The Internet Applauds This Non-Smoker For Winning An Extra Break By ‘Technically’ Smoking
Interview With AuthorA smoke break is something that can easily divide employees, especially the ones that don’t smoke. This story from the Malicious Compliance subreddit sheds a light on how companies decide who gets to use their quick break and who doesn’t, and just how little it sometimes makes sense.
“I first started working at 17 as a housekeeper cleaning condos in downtown Toronto,” the Redditor KhajiitKennedy wrote.
While at work, he made friends with the security guards and started hanging out with them. “They were all smokers and I noticed that they were taking small breaks so if I happened to be near them when they were taking a smoke break I would hang out with them,” the author explained.
However, it soon turned out that KhajiitKennedy was not allowed to simply take his quick break like the fellow smoker colleagues. So he came up with a maliciously compliant idea to get around it.
Boss didn’t let this employee to go on a smoke break with fellow workers because he didn’t smoke so he pulled a maliciously compliant move
Image credits: Geri Tech (not the actual photo)
Image credits: Mudassir Ali (not the actual photo)
Image credits: KhajiitKennedy
Bored Panda reached out to the author of this story, KhajiitKennedy, who told us that he got the idea to use sparklers for a maliciously compliant stunt at work from a cousin’s birthday that happened a few weeks earlier.
“They had these little birthday cake sparklers! I thought they were so neat, and when thinking of things I could light with a lighter other than a cigarette, that was the first thing to pop into my head,” the Redditor said.
KhajiitKennedy’s relationship with the boss didn’t change much after the sparklers stunt. “He was always good to us from when I started all the way to the day I left that company for school. The whole job site relaxed a bit.” What did change, however, “was now we knew for sure our boss was on our side, despite company-wide rules,” the Redditor added.
Moreover, the author said that he was allowed to take breaks with the smokers as a non-smoker and he didn’t have to pretend to smoke. “As long as all my work was done by the end of the day he was fine with it.”
“Honestly I feel like all workers, regardless if they are a smoker or not, should get a ‘smoke break’. Work can get stressful, and sometimes 5 minutes outside in the fresh air can help immensely,” KhajiitKennedy said.
The Redditor believes that the fact that only smokers get that luxury is unfair. “And according to a lot of the comments on my post, many have picked up the nasty habit just to get those little breathers during the day.”
More people shared their own experiences in the comments
I had this for a couple of jobs and it always infuriated me. A smoke break is still a break and if they're going to make allowances to take extra (paid) breaks, it should be the same for everyone.
It's probably good for the productivity of the company to let your workers occasionally take a break, get away from their desks, socialise or whathaveyou. Clears the head, prevents the thing where spreadsheets turns your brain to mush.
Load More Replies...How about instead of micromanaging breaks we just trust our judgement in hiring the right people and our ability to train them and give them the benefit of the doubt they’ll do their jobs and be where they need to be when they need to be there. Then, let them take breaks because they need breaks regardless of their reasons. I’ve never kept track of employees breaks and I’ve never had real issues with them taking them as they wish. The handful of times an employee couldn’t self-regulate there were already other issues with their performance and they were either counselled or ended up leaving the job.
Years ago, the department I worked in had one smoker, and she would take a smoke break about every 2-3 hours. Then we got a second smoker who would take a break after 4 hours. Smoker #1 started joining her on that break as well as sticking to her usual every 2-3 hours. We ended up with four smokers, each of whom would join the other three on their personal smoke schedule, meaning about once every 45-90 minutes all four of them would be outside for 10-15 minutes.
Since you are no longer allowed to smoke inside the building here you have to go outside to smoke. If you are leaving the building you have to clock out. My smoking colleagues can now take as much time as they like for their smoke breaks, however, they of course have to catch up the lost time later. I think this is a good solution. Smoke as long, as much or as often as you like but don't treat all your non-smoking colleagues to second hand smoke and don't expect to work less than them. Even our General Manager has to step outside and freeze his behind off in winter if he wants to smoke - no exception for higher ranking employees.
