intolerance-versus-gluten-ignorance/63461/ This waitress]] apparently cannot comprehend that, while ''one'' member of a family cannot eat gluten (because he has celiac disease), the rest of them can eat it just fine.
---> '''Waitress''': I’ve never heard of a half-gluten family.
** [[https://notalwaysright.com/theyre-all-high-on-e These two tech support]] don't seem understand because the submitter new computer is a Mac that runs OSX, they cannot install Internet Explorer which is only available on Windows.
** [[https://notalwaysright.com/caught-in-the-middle-name This employee]] refuses to believe that the 24-year-old submitter has an unconventional middle name, screaming that she's been "lied to" even after the submitter explicitly states multiple times that the name in question is her middle name, not the first part of a hyphenated last name. The supervisor who scolds the employee and takes over notes that the employee always did this and was likely going to be let go because of that incident.
** [[https://notalwaysright.com/might-as-well-be-sleeping-on-the-job/65400/ This submitter]] was suffering from excessive fatigue and oversleeping. The doctor, for whatever reason, decided his patient was clearly suffering from '''insomnia''' [[note]]which is when you ''can't'' sleep, just for the record[[/note]] and needed to take over-the-counter sleep aids. "He's my ex-doctor now."
** [[https://notalwaysright.com/your-credit-score-is-underage This credit card scammer]] calls a 12-year-old boy's cell phone, and simply cannot get through her head, even after being repeatedly told ''by the boy's mother'' that the boy cannot possibly have a credit card at his age.
** [[https://notalwaysright.com/steve-me-alone/93645/ This debt collector]] does not get the idea that "Steve" doesn't live in the household he is calling, and never has. Even after being told that "Steve" had ''died'' the previous spring, the collector continues berating and harassing the submitter at least three times a week, prompting her to file a complaint with the Attorney General.
** [[https://notalwaysright.com/say-bye-bi-coworker/110476/ This female co-worker]] does not seem to understand her male co-worker is a bisexual and not gay. Even worse, for all of her concerns that her male co-worker maybe being forced to "date" his girlfriend by his parents and not because he actually likes her, she immediately judges his girlfriend must be transgender as the reason why he's dating her and thinks he's into gay stereotypes like drag queens and good fashion sense.
** [[https://notalwaysright.com/oh-unfair-maiden/144651/ This clerk at a post office]] refuses to let the submitter apply for a passport because they seemingly cannot wrap their mind around why the woman has a different surname from the one on her mother's birth certificate (which she had to present in order to apply for the passport). Surely it couldn't be because the name on the birth certificate is her mother's maiden name or something...
** [[https://notalwaysright.com/a-broad-definition-of-fraud/174298/ This bank manager]] is told repeatedly by the submitter that the "fraudulent" purchases that prompted his branch to freeze their account were theirs, yet still insists the purchases were fraudulent ''[[IgnoredEpiphany even after agreeing that the submitter spending their own money isn't fraud]]''. And then he's surprised that the submitter wants to [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere close their account]] due to not only this but the bank's failure to make sure the purchases were actually fraudulent before freezing the account, the fact the account was frozen ''without disputing the "fraudulent" purchases'', and the fact '''''a check cleared despite the freeze'''''.
** In [[https://notalwaysright.com/but-the-cheese-is-right-there/199724/ this]] story, the customer orders bacon and cheese fries, but only gets cheese. The cashier ''and'' the manager keep thinking that he's referring to the cheese and point out that it's on there already despite the customer outright asking where the ''bacon'' is. The manager just tells the cashier to get him a new order while saying that he doesn't "feel like dealing with this right now", implying that he still doesn't get it.
** [[https://notalwaysright.com/may-your-nays-be-never-in-your-flavor/57958/ This employee]] at a sandwich shop doesn't seem to understand that the customer wants a regular BLT sandwich without mayonnaise yet still gave her sandwich mayonnaise, and when she wants a replacement for her ruined sandwich, he added cheese on her replacement despite never once asking for it. Apparently he is unable to understand you can have a BLT sandwich without anything extra.
** [[https://notalwaysright.com/theyre-not-winning-themselves-any-points-here/228437/ This Bank Representative]] doesn't seem to understand the submitter and her family are vacationing at a nearby city and the recent purchases on her credit card at the city are legit and not fraudulent yet the bank keeps flagging her card despite the submitter repeatedly explaining to them.
** [[https://notalwaysright.com/a-one-track-wine/ This waiter]] keeps bothering the submitter to give her ID card if she wants to drink wine despite the submitter and her father repeatedly telling him she doesn't want to drink wine. Even when his manager points this out, he still doesn't get it. Apparently to him, anyone who is of legal drinking age must automatically want to drink wine.
** Subverted [[https://notalwaysright.com/things-are-heating-up-stupid-fast/234027/ here]], where an office worker whose unauthorized personal space heater has damaged her computer refuses to remove or even relocate the heater despite several lectures by IT personnel. Whenever they do the relocation for her, she moves the computer right back next to the heater, and even turns the heater to maximum power. Finally, after she's ruined two replacement desktop computers and a laptop computer, management and HR have turned a blind eye to the IT worker's incident reports, and the heater's in a position to ''set the building itself on fire'', it turns out she's been ''deliberately'' sabotaging the computers with her heater as an excuse to skip work. HR and management finally take notice not of the several destroyed computers and building fire risk, but [[SkewedPriorities of the project that's over a month behind and the unauthorized early departures]].
** [[https://notalwaysright.com/this-realtor-has-lost-touchy-with-reality/245798/ This insane realtor]] appears to believe that just because she offered to buy the OP's house, they are somehow obligated to sell it to her, and seems unable or unwilling to comprehend that they have no desire to move (which they had clearly stated right from the beginning). After being rejected three times over the phone, she takes it up a notch by bringing her prospective buyers over, and '''attempting to force entry'''. This not only gets her fired from her job, but also facing charges for trespassing, harassment, attempted breaking and entering, and fraud.
** [[https://notalwaysright.com/welcome-to-2005-apparently/305198/ This]] PointyHairedBoss doesn't understand that the submitter using Facebook on the job is not them goofing off but them ''doing their job as a '''social media manager''''', or that they're ''not'' looking to work for competitors when researching their Facebook marketing strategies (the only way him yelling at them for violating a fictitious non-compete clause is anything other than InsaneTrollLogic). He lasts just two days because on the second, the social media team finds that he's had all social media websites blocked, preventing them from doing their jobs and causing an ongoing social media campaign to stall.

