After Not Receiving Loyalty From The Company, Employee Starts Leaving Work Right On The Dot, Maliciously Complying With The Manager’s Views
It’s nice when you find a job that you actually enjoy, because your whole life becomes more enjoyable as we spend so much of our days at work. Sometimes you even feel like coming in earlier or leaving later because you like being in the environment and you feel a sense of fulfillment from finishing your tasks.
Even if you do it for your own satisfaction, people still secretly hope that the higher-ups will notice it and appreciate their efforts. But it’s not always like that. Reddit user ennovyelechim told a story how they were an exemplary employee but when it came to receiving a favor from their manager, they were bitterly disappointed.
More info: Reddit
A Reddit user told a story of how they got disappointed in their company’s treatment of employees and lost passion for their job
Image credits: Alan Cleaver
The Original Poster (OP) doesn’t work at the said company anymore, but when they started, they were an employee that any company could wish for. They were always at work on time and would start working as soon as they got there. If they had anything to finish up at the end of the day, they would do that even if it meant they had to stay a little bit over their contracted hours.
The employee explained that they didn’t mind doing that because they did it for the better good of everyone and they were not exceeding their work hours that much. They were glad to spend those extra 20-30 minutes of their day working as they liked the company and liked to leave knowing they’d finished their job.
Image credits: ennovyelechim
The OP was always happy to work and didn’t mind staying later to finish their tasks of the day
Image credits: ennovyelechim
It lasted for 2 years until one day, ennovyelechim had to leave earlier as they got a call from the hospital that their father in law was living his last hours. The OP left at 3:45 after informing their manager and didn’t think much of it as they thought they had made up for that time by leaving later on other days.
However, the company didn’t see it that way and paid only for half of that day. The image that the OP had about the company was shattered and they stopped caring about loyalty or feeling they needed to work for the benefit of the company. From that day, for the next 5 years they stayed at the company, the employee only worked the hours they were contracted.
Image credits: ennovyelechim
Until an incident occurred when they had to leave earlier because the health of their ill relative had gravely worsened
Image credits: ennovyelechim
Not only that, but when they overheard a manager talking to a new employee and making a comment how they hated ‘clockwatchers’ because that showed no loyalty to the company, the OP intervened to sarcastically remind the manager how they were treated when they had to leave and say goodbye to a deathbed-ridden loved one.
It must have made an impression on the staff as everyone began sticking to their work hours precisely. The OP believes that the company had to lose a lot of extra hours that the employees voluntarily worked without getting paid and all of that was over not being able to show a little bit of compassion.
Bored Panda reached out to an Adjunct Professor (Lecturer) James M. Lager, teaching ethics to graduate students at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business to evaluate this situation and he said that “Employee engagement and commitment can make a business more profitable, and treating employees like objects (as was done here) diminishes how much an employee will actually produce and lead to a “work to the rule” attitude and approach. And there is research that shows being ethical is good for the bottom-line in the long run.”
Image credits: ennovyelechim
After having read the story Professor Lager noted that as an hourly employee, the law probably requires the employee to be paid by the hour. He continued, “If the employment is at-will, then either party can end the employment relationship anytime they like for any nondiscriminatory and lawful reason. It’s likely illegal for an employer to look the other way while the employee works extra time without compensation.”
The employee wasn’t expecting to get their pay docked because they had always worked more anyway
Image credits: ennovyelechim
But that really showed the real face of the company and from then on, the redditor worked only their contracted hours, not letting the company abuse their hard work
Image credits: ennovyelechim
The employee wasn’t ever forced to work more than their contract said and the manager was right: it was their decision. But after all those years of honest and hard work, you would expect the company to trust you more and let some things slide.