This is ridiculous. I work in a healthcare setting and if any one wants to smoke or vape then they have to do it in their allocated break times in the designated smoking area in the car park, away from the main building. The idea of giving smokers extra breaks is absurd and discriminatory.
I’ve never had a job where not everyone can take a break. Smoker or not. My job doesn’t typically give out breaks unless asked or if business is slow but smokers can take a few minutes to go outside a couple times during there shifts when it’s slow. A couple non smokers complained one night and we’re all like “literally just go sit down if you need to sit down. (Or eat) No one is stopping you from resting (or eating) (providing it’s not in the middle of a rush). Just let everyone know and be back within 10 minutes or so” if you want a break speak up people!
The smoke break thing being a problem has always baffled me... Every work place I've been in had scheduled breaks for everyone. Part time means you got one 10/15 minutes break after 2 hrs, full time is two 15 minute breaks plus 30min/1hr lunch break depending on the hours. Salary or hourly. I used to be a smoker and I smoked on my scheduled breaks and that's it... After I quit smoking I still took my breaks to read or grab a cup of coffee. Are there work places that just allow smokers to walk out whenever they feel like having a cigarette?
Had something similar. I used to go in really early as I worked downtown, so I would start at 6:30 and leave at 3:30. I also am cheap, so I would just pack a lunch and eat at my desk. One day the boss was like, "you do great work, but I need you to start working the same hours as everyone else". So, I strated straggling in around 9am, "going out" for lunch, which meant they came in once to a ringing phone, asked why I didn't answer it, and I pointed out, like them, I was "at lunch". The final straw was when I joined the smoke breaks ~5x a day, "but you dont' smoke", "just keeping the same schedule boss...", went back to my old routine the next week.
My company banned smoking on company property. No more extra breaks for smokers and significantly less stench.
Same, still allowed to vape (in designated areas) but they have been warned that vaping will be banned on X date too (basically giving them the chance to quit smoking without going cold turkey)
Load More Replies...My old boss gave the last friday of every month off to non smokers, when the smokers complained he said they had 3 options 1. Only smoke at the approved break periods 2. Quit smoking and get the fridays off 3 quit complaining as they probably got more time away from work for smoke breaks than the non smokers with their 1 Friday off per month. They chose option 3
Moot now however as my organisation has now banned smoking on their property and you don't really get enough time to get off site, smoke and et back to work within the break period. When the smokers again complained, citing it was their right to smoke, the C.O. asked them to show them where it was written in an offical publication that there was an inherent human right to smoke and he would fight against the smoking ban, guess what....
Load More Replies...i don't take a lunch break on the days i'm in the office, to make up for taking smoke breaks. we get 60 min total break time per day. i just break mine up a little differently.
My son used to take a pipe, unlit out to the smoking area for a break. It’s the main area for catching gossip and everyone is equal whilst puffing away. I used to take my mug of coffee outside with the smokers too . I’d stopped but to my shame I’ve started again, trying to quit again for the thousandth time…
This happened to my brothers on the railway track crew. Smokers standing around smoking. If my brothers (non smokers) stopped working at the same time, they got heck. So my brothers brought pipes and tobacco to work. Now, loading a pipe and getting it smoked takes ALOT longer than just lightning a cigarette, so, malicious compliance at its best.
When I worked retail I HATED when the boss would take smoke breaks & give them to others while I couldn't. After I became a shift leader , I made sure to give anyone a smoke break, even if they didn't smoke. You should have seen their faces when I would say, 'ok, take 5 & take a smoke break', 'but I don't smoke', 'take a drink break then' they all got used to taking 'smoke' breaks
Years ago, I worked at a job where the PA went out for a smoke every hour. Two of us in an office downstairs near an open window were asked by the smoking PA when we were going to have our break - we explained we don't smoke, we weren't entitled to a break on work time, only to a lunch break. She was shocked, and said we should be entitled the same hourly break time as her. It never sunk in for her that she wasn't actually entitled for time for a smoke break, it was just that no one complained if the smokers took time out the office. I've never considered smoke breaks on work time fair for anyone, it discriminates against non-smokers but also since smokers don't always need/want smoke breaks at the same regularity as each other it isn't fair even amongst smokers; much fairer for everyone if people clock off if they want a break.
