Dude Fired For 'Time Theft' After Taking Two Smoke Breaks Per 12-Hour Shift

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  • 01
    Font - 1 r/antiwork u/Gasp32. 1d Well I got fired yesterday... I got fired yesterday for "time theft". For some context I worked in a huge warehouse, I was an auditor working from the office at the front of the warehouse. My job was basically to got to each area and perform random audits of the operations, associates, stuff like that.
  • 02
    Font - I worked 12 hour long shifts, this job was one of the easiest I've ever had. If I hustled I could easily get it done in 4 hours, this job was never meant to be stretched over 12 hours. I was still technically an hourly associate though, subject to punching in and out of a time clock, even though 90% of the time I was a one man department. I had total access to everywhere and total freedom to work at my own pace. I had a job to get done every week, a report to publish, and that was it. My
  • 03
    Font - Right from the start I realized this job was just a bunch of sitting around and waiting. My direct supervisor told me this when I got it. So I got bored fast and being a smoker I would step out every so often for an extra smoke break. This wasn't something I just started doing on my own though, this was a learned behavior. I was technically only given a 20 min break a day, and an unpaid 30 min lunch. But lots of other managers and several of my peers took extra smoke breaks. I thought it
  • 04
    Handwriting - Today I got pulled in by a lady on the loss prevention team. She said she's been watching me, straight up told me they have hidden cameras, and that she had added up all my smoke breaks from the last 2 years and told me I owed the company $290.
  • 05
    Font - I told them I took full responsibility and if they wanted to work something out to recoup there money I would be willing. My job was worth more than that 200 bucks. But no, they terminated me. I've never been fired before, I never got a write up, I thought I got along well with almost everyone, and I had excellent performance reviews, not a scratch on my record. They even waited for a day my immediate supervisor wasn't there, I know he would've at the very least said something to try and
  • 06
    Font - I asked them what was the difference if I was sitting at my desk or sitting outside, I had no work. I was still on site in case anyone had any questions. It didn't matter. They wanted me to sit at that desk for hours on end, staring at a fuckin excel sheet that I was done with 4 hours into my shift. If y'all wanted a robot you should've just bought a damn robot.
  • 07
    Font - I freaked out at first, I still am kind of. That job paid for my family's insurance and my mortgage and car, it was one of the best paying jobs I've ever had. But we'll be ok, I have an amazing wife, who without I would've for sure lost everything. She's my rock. And I already got one of my old jobs back. They were very excited to have me back actually. Unemployed for about 4 hours, that's a record for me.
  • 08
    Font - I'm just so sick of this corporate world with it's dumbass arbitrary rules and drama like I'm back in highschool. Thanks for letting me rant a little, even writing this all out helped me feel a little better.
  • 09
    Font - Juan7637. 1d If they said you owe the company $290, then the time lost over 2 years is negligible. Say you make $20/hr. That's 290/20*60= 870 minutes. If you worked -49weeks/yr then that is 870/98 weeks = ~9minutes a week or ~2 minutes a day they claim they lost. So less than a bathroom break a day. Reply 3.6k ...
  • 10
    Handwriting - Gasp32 OP 1d ● Yeah it's some bullshit, but the jokes on them cause I spent hours on Reddit at my desk. 42.4k
  • 11
    Font - Sickborn 1d Which just shows that the smoking breaks were probably just the best sounding reason to fire you. Anyways, don't let that bring you down, it's not your fault that they've created an inefficient position and then pull some random thing out of their hat to justify your termination. Seems bizarre to me, but I'm not from the US. 4792 ...
  • 12
    Font - PM_ME_C_CODE • 21h Seems bizarre to me, but I'm not from the US. Nah, it's bizarre from a US perspective too. Firing without a writeup means they didn't cover their asses and OP could possibly get them for wrongful termination.
  • 13
    Font - 2 years? No writeup? No notification? No nothing? Just suddenly fired for $280 in "time theft"? Bullshit. I'm not saying that a judge would laugh that out of the room. But a lack of intermediate step to try and "fix the problem" isn't good on their end. 493
  • 14
    Rectangle - Ike_the_Spike • 20h I'm positive they're using this as a way to deny unemployment benefits. 4242
  • 15
    Font - derekdrl 1d 3 Awards Sounds like they were going to fire you anyway. They were just looking for an excuse. Reply 7.7k ...
  • 16
    Font - Key_Hovercraft_361. 1d My thought as well. To even a small company $290 is a drop in the bucket and that's way less than the cost of replacing a good employee. If they wanted to keep him they would have just ignored the extra breaks he was taking. 42.6k
  • 17
    Font - bigbura 1d The real money savings for the company is adjusting that position down to part time. The person that thought up that 'good idea' is bucking for a raise/promotion/bonus I bet. And they will find out in due time why the shifts were 12 hours, so there was coverage across all the shifts in the warehouse, something a 4 hour a day position won't be able to match. 41.4K
  • 18
    Font - WIBadger Football . 1d Hidden cameras $15,000. Employees to monitor cameras $80,000. Time Theft $200. What a win for the company. Reply 170
  • 19
    Font - Underhive_Art. 1d They wanted to rehire for less money. Or someone else was trying to prove them selves by stitching up others. Seen both happen. Reply 119 119
  • 20
    Font - wOwagain 1d Sounds like they made an example out of you to stop everyone from taking breaks Reply 879
  • 21
    Font - Gasp32 OP. 1d Ive always kind of felt they had it out for me, then came this new LP lady and she realized I was "stealing" their time. I wouldn't be surprised if no one else got in trouble for this 453
  • 22
    Font - (Edit/Update) Wow this blew up! Thank you to everyone for all the kind words and support (there's a couple bootlickers but the overwhelming majority of y'all are amazing!) A lot of you are wondering where I'm at. I worked for TJX, and I'm in Arizona.
  • 23
    Font - I'm not going to try to fight it, I know I broke their policy, even if it is a dumbass policy, and I'm sure they've got me on camera, it's not like I was sneaking around. Also if you know anything about labor laws in the US, workers have very little protection especially in AZ. It's just not worth it to give them anymore of my energy. If they try to pull a fast one with my check though I'll raise hell then.
  • 24
    Font - Today I got an old job back, they are hiring me on as a supervisor and trainer, so I don't have to start from scratch thankfully. It's still a pay cut but it's not like I'll be homeless anytime soon. I also have several interviews lined up already. I'm not a lazy worker, I just took advantage of the situation I was in and it bit me in the ass, also I'm fairly certain this was a long time coming.
  • 25
    Font - Thanks again everyone, sorry I can't respond to everybody, this is by far my most popular post ever. And thank y'all for letting me get this off my chest!

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