'So many red flags': Boss insists salaried employee work on his house so that he 'doesn't have to pay'

Author image for Remy Millisky
Remy Millisky • Writer and Editor
May 12, 2023 11:00 AM EDT

This boss is really stretching the definition of what it means to be a salaried employee.

Salaried work can be wonderful or a strain on your work life, depending on the company you work for and your managers. For some workers, they're able to put in two hours of work per day and still get paid for the entire eight. But for the majority of salaried workers, it means you're going to work 40+ hours a week. If you have a project due at the end of the day, and you're not finished by 5PM, your boss is easily able to insist you finish it ASAP. It's one of those things that's supposed to be a perk, but ends up backfiring. 

This guy's situation, though, is taking salaried expectations to the next level. This employee writes that they work for a low-voltage company, doing design, installation, and programming work. It's mainly working with CCTV or fiber optic… which is totally different from the side job the employee's boss is insisting they do. 

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  • 01
    Human - 'He specifically asked to come during business hours, since I'm salary, so that he doesn't need to pay me.' SAND
    via Emmanuel Ikwuegbu on Unsplash
  • 02
    Font - AITA for charging my boss to do work on his house that is unrelated to my salary job? I work for a low-voltage company (emphasis on low voltage) in Arizona, doing designing and installation/programming. We mostly do fiber optic, access control/burg, and CCTV for large commercial builds. We do NOT do any electrical or anything higher than like 48V. I'm a salaried employee with 8 years of experience, and I've been at this company for nearly two years.
    via u/arthritis9
  • 03
    Font - The pay isn't great ($55k), but our company mostly works a couple of months outside of the USA, and the downtime is a nice perk, which allows me to care for my mother for half the year. Now.....
    via u/arthritis9
  • 04
    Font - My boss wants me to come to his million-dollar house (10 miles away from me) and move three 110V, 15A receptacles up vertically to behind his TV so he doesn't see the TV cables. As a COO of the company, he surprisingly knows little about what it is I do, and what it is he hired me nearly two years ago to do that is, low voltage work...
    via u/arthritis9
  • 05
    Font - He specifically asked to come during business hours, since I'm salary, so that he doesn't need to pay me. Yes, he did say that. Again, I don't get paid to do higher voltage/electrician-level work, despite knowing how to do minor repairs/additions, and therefore sent him a quote of what it would cost to complete his request.
    via u/arthritis9
  • 06
    Font - I told him that I would get it done for $350 (parts and labor), and he's now saying "Apparently you misunderstood..." and is bringing up the fact that I'm salaried...
    via u/arthritis9
  • 07
    Font - What's next, "Can you come over and mop my house? I'll make sure it's during business hours since you are salaried". AITA for charging him labor for this request?
    via u/arthritis9
  • 08
    Font - NumbersGuy22 Enthusiast [9] A OP document everything, including photographic evidence of all of the work to be done, and make sure that the any parts used is from the company or reimbursed by the company. Tax-wise it's so low level it's not going to be worthwhile going after more than likely. Follow up in writing with him once the job is done in writing, with your photographs, to CYA so you have a paper trail in the event that he tries to deny it later if something happens. Unfortunately
    via u/NumbersGuy22
  • 09
    Font - PJfanRI Pooperintendant [53] ΝΤΑ It's incredibly unprofessional of your boss to be requesting you use company resources for his own personal gain. That's the kind of thing they can get people fired; though with his role that probably wouldn't happen. One thing to point out: would you even be insured to do that work?
    via u/PJfanRI
  • 10
    Font - arthritis9 OP I'm not too sure how insurance works for LLCs specific to the trade, but I know I'm personally not insured to do the work nor licensed or any of that.
    via u/arthritis9
  • 11
    Font - PJfanRI Pooperintendant [... That's your out. Don't put yourself and your career at risk for your boss.
    via u/PJfanRI
  • 12
    Font - Agile Medicine 1600. If working with high voltage isn't part of your job description I would definitely say NTA. If you have a copy of the job description point it out to him and tell your boss you will not work on high voltage without being appropriately compensated or having your salary adjusted to reflect the inclusion of high voltage work to your overall salary.
    via u/Agile Medicine
  • 13
    Font - arthritis9 OP The job description is so vague. It actually doesn't even mention anything about the work to be done, surprisingly. New to Reddit, would love to share a copy though for the laughs :D
    via u/arthritis9
  • 14
    Font - Cr1v3ns Not at all TA Your boss wants free labor. It's gross. 9 arthritis9 OP Reply Share Low voltage or high voltage, I'd feel like a doormat obliging him and his request.
    via u/Cr1v3ns
  • 15
    Font - casnh21 Parta ipant [1] NTA He's the as obviously. That seems like it might be illegal, or would be if he fired you for refusing. Anyway, it's completely inappropriate.
    via u/casnh21
  • 16
    Product - Weird-one0926 Parta pant [1] NTA, your boss is an idiot, so many red flags on this! Edit: your not an electrician, don't take on that liability 45+ Reply Share arthritis9 OP Exactly. If I mess up or short something, I highly doubt I'm off the hook.
    via u/Weird-one0926
  • 17
    Font - AeroZepplin153 Parta ipant [2] NTA. Being the COO doesn't give him carte blanche to free labor on company time. 3 arthritis9 OP Reply Share Appreciate that. He can't get a handyman/electrician to move some outlets on his 1.2M house...
    via u/AeroZepplin153
  • 18
    Font - AeroZepplin153. Parta ipant [2] I'd start sending out resumes if I were you.
    via u/AeroZepplin153

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salary aita work stories toxic-workplace workplace bad bosses
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