I worked in a convenience store for a few years and the first things I learned was (1) not all jobs are required to give 15 minute breaks OR lunch and (2)non smokers work, on average, an hour to two hours more than smokers. Especially when you're the only nonsmoker in the building.
I really don't understand why breaks explicitly for smoking is still a thing. Treat everyone the same regardless of their habits. Everyone should get basically the same breaks regardless of what they do on that break.
I didn't even read this. If they are in the US, if you are working 8 hours hourly, you get two PAID 15 minute breaks. Whether you smoke has nothing to do with it. If you're salaried at a desk job, then your boss is probably unaware of the breaks you take.
Or it could be two paid 10 minutes breaks (not 15). I can't remember.
Load More Replies...I had this for a couple of jobs and it always infuriated me. A smoke break is still a break and if they're going to make allowances to take extra (paid) breaks, it should be the same for everyone.
It's probably good for the productivity of the company to let your workers occasionally take a break, get away from their desks, socialise or whathaveyou. Clears the head, prevents the thing where spreadsheets turns your brain to mush.
Load More Replies...How about instead of micromanaging breaks we just trust our judgement in hiring the right people and our ability to train them and give them the benefit of the doubt they’ll do their jobs and be where they need to be when they need to be there. Then, let them take breaks because they need breaks regardless of their reasons. I’ve never kept track of employees breaks and I’ve never had real issues with them taking them as they wish. The handful of times an employee couldn’t self-regulate there were already other issues with their performance and they were either counselled or ended up leaving the job.
Years ago, the department I worked in had one smoker, and she would take a smoke break about every 2-3 hours. Then we got a second smoker who would take a break after 4 hours. Smoker #1 started joining her on that break as well as sticking to her usual every 2-3 hours. We ended up with four smokers, each of whom would join the other three on their personal smoke schedule, meaning about once every 45-90 minutes all four of them would be outside for 10-15 minutes.
Since you are no longer allowed to smoke inside the building here you have to go outside to smoke. If you are leaving the building you have to clock out. My smoking colleagues can now take as much time as they like for their smoke breaks, however, they of course have to catch up the lost time later. I think this is a good solution. Smoke as long, as much or as often as you like but don't treat all your non-smoking colleagues to second hand smoke and don't expect to work less than them. Even our General Manager has to step outside and freeze his behind off in winter if he wants to smoke - no exception for higher ranking employees.
This is ridiculous. I work in a healthcare setting and if any one wants to smoke or vape then they have to do it in their allocated break times in the designated smoking area in the car park, away from the main building. The idea of giving smokers extra breaks is absurd and discriminatory.
I’ve never had a job where not everyone can take a break. Smoker or not. My job doesn’t typically give out breaks unless asked or if business is slow but smokers can take a few minutes to go outside a couple times during there shifts when it’s slow. A couple non smokers complained one night and we’re all like “literally just go sit down if you need to sit down. (Or eat) No one is stopping you from resting (or eating) (providing it’s not in the middle of a rush). Just let everyone know and be back within 10 minutes or so” if you want a break speak up people!
The smoke break thing being a problem has always baffled me... Every work place I've been in had scheduled breaks for everyone. Part time means you got one 10/15 minutes break after 2 hrs, full time is two 15 minute breaks plus 30min/1hr lunch break depending on the hours. Salary or hourly. I used to be a smoker and I smoked on my scheduled breaks and that's it... After I quit smoking I still took my breaks to read or grab a cup of coffee. Are there work places that just allow smokers to walk out whenever they feel like having a cigarette?