We asked Professor Lager was it ethical for the company to pay less for that day the employee left for an emergency and he told us that ethics and law don’t always overlap. “The underlying relationship between the employer and employee should reflect an aspect of fairness—a foundational ethical principle everyone agrees with to some extent. So what is ethical here depends to a great extent on whatever agreement, written or otherwise, exists between the employer and employee about reciprocal obligations and duties. At first, both parties tacitly agreed that the employee would stay until the work was done—that seemed fair! When an emergency arose, however, the employee wrongly expected the employer to behave like a caring human and allow the time off. Unfortunately, the employer had a different idea about their obligation to the employee, and decided to treat them as an income-producing unit—which the law permits.”
What is your take on this story? Do you think the company was right in not paying for the whole day when the OP left earlier, because rules are rules? Or do you think that the company could have be more lenient as the employee always did their job well? Tell us in the comments!
People in the comments were supporting the employee and thought the managers were heartless for making such a decision
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Share on FacebookThis sort of attitude (expecting people to stay beyond their contracted hours) needs to die a horrible death.
I'm very happy to live in a society where working unpaid overtime is regarded as stupid and major @ss-kissing. The things you can't do today, will still be there tomorrow. And you don't get merit points for staying late.
My company only notices if someone is starting late/leaving early if their work suffers. But if all your work is done and you are reachable during work hours no one cares if you don't keep your hours exactly.
Load More Replies...How many heartless people are there in this world? How the heck do they live with themselves making these judgements on someone who was going to see a dying family member even?
At my first job, my then boss tried to get me to resign as she was actually firing me so she wouldn't have to pay unemployment. I actually didn't know the law back then but it just felt wrong that she kept asking me to submit a letter of resignation when leaving the job was not my idea. I had been out a few days as a dear family member was on his death bed, I called in every single day as expected and talked with her directly, she never mentioned anything was wrong. When I came back, she asked me to resign. I didn't. I applied for unemployment benefits as I looked for another job, and the unemployment office told me I had to go to court because my ex boss had said I quit. I went to court but she never showed up, so I got my much needed unemployment benefits until I was able to get another job. It was definitely a shock to me that she acted this way, as I had worked directly with her for a few years and there had never been any issues between us, and she gave me the highest reviews.
she prolly hated you and played nice face to face 🤷♂️
Load More Replies...I had a principal no like this employer. She knew I came in with the sun and left with the sun to make sure my students got the benefit of a truly dedicated teacher and fully prepared lesson. I did not take sick leave days capriciously. I was never late to school. One day I asked this principal if I could leave early. She gave me the what-for this request saying that I was being paid for a full school day (8-4) and that it was unfair to other teachers to let me take off time that was required of other teachers. She did not approve of the early departure. I HAD to leave early so I arranged for a 'floating' assistant (one that was used where needed in that grade level), let the other teachers know that I had to leave early. Should not have asked iin yhe
I object to the sweeping statement that all companies behave this way. My employer of 40 years was very flexible when I had family emergencies or other serious personal issues. There are good guys out there. Keep looking until you find one, and maybe the others will start to figure things out.
Hmmm I turn up late and leave early.... no one notices. Probably because they do it (no set start time)
Wanna bet she’s a “salaried” employee? Translation: they can work you as much as they want without having to pay OT, and make you clock in and out, plus dock you for hours not on that clock, etc etc etc. Salaried, but treated like hourly, only without the chance for time and a half. The more hours you work on salary, the less money you’re making per hour.
The OP stated "I dread to think of all the hours the company lost." Those weren't "lost " hours, those hours were free labour they didn't pay for. Also known as wage theft. So now, the company is getting what they pay for, no more and no less. But they have also lost the engagement of their staff, and will lose productivity as a result, and likely have higher turnover.
Why would he get docked half a day's pay if he left 15 min early? His hours were 10-4 and he left at 3:45
Why would he docked half a day's pay if he left 15 minutes early? His hours were from 10-4 and he left at 3:45
When I started my job, I was part=time (20 hr/wk). I always ended up working extra hours to resolve "emergencies" (I was even "on-call" sometimes 24/7 for no compensation). I told my boss I needed more hours but she told me that I was a "professional exempt" employee and expected to work extra hours. Fast forward a year or so and her boss found out what was going on and made me full-time. Finally, the jerk boss left and I got a new boss who was awesome.
