This user had to leave work early, and his boss said okay. Later, he discovered that the owners would write him up if he didn’t show up on Saturday, so he decided to get payback.
Controlling Costs
OP (Original Poster) worked for a company that tried to “skate by” with as little labor cost as possible. This situation would make them hire under-qualified people and then expect top-notch results.
Dreaming Big
The owners were a married couple who would manage the company as if “it was a Fortune 500 company.” In reality, the company only had between 30-40 employees.
Trying to Innovate
To try and do better, the owners would always devise policies to improve things. The reality was that most policies were arbitrary, didn’t make sense, and were micromanaging.
Exactly 40
One of these policies they made up consisted of a “mandatory 40 hours” policy. If you missed any work during the weekday, they would require their staff to work on Saturday to make it up.
Steep Penalties
They would accept no excuses if you couldn’t make it up, and you’d receive a “strike.” If you got three “strikes,” you would be fired.
My Turn
OP had to take off 30 minutes early one day and cleared it with his boss, who said it would be fine. While OP and his boss were okay with it, the owners weren’t and told him he had to come in on Saturday.
Are You Serious?
When asked, he told the owners he had only taken 30 minutes off, that his direct supervisor approved. They didn’t care and told him there were no excuses; he had to hit his 40 hours, or he would get a “strike.”
If That’s How It Is
OP decided he would comply and showed up Saturday morning for their 7 AM roll call. The on-site boss did attendance and then began to hand out assignments to the waiting workers.
The Right Moment
Since about 15 employees were in line for projects, OP waited in the back of the group until everyone else received theirs. By the time the on-site boss got to him, it was 7:25 AM.
No Thank You
When his boss reached him, he told him what he would do. OP cut him off and said he would only be there for another five minutes.
Rules Are Rules
When his boss asked him why he would leave, OP told him he only had to make up 30 minutes to reach his 40 hours. His boss asked him why he wouldn’t stay for the overtime, to which OP replied, “I have plans.”
See You Later
OP said he left right after that and had a great weekend. When he came in on Monday, they said they were “disappointed he chose not to stay and help his coworkers.”
Is That All?
That was the only thing said to him, but the word was out about what he had done. The “mandatory 40 hours” policy disappeared within a few weeks.
What the Community Thinks
Redditors were delighted that OP had managed to find a way to exploit a stupid policy against the company he worked for.
The top comment was short and to the point, saying, “Be the reason a stupid policy becomes abolished. Check. Nice one, OP.”
Another Redditor said, “Too bad you didn’t have any state requirements to be paid a minimum of two hours work for coming in. Once had to attend a 40-minute ‘mandatory’ meeting. Boss got nailed by corporate because I ensured everyone knew they could claim two hours on their timesheets, and many people ended up with it as overtime. Never had another mandatory meeting.”
Teaching Valuable Lessons
The community liked seeing a micro-managing boss put in their place. A lot of Redditors shared their disgust with corporate culture.
One Redditor said, “Very nicely played. You made up your half hour. ‘We are disappointed you didn’t stay to help.’ Oh man, I am disappointed they don’t expect you to have a life outside of work. What is it with these middle management robots who see working as the only thing people exist for?”
Do you think OP did the right thing? What was the point of the policy anyway, and how would it have kept labor costs low?
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This post first appeared as His Boss Threatened to Give Him a Strike if He Didn’t Work Saturday to Make Up for Taking off 30 Minutes Early One Day, so He Decided to Teach Them a Lesson! on Quote Ambition.
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