“Close At 11 PM, Open At 5 AM”: Management Refuses To Let Employee Switch Schedules, Regrets It
Interview With Author
As we’ve seen during the pandemic, retail workers are essential. According to NCSL, 1 out of 10 domestic workers in the US works in the retail industry. So it should be a given that retail employees get adequate pay and have generally decent working conditions. A schedule that makes sense can be one example of those conditions.
The OP of this story came into a job in which the situation was the opposite. The management wanted their bookkeepers to be unhappy and overworked for some reason. Well aware of their rights, the user Honest_Star7348 took this as an opportunity to teach the entitled management a lesson. They shared their malicious compliance story with the Internet in an attempt to encourage other retail workers to stand up for their rights.
The OP of this story agreed to have a chat with Bored Panda. She told us more about what inspired her to share this story and how important it is to stand up to nonsensical management rules. Check out our interview with this exceptionally strong lady below!
Work schedulers and management are responsible for employees’ schedules to make sense
Image credits: Andrea Piacquadio (not the actual photo)
But this particular bookkeeper felt the boss only wanted to flex their authority, so they came up with a plan to teach them a lesson
Image credits: SHVETS production (not the actual photo)
Image source: Honest_Star7348
What exactly are ‘clopens?’
Image credits: Tim Mossholder (not the actual photo)
This type of work schedule the OP describes is also called ‘a clopening shift.’ According to Indeed, it’s “the practice of employees working a closing shift followed directly by an opening shift with very few hours for rest in between.” It’s a common practice in the service industry: restaurants, gas stations, hospitals, and retail stores.
Clopening shifts can have negative side effects on the employees. If the time between shifts is short, say, four hours, workers might not have enough time to sleep. That can lead to poor performance at work and even burnout over time.
If the employees are working parents, their lives become even harder. Since parents can’t leave their children alone overnight, they have to rely on babysitters. This can become quite costly over time, not to mention that parents lose quality time with their little ones.
All these factors can lead to the employees feeling dissatisfied. And what do workers do when they’re not happy? Well, one option is to quit. This might be the reason why some companies or stores have high turnover rates.
The OP shares how she learned from other women to be such a strong-willed person
Image credits: Sora Shimazaki (not the actual photo)
“One of the things I’m working on within myself is the ability to talk about my experiences freely. Telling this story on Reddit is my first step to opening up,” the OP tells Bored Panda about her inspiration behind the post.
“I wanted to encourage others to speak up for themselves and protect themselves with [their] available knowledge. I wanted to give back what I received from life and other excellent employees (work ethic, knowledge, strength, faith, and courage to speak up for myself.)”
The Redditor also tells us a little bit more about her background and how she became so determined. “I was a mother of two and my mother’s primary caregiver before age 22. I didn’t know anything about life. I only knew I wanted to be better for myself, my children, and my family. I didn’t go to college during this time. But my life changed when I got my first ‘professional’ job at a paper company.”
The OP spoke about her work background, too. “The department I worked at was [run] primarily by women. These were fierce women. Their work ethic was unmatched. They were not afraid to speak up. The environment was lovely.”
“We loved being around one another. We worked things out if someone was in a work bind. I loved going to work. We are still friends! I felt seen and knew my worth! This job experience was my foundation for everything else to follow.”
Later, she got a job at a phone company. “Again, my life changed,” the netizen says. “The union was run primarily by women who stood up for employees. They didn’t only stand up for us but taught us how to stand up for ourselves using documentation, the law, and union handbooks. I learned about labor, employment, and federal laws. I learned how to research what I needed to know.”
“I sustained a disabling workplace injury,” the Redditor shares. “That’s another story about how badly management treated me. It took years to accept my limitations.”
“I have a degree in Human Services (minor in Administration), Business Management, and a Certificate in Paralegal studies. I haven’t been a workplace rebel in a while. I’m now trying to find a new normal for myself and my place in the working world that fits my abilities and limitations.”
