Woman Takes Over Coworker’s Office When She Goes on Maternity Leave, Then Refuses to Give It Back

An employee took to Reddit seeking guidance after a conflict erupted over a private office she’s been using while a coworker worked remotely.

She explained that in 2023, a woman named Jenn went on maternity leave and later transitioned into the company’s work-from-home program. With Jenn’s office empty, the poster asked her manager if she could move out of her cubicle — and got approval.

“I got to leave my crappy cubicle for my very own private office,” she wrote.

The arrangement remained drama-free until the company announced that all remote employees would be required to return to the building on Nov. 17, 2025. When those returning employees visited the office to prepare for the change, Jenn saw someone else occupying the space she once used — and wasn’t happy about it.

“She became agitated and asked if I’d be leaving so she could take back over,” the poster said. “I told her flatly that I had no intent to give up the office.”

Jenn escalated the issue to management — but the ruling didn’t go her way.

“Management’s immediate decision was that I was under no obligation to move out of the office,” the employee explained. When asked if she wanted to return to a cubicle, she declined, and HR considered the matter resolved.

Still, the situation created quick friction at work. “Now, just a day later, I’m getting a stink from coworkers who think I’m punishing Jenn for something outside her control,” she wrote.

Jenn also emailed her directly, urging compassion, saying she already felt “punished” by being forced back into the office and asked the poster to consider her feelings.

The poster acknowledged she understood the frustration — but she wasn’t willing to give up her space.

“It sucks for her and everyone else being forced to come back,” she wrote, “but I like having my own office. I’d be giving up the privacy I’ve become adjusted to. And, if I’m being honest, I enjoy actually having a nice window to look out and none of the noise of the cubicles.”

When another Redditor asked whether Jenn had any special claim to the space — such as rank or a need for privacy — the employee explained the company’s unusual system.

“We have 15 non-managerial offices,” she shared. “When one becomes available, you may ‘bid’ on one and whoever has the most seniority and best performance metrics wins the office.”

That’s exactly what happened when Jenn’s space opened up — the poster qualified for it.

“Generally, one or two offices become available every year either because of promotions or turnover,” she wrote. “So Jenn and I are no different than anyone else in the cubicles. When it became available, I got it because I asked and had the seniority and metrics to win over anyone else who’d placed a request.”

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