Boss Accuses Employee of 'Quiet Quitting' Because He Works a Mere 40 Hours a Week

Author image for Emmy Pratt
Emmy Pratt • Writer and Editor
May 20, 2023 1:30 PM EDT

"Quiet quitting" is one of those phrases that wiggled into our vernacular seemingly overnight. By some accounts, quiet quitting is when employees slack off at their jobs while quietly waiting to get fired. Workers don't quiet quit because they're lazy. They do it to fight burnout when they have to immediately go from one job to another without any time to relax in between. Other definitions claim that quiet quitting is simply refusing to go above and beyond for a job that gives you little in return. In those instances, it's not quitting your job at all! 

Like most internet jargon, "quiet quitting" has become wholly bastardized, primarily by avid LinkedIn users. Now, many employers see workers having any boundaries and label that as quiet quitting. One Redditor, an incredibly reliable employee who works 40 hours a week, told his story of being accused of quiet quitting by his boss. 

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  • 01
    Font - $1 r/antiwork u/Sol-Blackguy • 21h My Boss Met With Me About "Quiet Quitting" So I'm going to preface this with a brief description of my work ethic. Just about everywhere I've worked, you could consider me as the "anchor employee." I show up during my scheduled shift, on time and unless it's an actual emergency or death in the family, I always show up. I'm more reliable than death and taxes. On the other side of the coin, I don't usually take extra shifts. I do my 40 hours reliably so I
    via u/Sol-Blackguy
  • 02
    Font - My company has been pretty short handed lately because they bit off more than they could chew with a contract. They tried supplementing it with temps (instead of hiring more people) and obviously that bit them in the ass in the long run. Now they've resorted to reducing the number of required workers in departments and taking volunteers for double shifts, extra days and weekends. The other day I'm coming back from my lunch hour and my boss waves me over to his desk. He's also accompanied
    via u/Sol-Blackguy
  • 03
    Font - "So, you're going to hire more people, right?" The boss and the regional look at each other and the regional chimes in that they're working on it. They reminded me of the $250 referral bonus if I bring someone in and they stay for at least 6 months. I've recommended people, but they don't like the work schedule and never applied. Anyway, the boss starts going on about "quiet quitting." I know what it is and it's absolute bullshit, but I decided to humor him and let him continue his explan
    via u/Sol-Blackguy
  • 04
    Font - The boss brings up my schedule and passive aggressively laments that I'm working 40 hours every week. Then he pulls out the volunteer overtime sign up sheet. "Okay, then do you want me to work more days or something?" Then he goes on the defensive. That's when I remembered that my union contract says all overtime is exclusively voluntary. The boss continues going on circles trying to weasel in that he wants me to take more shifts by reiterating that I'm only working 40 hours.
    via u/Sol-Blackguy
  • 05
    Font - "If you want me to take more shifts, then tell me you want me to take more shifts." The boss looks over to the regional who kind of shrugs in a "fuck it, we tried" type of way. Then he takes his glasses off and starts massaging his temples in a frustrated manner. I start to get up. "If you want me to take more shifts because you're short handed, all you have to do is tell me." Then I leave and go back to working my job within my scheduled hours.
    via u/Sol-Blackguy
  • 06
    Font - D_Nicole91 17h ● I hate when things have dumb misnomers. Doing your actual job (no more, no less) should've never been labeled as "quiet quitting." If anything, constantly calling out, being late, and barely doing your tasks should be because it's like you're daring them to fire you. Reply 2k 2k
    via u/D_Nicole91
  • 07
    Rectangle - Sol-Blackguy OP. 16h Which they'll never do because I'm that "make sure the trains run on time" employee in the highest traffic 24 hour department. ... 689
    via u/Sol-Blackguy
  • 08
    Font - livindagoodlife . 10h I'm confused did they want you to volunteer for free? 4134 ...
    via u/livindagoodlife
  • 09
    Font - JimmyB5643.6h They can't ask him to work OT per the union contract, he's only allowed to volunteer to work OT. His boss was trying to get OP to volunteer to work the shifts without DIRECTLY being asked to, since that would violate the contract. 485
    via u/JimmyB5643
  • 10
    Font - kai58. 10h When I first heard the term I thought it was quitting by just not showing up anymore. G 160
    via u/kai58
  • 11
    Rectangle - DaBearsFanatic. 1h I thought it was showing up and not doing work. Apparently people think quiet quitting is when people do their job for only 40 hours. Vote ..
    via u/DaBearsFanatic
  • 12
    Font - burnmenowz. 18h 2 Awards So you want me to wear more pieces of flair? Reply 4.8k
    via u/burnmenowz
  • 13
    Font - Sol-Blackguy OP • 18h Shit! I wish I had quoted that. 2k
    via u/Sol-Blackguy
  • 14
    Rectangle - Solo1961 18h 3 Awards I hope everyone reading this understands how the union protected OP without even having to be present. ... Reply 4.3k 4.3k
    via u/Solo1961
  • 15
    Font - Emperor Pickle . 9h And this is what businesses mean when they say "we want to be able to have open conversations with our employees." What they really mean is "we want to be the only ones that can tell our employees what their rights are" 703
    via u/EmperorPickle
  • 16
    Rectangle - dirthurts • 15h Unions are brilliant. ... 4443
    via u/dirthurts
  • 17
    Font - tcavallo 20h Gotta love it when somebody wants something, but can't outright ask because they know it's wrong. ... Reply 2.6k 2.6k
    via u/tcavallo
  • 18
    Rectangle - Friend_of_Eevee • 15h Not because its wrong, because they would be in deep crap. These people don't care about right and wrong. 4962 ...
    via u/Friend_of_Eevee
  • 19
    Font - waffleznstuff30 - 18h Why is showing up doing what you need to do and going home such a bad thing? Lol I don't get this quiet quitting thing. You have a staff member working in the assigned position doing what they need. It's just about employers wanting to violate your boundaries Reply 387
    via u/waffleznstuff30
  • 20
    Font - Kaybarr17 17h ● idk why boundaries are seen as rude or irresponsible. I have a group chat with my boss and most of my coworkers where the schedule is posted and other information is exchanged, and on my days off I mute the entire app and refuse to check it until a few hours before I actually go to work ... 4121
    via u/Kaybarr17
  • 21
    Font - blindguywhostaresatu 13h I actually got fired for this last week. A new sales manager was hired and had one on ones with the sales team. I let him know that this job isn't my entire life and my family and life outside of work is my priority. I said I will do the job and I will do it well and make you money but I'm here to do a job and go home. He didn't like that so a week later I was fired for "not a culture fit." ... 56
    via u/blindguywhostaresatu
  • 22
    Font - vkapadia • 9h at work "quiet quitting" has taken on a different meaning than it originally had. It used to be for when you don't actually quit your job, but you slack off and don't really finish your work but still draw a paycheck until you finally get fired. But employers have glommed onto it as a term for anyone not working more than they have to. 22
    via u/vkapadia
  • 23
    Font - jayjaygee85 20h Try to see things from his side, you're only doing 40 hours a week and it'd make him alot more money if you sacrificed your own time to work some more hours for free serf... Nekminnit "noone is loyal to their employer anymore!" ... Reply 130
    via u/jayjaygee85
  • 24
    Font - chaingun_samurai 14h • Quiet quitting is a term made up by corporations to shame employees where shame isn't warranted. Imagine being upset that employees come in and do what their job description entails. MONSTROUS! ... Reply 180
    via u/chaingun_samurai

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boss antiwork jobs toxic-workplace job bosses work coworkers toxic-boss workplace Horrible Bosses reddit thread bad bosses Reddit toxic-work-environment
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