I work at a retail store where we have employee lockers in the back room. Everyone picks their own locker on their first day and keeps it unless they leave. I’ve had mine for over a year it’s right by the door and super convenient because I usually run in right before my shift starts.
A new coworker started last month, “Emily,” and last week she asked if I’d switch lockers with her. Hers is further down the row, and she said the walk to the front is tiring because she has “really bad fatigue.” I politely said I’d rather not switch, since I’ve had this spot for a long time and it helps me stay on time.
She seemed annoyed but dropped it or so I thought. Now I’m hearing that she’s been telling other coworkers I’m “selfish” and “inconsiderate.” One of them even asked me why I couldn’t just be nice and switch with her “since it’s not a big deal.”
To me, it is a big deal. I have my routine and I’m not doing anything wrong by keeping the locker I picked. She never said it was a medical issue, and I don’t think I should be guilted into giving it up just because she asked.
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I work at a retail store where we have employee lockers in the back room. Everyone picks their own locker on their first day and keeps it unless they leave. I’ve had mine for over a year it’s right by the door and super convenient because I usually run in right before my shift starts.
A new coworker started last month, “Emily,” and last week she asked if I’d switch lockers with her. Hers is further down the row, and she said the walk to the front is tiring because she has “really bad fatigue.” I politely said I’d rather not switch, since I’ve had this spot for a long time and it helps me stay on time.
She seemed annoyed but dropped it or so I thought. Now I’m hearing that she’s been telling other coworkers I’m “selfish” and “inconsiderate.” One of them even asked me why I couldn’t just be nice and switch with her “since it’s not a big deal.”
To me, it is a big deal. I have my routine and I’m not doing anything wrong by keeping the locker I picked. She never said it was a medical issue, and I don’t think I should be guilted into giving it up just because she asked.
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OP has offered the following explanation for why they think they might be the asshole:
> I refused to switch lockers with my coworker after she said walking to hers made her tired. I might be the asshole because I prioritized my own convenience over her discomfort, and now she’s upset and feels I’m being inconsiderate. Maybe I should have made a small sacrifice to help her out, especially if she’s dealing with fatigue.
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Contest mode is 1.5 hours long on this post.
use co coworkers words against them. when asked, why won’t you switch, in a very serious tone say e, with eye contact say “listen, I don’t know Emily is being so selfish, this is a very big deal to me, and it is inconsiderate of her to ask. I said no.”. and then walk away. this question is not a conversation starter – it is a conversation ender.
Let her whine. She sounds irritating. Don’t give her your locker. NTA.
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NTA if she can’t handle the walk to the locker maybe retail isn’t for her
NTA. How much further is it to walk to her locker? If the extra walking is going to wear her out then she will not last very long.
Aelin Fireheart already gave the best answer. Lol
NTA. She should pick an empty one. Like everyone else did.
Inform her that laziness is not a reason for you to give up your locker!
If it was a medical issue, she needs to fill out the appropriate medical paperwork for an “accomodation”. Until such time as she has done tgat, the discussion is closed. Period!
Nta
How big is the back room?
NTA. She’s in the wrong industry, if she gets tired easily. Why don’t the co-worker who doesn’t think it’s a big deal switch with her?
Emily is a selfish and entitled co-worker. Don’t back down for her. Stick to your guns!
Why doesn’t she move on the the people who have lockers next to yours?
Why are you the only person she can ask?
If she’s causing a toxic work environment and/or harassing you – – and getting others to do so on her behalf – – report her to HR.
Someone needs to nip her entitled ass.
Please…. Work makes her tired…. But not the rest of us, I suppose, in her world.
NTA
NTA.
clearly it’s not a big deal (according to third parties), so why is she harping on it?
Is her fatigue caused by a medical condition or disability? Because even so, she haven’t disclosed that information to you, and is now creating a hostile work environment for you by blowing this situation up to your coworkers. So either way, she’s being the ass here.
NTA. If it is a medical issue she should be going through to proper channels to request accommodations, not making mean girl remarks behind your back.
NTA. Just ignore all of them.
Let the other coworker handle it
NTA. On the plus side, she’ll be gone soon, if just that a trek to her locker is too much for her, haha
Lmao she’s such a lazy mass
She just wants what you have. She’s so lazy she won’t be there long.nta.
Only NTA if she doesn’t actually have a medical condition…but if she does and she’s told you this thing would help and you are able bodied it would be the human thing to do to just let her have it…life is hard enough
You can only be guilted if you allow it. Stiffen your spine and continue with your normal routine. Why do you give a damn about the opinions of strangers?