Was warned to not come on to just help out on a weekend as I had a set weekday schedule. I would be called in every weekend. I never did, but had to wait over a month for my last paycheck. It was 15 dollars.
Either you're hourly, in which they were wrong for docking you 4 hours' pay for less than 1 hour's absence, or your contract, and get a set pay no matter how many - or few! - hours you work. Company was doing illegal, and definitely unethical under FMLA and the law. Glad you got out.
You go to work on the dot hours and do your work responsibly, therefore when you leave on the dot hours, your employer will not call you for being a slouchy worker. That is more justifying.
one company I worked for would dock you 15 minutes if you were 5 minutes late, result im 5 minutes late, they will dock me 15, well time to go grab a coffee so I will actually be 15 minutes late.
Reminds me of the time I was told my father was in organ failure and dying. I love across an ocean and half a continent away so immediately informed my managers I would need at least 2 weeks off to deal with the death and paperwork. I kid you not, their response was, "But he's not dead yet, right?" They ended up giving me 3 weeks off, 2 paid after I chewed them out and told them they can find a replacement for me tomorrow. They also gave in to a week vacation after the neglected to even try to find a replacement when I did resign. I've been offered jobs from them since and for some reason, they seem shocked when I tell them I worked for them before. Not even their HR can read a resume. I would consider the entire management extremely incompetent rather than just cruel
The manager is a jerk they knew the family member is in thenhospital and I am sure they told them it's their last hours alive to take half someone work pay for leaving 15 minutes early is evil. So I am glad the other workers found out and left on time why work for someone if refuse to pay a little over time when it's for the company.
My approach to work never changed over the years. I work all hours of the day when I need to and can do it. I like it this way, my work hours not strictly defined by "business hours". More importantly, I do not hesitate to leave a job if they do not like this. I may not make a ton of money but I live the way I want to.
I only wonder if the manager even remembered the incident from five years earlier. I wish OP had an opportunity to say something sooner.
If they did this to me, I'd make scene. Clock hours are your decision indeed but some contracts consider that as flexible elements (one day you make more, another less), but yes, no clue how your country / company contracts are. But yes, I was in similar situation before I was aware of these rules.
This sort of attitude (expecting people to stay beyond their contracted hours) needs to die a horrible death.
I'm very happy to live in a society where working unpaid overtime is regarded as stupid and major @ss-kissing. The things you can't do today, will still be there tomorrow. And you don't get merit points for staying late.
My company only notices if someone is starting late/leaving early if their work suffers. But if all your work is done and you are reachable during work hours no one cares if you don't keep your hours exactly.
Load More Replies...How many heartless people are there in this world? How the heck do they live with themselves making these judgements on someone who was going to see a dying family member even?
At my first job, my then boss tried to get me to resign as she was actually firing me so she wouldn't have to pay unemployment. I actually didn't know the law back then but it just felt wrong that she kept asking me to submit a letter of resignation when leaving the job was not my idea. I had been out a few days as a dear family member was on his death bed, I called in every single day as expected and talked with her directly, she never mentioned anything was wrong. When I came back, she asked me to resign. I didn't. I applied for unemployment benefits as I looked for another job, and the unemployment office told me I had to go to court because my ex boss had said I quit. I went to court but she never showed up, so I got my much needed unemployment benefits until I was able to get another job. It was definitely a shock to me that she acted this way, as I had worked directly with her for a few years and there had never been any issues between us, and she gave me the highest reviews.
she prolly hated you and played nice face to face 🤷♂️
Load More Replies...I had a principal no like this employer. She knew I came in with the sun and left with the sun to make sure my students got the benefit of a truly dedicated teacher and fully prepared lesson. I did not take sick leave days capriciously. I was never late to school. One day I asked this principal if I could leave early. She gave me the what-for this request saying that I was being paid for a full school day (8-4) and that it was unfair to other teachers to let me take off time that was required of other teachers. She did not approve of the early departure. I HAD to leave early so I arranged for a 'floating' assistant (one that was used where needed in that grade level), let the other teachers know that I had to leave early. Should not have asked iin yhe
I object to the sweeping statement that all companies behave this way. My employer of 40 years was very flexible when I had family emergencies or other serious personal issues. There are good guys out there. Keep looking until you find one, and maybe the others will start to figure things out.