** The submitter of [[https://notalwaysright.com/if-they-can-be-petty-i-can-be-pettier/297742/ this story]] quits their job at a pizzeria when the store manager cancels approval of their spring break vacation, despite it having been approved months ago, because his habit of hiring idiots who end up fired within a week has caused the restaurant to be understaffed. They had been willing to put up with working at this IncompetenceInc because they're planning to move away for college, but cancelling time off is unacceptable. When the manager realizes their two-week notice was no mere tantrum but a serious decision to quit, he starts to retaliate against them, causing them to no-show for what would be their last shift and start heading to California a day early.

** The submitter of [[https://notalwaysright.com/if-they-can-be-petty-i-can-be-pettier/297742/ this story]] quits their job at a pizzeria when the store manager cancels approval of their spring break vacation, despite it having been approved months ago, because his habit of hiring idiots who end up fired within a week has caused the restaurant to be understaffed. They had been willing to put up with working at this IncompetenceInc because they're planning to move away for college, but cancelling time off is unacceptable. When the manager realizes they're serious, he starts to retaliate against them, causing them to no-show for what would be their last shift and start heading to California a day early.

** The submitter of [[https://notalwaysright.com/if-they-can-be-petty-i-can-be-pettier/297742/ this story]] quits their job at a pizzeria when the store manager cancels approval of their spring break vacation, despite it having been approved months ago, because his habit of hiring idiots who end up fired within a week has caused the restaurant to be understaffed.

** The submitter of [[https://notalwaysright.com/if-they-can-be-petty-i-can-be-pettier/297742/ this story]] quits their job at a pizzeria when the store manager cancels their long-approved spring break vacation because his habit of hiring idiots who end up fired within a week has caused the restaurant to be understaffed.

* YouKnowWhatYouDid: In [[https://notalwaysright.com/if-youre-going-to-lie-at-least-do-it-well/265467/ this story]], a shift manager fires the submitter and shouts at her for saying she doesn't know why, claiming that she knows full well what she's talking about. Turns out this was intentional: the manager [[BullyingTheDisabled hated her for being autistic]] and wanted to pass off her termination as "insubordination". Thankfully, when she got confronted by the head chef and couldn't produce any writeups, the manager was fired.