She should have mentioned the “really bad fatigue” during the hiring process so the company could implement those types of arrangements.
Have a quick look over your job description also. Is “making life easier for sleepy Emily” mentioned there anywhere?
NTA.
I’m going to say the same thing I say whenever I hear someone express “why can’t you just ‘X’ it’s not a big deal”: if it’s not a big deal, why are you so perturbed? It’s not a big deal, so shouldn’t matter to you. NTA
NTA. Start telling your co workers that she’s trying to manipulate and control. That’s why she won’t accept no like a NORMAL person.
NTA if it’s not a big deal why is she dragging you down for saying no?
Is the row of lockers a mile long? I’m guessing not. Walking the extra 10ft isn’t going to kill her. NTA.
NTA. She has no business working there if she can’t even manage the walk from her locker to the staff room door. 🙄
If this is the US and she needs ADA accommodations for a disability then she can work with a manager on that.
And your locker is the only one near the front? I find that hard to believe. NTA – if she is tired by how far her locker is, how does she manage to even work?
She does realize she’s working in the real world and not in highschool anymore right?
NTA
You don’t need to accommodate entitled coworker.
NTA. people like her start by making requests to test what they can get other people to do for them, and then they never stop asking. If you had swapped pretty soon she would have been asking you for rides to and from work, to cover for her absences, or to take on hr shifts, or to do time-card fraud for her. Good on you for showing up front that you wont be able to be manipulated into becoming her minion.
If it’s not a big deal, why is she making a big deal out of it?
NTA. Raise it as a concern with your boss. It is a form of harassment what she is doing but it is also a safety concern if she claims to be that unfit she can’t walk to her locker.
NTA and the pro move is to ask hr what benefits are available to employees with Chronic Fatigue Synfrome and then pass those along to her
I have narcolepsy and asthma so I’m an expert in lacking stamina and NTA. Your coworker is just lazy and entitled.
YTA, you got all the points in about being selfish that the fake posts have
How big is this locker room? I get fatigue but if it’s 3 steps further away it’s really not making a difference.
NTA. If she “has bad fatigue,” retail work is probably not for her and she won’t be there long. After she leaves, you probably won’t get your locker back.
Look. Fatigue is really rough. Like genuine actual fatigue can ruin your life. It’s certainly fucked up mine. But if she needs accommodation that’s up to your boss, not you. And a few steps only makes a difference if you’re really hitting your limit, in which case, how is she working? It wouldn’t kill you to have empathy for her, but it’s not your responsibility to make things easier for her. NTA.
Nta, sounds like she’s creating a hostile work environment and your boss should be involved.
Tell her if she’s that tired. Maybe she shouldn’t be working and sign up for disability. The lazy asshole!
NTA. Just laugh and ignore her. Ah, too late.
NTA. If she gets fatigued so easily that seems like an issue better solved by talking to a doctor as that’s signs of something serious. Switching lockers isn’t going to help that.
NTA When they have a problem with you, some people will then complain to other people about you. The purpose is to cause the other people who are listening to the complaints to get annoyed. Then to end the annoyance, those people come to you and tell you to give the complainer what they want. I think your coworker is doing that. When this approach works, the complainer gets what they want, the complaints end so that the ones who had to listen to the complaints are now happy, and the only one who loses out is you.
ESH
If she can’t walk a few meters more, then how can she be employed in a job for which she’s on her feet?
But equally, if you need a locker near to the door to “help you stay on time”, your planning is abysmal.
If she has a legit disability she can request an ADA accommodation.
LMAO, absolutely NTA. If a, what, maybe 10 feet? (Just guessing) extra walk is too tiring for her she probably shouldn’t be working in a store where i presume you’re both on your feet all day?
She’s making an excuse because she’s jealous. Complete ignore her and go about your life, you’ve done absolutely nothing wrong.
NTA
Whether it’s Cops, Firefighters, Military, or Retail, the rule is the same: the FNG doesn’t get their pick of the lockers.
It’s so funny how people who don’t get what they want call the other person selfish when in fact they themselves are being selfish.
NTA Good lord, how big is the locker room? If she actually needed the accommodation, she’d have gone through management because it was medically necessary. But she didn’t, she asked to swap for no valid reason and with absolutely no benefit to you (I suspect if management asked you to swap, they’d have sweetened the deal). Nope. You don’t have to give someone something just because they want it, that is something small children try and also get denied.