'We are professionals and that is what's expected of us': Awful Boss Demands Employees Work 60+ Hours Per Week

Author image for Emmy Pratt
Emmy Pratt • Senior Editor
Jun 20, 2023 11:00 AM EDT

You can only work so many hours every week before you crack. While some think 40 hours a week is a back-breaking amount of working hours, others must tolerate 50-60 hours of weekly work to stay afloat financially. In my opinion, that's when you start getting a bit loopy. If you're working nearly every day without any breaks, you put yourself at risk for long-term health issues and general distress. If you have no time for loved ones or hobbies, then what is the hard work really for? Some people think if they work 70 hours a week for their entire twenties, then they will be rewarded for their hard work afterward, but there's no real guarantee that this will happen. The only guarantee after working 70-hour weeks is that you will be miserable and unable to maintain such an unrealistic work ethic. One worker stood up to his boss, who tried to maintain this status quo of nonstop work. 

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  • 01
    Font - r/antiwork u/spidermonkey2947 • 1d Just got informed that my job expects me to work 55-60 hours a week as an exempt employee because thats how a "Professional" is expected to behave. Pretty much the title.
    via u/spidermonkey2947
  • 02
    Font - Just had performance review. Discussed how i am working insanely long hours (60-70 a week) for one salary which is labeled exempt so i get no overtime. My boss only allows 1 week vacation a year. We have to be on site 7-3 no matter what Mon-Fri even if we worked till 10 pm the night before. Also we are expected to be on call 24-7. 1 was forced in Christmas and Christmas eve without any extra time. I had to use a sick day to get some rest because i was on 11 days straight at that point. Wh
    via u/spidermonkey2947
  • 03
    Font - TheKayin. 1d Ugh. I'm a manager and companies need to stop with this shit. It's called Sustainable Pace. If you don't work consistently then our metrics and forecasting are all shot to shit. 55 hours a week is NOT SUSTAINABLE. Ergo, all it's going to do is fuck everything up and lead to unpredictable firefighting and exhaustion. Copy/paste this. I'll send more documentation. It's a real thing. And then please call them asshats not knowing how to run teams. Reply 1.3k 1.3k
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  • 04
    Font - spidermonkey2947 OP. 1d I appreciate this. Another crazy thing is this groups turnover is insanely high and one of the only groups that has a high turnover. There are 5 people under him in my group 4 of us have been there less than a year. Everyone quit on him before for the same reasons. One transferred to another department and loves to tell me how bad my group is. HR does nothing. Contacted them multiple times never even get a reply. By far the worst manager i have even had or even see
    via u/spidermonkey2947
  • 05
    Font - butthatsthewronghole. 1d My old company did that to me. It went from 45 hrs required....50 hrs....then a huge jump to 60. Now...the pay was great if I was just doing 45, but 60...???? And of course the excuse was it's the professional thing to do. ok boss...sure thing. yup....gotcha. can I work weekends too?? Please? I checked out. You kids call it quiet quitting now. I just showed up and moped around and did my 60, but I did absolutely nothing. I was a ghost in the office. It took them 2
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  • 06
    Font - spidermonkey2947 OP • 1d First i am sorry you went through that situation. I hope you are in a better situation with your new company. But your exactly right and thats the issue. For 45 hours id be making pretty good money. For 65-70 hour weeks not so much. It cuts you hourly pay almost in half. Its wild they think we would just be okay with that. I would if people left me alone. Im always hassled and contacted. Never get a moment's piece. ... 476 76
    via u/spidermonkey2947
  • 07
    Rectangle - LobsterLovingLlama. 1d Go to a doctor. Have them put you on short term for severe stress and anxiety. Look for a new job while out. Never go back. ... Reply 127
    via u/LobsterLovingLlama
  • 08
    Font - Squeezitgirdle . 1d Microsoft made me do 60 - 80 hour weeks as a salaried employee. So glad I've left that place, most toxic job I've ever had. ... Reply 60 60
    via u/Squeezitgirdle
  • 09
    Font - MyLadyBits 1d Your job may be classified incorrectly. Check the labor board. If you have set hours without comp time or overtime and expected to be on call than that's an hourly job. ... Reply 174
    via u/MyLadyBits
  • 10
    Font - spidermonkey2947 OP. 1d I have talked to a lawyer and because i make over 50K and my job requires "specific knowledge" about whats going on they can label me as exempt. Sadly. Why even the idea that an exempt employee exist seems very American. 4111 111
    via u/spidermonkey2947
  • 11
    Handwriting - Sondergame. 1d Don't put in 2 weeks. Why do so many people do this? Just quit. They wouldn't give you 2 weeks notice before firing you. ... Reply 92 92
    via u/Sondergame
  • 12
    Font - spidermonkey2947 OP. 1d Honestly i need it as a reference. Im terrified that if i quit without notice i cant put it on my resume because if anyone calls they will say. Yes he left a poor terms with the company. Its a world renowned company. 44 44
    via u/spidermonkey2947
  • 13
    Font - musicalseller. 1d A world renowned company that only gives you a week off a year? Glad you're leaving! Please out them when you're safely away. 468
    via u/musicalseller
  • 14
    Font - Ecstatic Society4040. 1d 40 is bad enough 55-60 is torture Reply 22
    via u/EcstaticSociety4040
  • 15
    Font - Hot Sprinkles6116 - 1d I never understood that kind of mindset. you are working almost every waking hour, have little to no time to rest, be with your family, handle your personal business, and are expected to jump up every time your job calls you, how can you be expected to perform at your job to your best abilities? 416 16
    via u/Hot_Sprinkles6116
  • 16
    Font - Edit: Just wanted to say thank you so much to everyone commenting on the situation. Your support helps me so much you have no idea. I was beginning to feel like i was crazy for being against this as my family and everyone around me sees this as a normal thing. Having you guys makes me truly feel so much less crazy. Thank you!
    via u/spidermonkey2947

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