Had something similar. I used to go in really early as I worked downtown, so I would start at 6:30 and leave at 3:30. I also am cheap, so I would just pack a lunch and eat at my desk. One day the boss was like, "you do great work, but I need you to start working the same hours as everyone else". So, I strated straggling in around 9am, "going out" for lunch, which meant they came in once to a ringing phone, asked why I didn't answer it, and I pointed out, like them, I was "at lunch". The final straw was when I joined the smoke breaks ~5x a day, "but you dont' smoke", "just keeping the same schedule boss...", went back to my old routine the next week.
My company banned smoking on company property. No more extra breaks for smokers and significantly less stench.
Same, still allowed to vape (in designated areas) but they have been warned that vaping will be banned on X date too (basically giving them the chance to quit smoking without going cold turkey)
Load More Replies...My old boss gave the last friday of every month off to non smokers, when the smokers complained he said they had 3 options 1. Only smoke at the approved break periods 2. Quit smoking and get the fridays off 3 quit complaining as they probably got more time away from work for smoke breaks than the non smokers with their 1 Friday off per month. They chose option 3
Moot now however as my organisation has now banned smoking on their property and you don't really get enough time to get off site, smoke and et back to work within the break period. When the smokers again complained, citing it was their right to smoke, the C.O. asked them to show them where it was written in an offical publication that there was an inherent human right to smoke and he would fight against the smoking ban, guess what....
Load More Replies...i don't take a lunch break on the days i'm in the office, to make up for taking smoke breaks. we get 60 min total break time per day. i just break mine up a little differently.
My son used to take a pipe, unlit out to the smoking area for a break. It’s the main area for catching gossip and everyone is equal whilst puffing away. I used to take my mug of coffee outside with the smokers too . I’d stopped but to my shame I’ve started again, trying to quit again for the thousandth time…
This happened to my brothers on the railway track crew. Smokers standing around smoking. If my brothers (non smokers) stopped working at the same time, they got heck. So my brothers brought pipes and tobacco to work. Now, loading a pipe and getting it smoked takes ALOT longer than just lightning a cigarette, so, malicious compliance at its best.
When I worked retail I HATED when the boss would take smoke breaks & give them to others while I couldn't. After I became a shift leader , I made sure to give anyone a smoke break, even if they didn't smoke. You should have seen their faces when I would say, 'ok, take 5 & take a smoke break', 'but I don't smoke', 'take a drink break then' they all got used to taking 'smoke' breaks
Years ago, I worked at a job where the PA went out for a smoke every hour. Two of us in an office downstairs near an open window were asked by the smoking PA when we were going to have our break - we explained we don't smoke, we weren't entitled to a break on work time, only to a lunch break. She was shocked, and said we should be entitled the same hourly break time as her. It never sunk in for her that she wasn't actually entitled for time for a smoke break, it was just that no one complained if the smokers took time out the office. I've never considered smoke breaks on work time fair for anyone, it discriminates against non-smokers but also since smokers don't always need/want smoke breaks at the same regularity as each other it isn't fair even amongst smokers; much fairer for everyone if people clock off if they want a break.
I worked in a convenience store for a few years and the first things I learned was (1) not all jobs are required to give 15 minute breaks OR lunch and (2)non smokers work, on average, an hour to two hours more than smokers. Especially when you're the only nonsmoker in the building.
I really don't understand why breaks explicitly for smoking is still a thing. Treat everyone the same regardless of their habits. Everyone should get basically the same breaks regardless of what they do on that break.
I didn't even read this. If they are in the US, if you are working 8 hours hourly, you get two PAID 15 minute breaks. Whether you smoke has nothing to do with it. If you're salaried at a desk job, then your boss is probably unaware of the breaks you take.
Or it could be two paid 10 minutes breaks (not 15). I can't remember.
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