This is not the first time the Redditor has stood up for herself in a workplace
Honest_Star7348 tells us she believes that employees should have the knowledge and a decent work ethic to build confidence to stand up to management. “Having all the pieces in place is essential before taking a stand,” the Redditor explains.
“Employees can learn by reading handbooks and looking at required state or federal postings [that] employers must have (such as equal pay for equal work, discrimination, workers’ compensation, and the Family Medical Leave Act).”
“Employees should ensure they’re on time, not on their phones, not constantly calling off work, and doing their job. A person’s work ethic tells others what they need to know about them and makes their voiced concerns louder or muted.”
The situation described in her post on r/MaliciousCompliance wasn’t her first rodeo. She has stood up for herself like this in the past. “I have experiences that stick out more than others, but it always was something I needed to stand up for. I’m currently working on another management story.”
“I’m not a workplace rebel. I promise,” the Redditor smiles. “Going into these positions, I knew my work ethic, worth, and capabilities. I had the faith and confidence to stand on my work and stand up for myself without fear.”
“I don’t directly stand up for colleagues,” the OP also clarifies. “I tried that once and was an army of one (me). Colleagues often benefit from me standing up for myself. I find ways to show others how to stand up for themselves. I am a reference point, even if it is not my expertise. Because whatever I don’t know, I can research, learn, and effectively communicate.”
The OP advises how to act if you ever find yourself in a similar situation
Image credits: Karolina Grabowska (not the actual photo)
We asked Honest_Star7348 whether she would have any advice for people who are experiencing unfair treatment at work but can’t find the courage to speak up. She says it’s not worth sacrificing your health and sanity because of fear of saying something or taking appropriate action.
“Learn, research, and talk to others to gain knowledge,” the OP tells Bored Panda. “I recommend documentation for everything. Document (record) what is happening, if possible, until [you] get the courage to say something.”
“I encourage people to do their part by arriving on time at work, performing their duties to the best of their ability, not taking extensive breaks, not talking on cell phones, and not calling off work excessively,” the Redditor explains the importance of a good work ethic.
“If they are in a comparable situation, they gain more confidence in what they’ve contributed to their position. That confidence can sometimes carry over to speaking out, filing a complaint, or leaving.”
Her last piece of advice is to be ready for what might happen once you bring your issue to the management. “Just because an employer says they have an open-door policy for suggestions or complaints doesn’t mean there might not be backlash,” the Redditor warns.
You can read the reactions from the commenters below
There were people who also shared their own nightmare stories
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This is why we have unions. Every anti-union argument comes under the broad banner of “F**k workers’ rights and protections”.
Looks like we've got some anti-unioners here as well, downvoting you for that. I grew up despising unions, given what they were doing to the UK in the 1970s, and was pleased when their powers were reduced in the 1980s, but never for a moment would I have advocated a world without them and their right to exist.
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I’m a bit confused. OP said they maliciously complied by closing the store and calling in the next morning. Is there a word missing? Did he call in sick (which seems to work with the rest of the story), or is there another meaning to ‘calling in’ that I’m not aware of?
They meant "calling in sick". You can shorten it to "called in".
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They did mention that it is illegal to schedule people like that in their state (Georgia). But Home Depot is a notoriously horrible employer and they don't really care.
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This is why we have unions. Every anti-union argument comes under the broad banner of “F**k workers’ rights and protections”.
Looks like we've got some anti-unioners here as well, downvoting you for that. I grew up despising unions, given what they were doing to the UK in the 1970s, and was pleased when their powers were reduced in the 1980s, but never for a moment would I have advocated a world without them and their right to exist.
Load More Replies... I’m a bit confused. OP said they maliciously complied by closing the store and calling in the next morning. Is there a word missing? Did he call in sick (which seems to work with the rest of the story), or is there another meaning to ‘calling in’ that I’m not aware of?
They meant "calling in sick". You can shorten it to "called in".
Load More Replies... They did mention that it is illegal to schedule people like that in their state (Georgia). But Home Depot is a notoriously horrible employer and they don't really care.
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