Phrase meaning to protect oneself from repercussions
Cover your ass (British: cover your arse), abbreviated CYA, is an activity done by individuals to protect themselves from possible subsequent criticism, legal penalties, or other repercussions, usually in a work-related or bureaucratic context. In one sense, it may be rightful steps to protect oneself properly while in a difficult situation, such as what steps to take to protect oneself after being fired.[1] But, in a different sense, according to The New York Times' language expert William Safire, it describes "the bureaucratic technique of averting future accusations of policy error or wrongdoing by deflecting responsibility in advance".[2] It often involves diffusing responsibility for one's actions as a form of insurance against possible future negative repercussions.[2] It can denote a type of institutional risk-averse mentality which works against accountability and responsibility, often characterized by excessive paperwork and documentation,[3] which can be harmful to the institution's overall effectiveness.[4] The activity, sometimes seen as instinctive,[5] is generally unnecessary towards accomplishing the goals of the organization, but helpful to protect a particular individual's career within it, and it can be seen as a type of institutional corruption working against individual initiative.[6]
^Miller, Korin (February 1, 2012). "Do This Immediately After Getting Laid Off". Cosmopolitan. Retrieved August 26, 2014. If you're handed a pink slip, ... make these moves to cover your butt ....
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^Flanagan, Caitlin (November 1, 2007). "No Girlfriend of Mine". The Atlantic. Retrieved August 26, 2014. ...cover-your-ass devotion to documentation and paperwork ....
^Cite error: The named reference twsAtlantic was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^McArdle, Megan (April 10, 2009). "The Heroes of Financial Fraud". The Atlantic. Retrieved August 26, 2014. The instinct to CYA is a normal human emotion ....
^Dixon, David, ed. (1999). "A Culture of Corruption". A Culture of Corruption: Changing an Australian Police Service. Hawkins Press. ISBN 9781876067106. Retrieved August 26, 2014 – via Google Books. This 'cover your ass' perspective pervades all of patrol work ... bureaucratic paranoia ... not take the initiative on the street ....
Coveryourass (British: coveryour arse), abbreviated CYA, is an activity done by individuals to protect themselves from possible subsequent criticism...
I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat YourAss is the eleventh full-length album by American indie rock band Yo La Tengo, released on September 12, 2006...
now Sail Canada College Year in Athens, an U.S. study abroad program Coveryourass, a defensive practice against legal penalties or criticism Cyanuric...
campaign of Winton M. Blount in Alabama). A note (labeled "CYA" for "coveryourass") claiming that Killian was being pressured from above to give Bush...
CYA or CyA can refer to: Ciclosporin Czapek yeast agar Coveryourass This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title CyA. If an internal...
Fired "Hour Three: Someone's Son" Season 1, episode 3 2016 Goliath "CoverYourAss" Season 1, episode 5 American Crime Story "The Dream Team" Season 1...
from a great height, being crushed or the negligent use of grenades. Coveryourass (CYA) Non-apology apology Non-denial denial Officer-involved shooting...
because the signs were weird." Schneier characterized this as a form of "CoverYourAss" security. In his 2009 book Secret Agents, historian and communication...
in Crawford, Texas. President Bush's response of "All right. You've coveredyourass" has been erroneously linked to this PDB. This response, however, came...
"Get Off YourAss and Jam" is a song by Funkadelic, track number 6 to their 1975 album Let's Take It to the Stage. It was written by George Clinton, although...
...Rocks Your Lame Ass is the second studio album by the American rock band Hagfish, released in June 1995 on London Records. The album was recorded and...
Bad Asses on the Bayou (also known as Bad Ass 3) is a 2015 American action film starring Danny Trejo and Danny Glover, written and directed by Craig Moss...
The donkey is a domesticated equine. It derives from the African wild ass, Equus africanus, and may be classified either as a subspecies thereof, Equus...
Response" 2:23 7. "Stick the Fucking Flag Up Your Goddam Ass, You Sonofabitch" 2:51 8. "Haillie Sellasse, Up YourAss" 4:11 9. "Fuck Machine" 3:06 10. "This...
Nice Ass is the first studio album by the band Free Kitten, released in 1995 on Kill Rock Stars. The Dallas Observer called the album a "sloppy pastiche...
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