'They tried to write me up': Boss reprimands worker for being twenty-two seconds late, worker phones boss every time they leave home

Brad Dickson • Managing Editor

May 23, 2023 9:00 AM EDT

Living in a world that isn't black or white makes things better for everyone, especially regarding the enforcement of minor infringements. Inflexible policy enforcement begets inflexibility—ask, and you shall receive. If you're going to nitpick the strict enforcement of rules, be ready for a staunch defense using the same reasoning.

While punctuality is always a good skill to have in the workplace—being one of the classic ways of showing that you respect other people and their time—it's safe to say that the punishment should match the crime. If the person you're disciplining doesn't have a history of committing the same offense, it will stand to reason that their claim that it was due to circumstances out of their control may actually be true. Hence, the consequence should reflect that.

This worker was pulled up by their boss for arriving to work 22 seconds late; according to their boss's own policy, they began phoning every time they left their house for work to ensure they weren't tardy ever again.

Read on for this brilliant tale of workplace malicious compliance. Next, check out this guy who got back at a dealership that refused to honor a refund on a faulty car.