Hmmm I turn up late and leave early.... no one notices. Probably because they do it (no set start time)
Wanna bet she’s a “salaried” employee? Translation: they can work you as much as they want without having to pay OT, and make you clock in and out, plus dock you for hours not on that clock, etc etc etc. Salaried, but treated like hourly, only without the chance for time and a half. The more hours you work on salary, the less money you’re making per hour.
The OP stated "I dread to think of all the hours the company lost." Those weren't "lost " hours, those hours were free labour they didn't pay for. Also known as wage theft. So now, the company is getting what they pay for, no more and no less. But they have also lost the engagement of their staff, and will lose productivity as a result, and likely have higher turnover.
Why would he get docked half a day's pay if he left 15 min early? His hours were 10-4 and he left at 3:45
Why would he docked half a day's pay if he left 15 minutes early? His hours were from 10-4 and he left at 3:45
When I started my job, I was part=time (20 hr/wk). I always ended up working extra hours to resolve "emergencies" (I was even "on-call" sometimes 24/7 for no compensation). I told my boss I needed more hours but she told me that I was a "professional exempt" employee and expected to work extra hours. Fast forward a year or so and her boss found out what was going on and made me full-time. Finally, the jerk boss left and I got a new boss who was awesome.
Was warned to not come on to just help out on a weekend as I had a set weekday schedule. I would be called in every weekend. I never did, but had to wait over a month for my last paycheck. It was 15 dollars.
Either you're hourly, in which they were wrong for docking you 4 hours' pay for less than 1 hour's absence, or your contract, and get a set pay no matter how many - or few! - hours you work. Company was doing illegal, and definitely unethical under FMLA and the law. Glad you got out.
You go to work on the dot hours and do your work responsibly, therefore when you leave on the dot hours, your employer will not call you for being a slouchy worker. That is more justifying.
one company I worked for would dock you 15 minutes if you were 5 minutes late, result im 5 minutes late, they will dock me 15, well time to go grab a coffee so I will actually be 15 minutes late.
Reminds me of the time I was told my father was in organ failure and dying. I love across an ocean and half a continent away so immediately informed my managers I would need at least 2 weeks off to deal with the death and paperwork. I kid you not, their response was, "But he's not dead yet, right?" They ended up giving me 3 weeks off, 2 paid after I chewed them out and told them they can find a replacement for me tomorrow. They also gave in to a week vacation after the neglected to even try to find a replacement when I did resign. I've been offered jobs from them since and for some reason, they seem shocked when I tell them I worked for them before. Not even their HR can read a resume. I would consider the entire management extremely incompetent rather than just cruel
The manager is a jerk they knew the family member is in thenhospital and I am sure they told them it's their last hours alive to take half someone work pay for leaving 15 minutes early is evil. So I am glad the other workers found out and left on time why work for someone if refuse to pay a little over time when it's for the company.
My approach to work never changed over the years. I work all hours of the day when I need to and can do it. I like it this way, my work hours not strictly defined by "business hours". More importantly, I do not hesitate to leave a job if they do not like this. I may not make a ton of money but I live the way I want to.
I only wonder if the manager even remembered the incident from five years earlier. I wish OP had an opportunity to say something sooner.
If they did this to me, I'd make scene. Clock hours are your decision indeed but some contracts consider that as flexible elements (one day you make more, another less), but yes, no clue how your country / company contracts are. But yes, I was in similar situation before I was aware of these rules.
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