When Your Boss Just Doesn't Get It, Part 2

Laura Simmons

Welcome back to You're Still on Mute, the show where we sip, we vent, and somehow survive the workday together. I’m Laura.

Jasmine Carter

And I’m Jasmine. Today, we’re diving back into one of those topics that never seems to run dry — bosses who just do. not. get it. That’s right: "When your boss just doesn’t get it, part two."

Laura Simmons

Honestly, buckle up. The inbox has been wild this week — you’d think we were writing a workplace sitcom except it’s people’s real lives. Some of these stories, I don’t know if I should laugh or cry.

Jasmine Carter

Can we start with, let's call her Nicole from Milwaukee? Her email subject line set the tone: “My boss thinks PTO means Please Torture Often.” I laughed out loud at that one.

Laura Simmons

Nicole, I hope you’re listening, because that line alone deserves a gift card. Here’s what she wrote us: Hey Laura and Jasmine — Love the show! So last month, I finally took a week off after working nonstop for over a year. Had the out of office set, did all the wrap-up, briefed the team. First morning of vacation — and I’m not kidding — her boss calls at 8:17 AM. Wants to know where a file is. It was literally in the shared drive, labeled. And — now this part’s incredible — the boss goes, “Well, since you’re already up, can you just hop on a quick Zoom?” Nicole says no, and the boss was… completely confused? Said, “But you’re just at home, right?”

Jasmine Carter

Ohhh my God. I need the boss — to go log off for good. Please.

Laura Simmons

Right!? That “just at home” energy is such a classic "just don't get it"-boss move. As if vacation means... staring at your laptop, ready to jump when they call.

Jasmine Carter

It’s always the bosses who send those “don’t forget self-care!” emails, and then hit you up Sunday night, like, “Hey! Can you have that deck to me by 8 AM Monday?” There’s just—there’s no break!

Laura Simmons

And if you dare to push back, you hear, “Well, this is just the way the industry works.”

Jasmine Carter

Nah. That’s how YOU work. The rest of us are trying — I mean, at least trying — to protect some boundaries here.

Laura Simmons

And you know what else? When they put “quick check-in” on your calendar — at 4:59 PM. On a Friday. Like, the weekend is already preheating in my kitchen. Please, I wanna microwave my pasta and go live my life.

Jasmine Carter

And the “Can you do this real quick?” tasks that come with zero context. Then you ask for help and suddenly, it’s like you’ve committed some… career felony. You’re supposed to just “take initiative.” I don’t even know what this is for!

Laura Simmons

Ma’am, I can’t take initiative if I don’t even know where to begin. Sometimes I wonder if they’re just testing us or what.

Jasmine Carter

Nicole saying no to that Zoom is like, a huge move, by the way. Standing up for your time off is so, so hard — especially when your boss just keeps pushing.

Laura Simmons

Yes! We all need to protect our PTO like it’s some limited-edition collectible or something. You earned it. It’s not a group project you gotta present; it’s your time, full stop.

Jasmine Carter

And for any managers listening right now, if your people are scared to take time off or feel they can’t unplug, that’s not hustle culture. That’s just… bad management, straight up.

Laura Simmons

Say it louder, Jasmine. Because that burnout cycle? It’s not sustainable for anyone. It’s like what we talked about in our first episode — if nobody feels okay stepping away, the whole system breaks down.

Jasmine Carter

Exactly. And honestly, it’s wild how these stories always come back to boundaries. Like with those early morning meetings or PTO guilt-trips we heard about before — it’s all the same playbook, just new situations every week!

Laura Simmons

So, if you have a “my boss doesn’t get it” story — inbox waiting! Email us if you wanna get extra real, and maybe we’ll feature you next time.

Jasmine Carter

And any bosses tuning in — listen, this is said with love: Please get it together.

Laura Simmons

Next time, we’ll tackle a wild story about a boss who scheduled a team meeting during someone’s grandma’s funeral. Yeah, that happened.

Jasmine Carter

Stick around. Thanks for sharing your stories, everyone, and keep ‘em coming. Laura, as always, it’s a pleasure dragging corporate together.

Laura Simmons

Always, Jasmine. Let’s do it again Wednesday. Bye everybody, take care of yourselves—actually take care of yourselves!

Jasmine Carter

Later y’all, bye!