‘We can do it tomorrow… when I’m being paid': Employee challenges boss by refusing to work unpaid overtime, boss calls HR on employee but gets fired instead

Author image for Eleonora Bader
Eleonora Bader
Oct 6, 2023 7:00 AM EDT

You know you're in trouble when your boss calls you into a 'formal meeting', especially if you've had some recent beef with them. So many companies don't have their employees' backs, so it's nice and refreshing to read about this particular case that actually has a happy ending.

One employee, u/nerdfury83, shared their story on Reddit, which included a micromanager and her failed tactics to get OP in trouble. OP enjoyed their work up until they got a new manager, who was a little bit of a control freak, to say the least. A lot of employees can relate to disliking their boss, and managers all over are put in management positions without actually knowing the first thing about HOW to manage. So it comes as no surprise that employees end up challenging them… only to find themselves in some deep trouble with HR.

Luckily, in this case, OP managed to turn the tables on their micromanager, and HR actually listened to their side of the story, as they provided receipts. Basically, OP's manager wanted OP to work, even when they weren't being paid. That did not go over well with HR… To read how it all unfolded, scroll down, and then for more, here is a boss who refused to give their employee PTO to spend time with their newborn baby, and instantly regretted it as the employee knew their rights.

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  • 01
    Font - "If it's not in writing, it didn't happen" goes both ways! L OC My new manager at work is one of those people that absolutely has to be in control. Even when you're exceeding every scorecard measure, keeping you head down, not putting a toe out of line, she still asks you to come to a meeting room to discuss some minor
    via u/nerdfury83
  • 02
    Font - issue or another. Recently, she pulled me into a meeting to discuss me being late from work. Protocol is to call in, say we'll be late, then submit a schedule adjustment request when we arrived. She accused me of not calling in or submitting a request but was able to prove I did, only instead of leaving it at that, she insisted I now
    via u/nerdfury83
  • 03
    Font - needed to call her and explain why I was late. That's not the process, I told her, and she said she was making new one. So now I call her at 6am on her day off to let her know if I'm gonna be late. She also had a meeting with me because my scorecard for a stat was 99/100, with a target of 50 - she had to point out the 1/100 I missed. She also
    via u/nerdfury83
  • 04
    Font - did the same for a handling time issue where I am hitting an average of 600 seconds with a target of 1500 - she needed to tell me about a call I took too long on. Suffice to say, complaints have been raised to her manager. Following an incident where she was asked to follow up on something for me, and claimed 'if it's not in writing, it
    via u/nerdfury83
  • 05
    Font - didn't happen,' I've been asking for everything in writing and repeat that mantra back to her when she claims to have told me something. Last week, she asked me to see her after my call. I walked over and she wasn't there, so went back to my desk. She asked me why I didn't stay around, and I reminded her of the time she put, in writing, that I wasn't
    via u/nerdfury83
  • 06
    Font - to spend more than one minute waiting for her if she asked to see me and was to go back to my desk to take calls, not wasting time. She asked me to come over again, and when I did, she wasn't there. This repeated twice more before my shift was over. Each time I documented "Logged out at 14:14:35pm, came to your desk, you were not there, spent 45 seconds waiting, returned to desk and took another call at 14:16:38pm" in chat.
    via u/nerdfury83
  • 07
    Font - She messages me to ask what time I finish. I tell her it was two minutes prior, and she says we can catch up now. I tell her that my shift if over, and ask if she'll approve an overtime pay for an out of hours meeting. She tells me not to be silly, and it'll just take 10 minutes. I refuse, and say if I don't get paid, we can do it tomorrow when I am being paid.
    via u/nerdfury83
  • 08
    Font - She's typing, then not, then typing, then not, choosing her words. I know she's angry at being challenged, and she decided to employ one of the tactics she used when she managed a team for a company where this was standard practice: "Okay, well, if you'd like to go home now, I can always make it a formal meeting?" A 'formal meeting' where I work is code for a meeting with HR, documented on your record, for misconduct and repeated issues.
    via u/nerdfury83
  • 09
    Font - She thinks she's won. "Not a problem. Make a formal meeting, ensure I have 24 hours notice, send a formal invite, and I will bring a support person with me." I log out and leave, but not before grabbing screenshots and saving a copy of the chat logs. Next day, she's called my bluff and has a meeting scheduled. I send it to my union rep, and she comes in on the
    via u/nerdfury83
  • 10
    Font - day. HR sits down with us and opens with "So we're here today to discuss some concerns. Your team leader asked you to attend an off the cuff catch-up three times, and for some reason you refused?" I quickly clarify what actually happened. My manager claims otherwise, and I repeat her mantra - if it's not in writing, it didn't happen.
    via u/nerdfury83
  • 11
    Font - Then I supply receipts - her demands to put things in writing, her chat, my timestamps, my call logs, and her message to me afterwards. My union rep stares at the two of them, with a small smile, and asks "So do you maintain the position that employees should attend meetings unpaid, and that misconduct investigations are a good use of resources if they refuse?"
    via u/nerdfury83
  • 12
    Font - HR said there may have been a miscommunication, and that I could return to work. I have it put in writing that I am not accused of any misconduct, and have been cleared of any false accusations, with nothing documented on my staff file. Yesterday, my team was advised that our team leader had decided to pursue opportunities outside of the company and we were getting a new manager.
    via u/nerdfury83
  • 13
    Font - EDIT: Small comment to those that say it's as y place to work, full disclosure, it's actually not. Job is satisfying on a personal and ethical level (I deal with vulnerable people and help them), pay and perks are great, and the people are great to work with. The metrics are more than reasonable and all my managers over the last several years have been wonderful except a couple, who were wrong for the role - and were swiftly removed or made to improve.
    via u/nerdfury83
  • 14
    Font - kranzinator 2 yr. ago I loved every minute of reading this. I will be logging those minutes. Well done! 7.3k Reply Share Gilgameshbrah. 2 yr. ago. edited 2 yr. ago Ngl, I hated every word untill the tables turned. People like that make me so freaking angry...
    via u/nerdfury83
  • 15
    Font - For every person like OP there are ten who don't get the justice they deserve in a situation like that... I hope HR didn't forget to put everything in OPs managers file in writing before terminating her^ 2.3k Reply Share
    via u/nerdfury83
  • 16
    Font - Proud_Positive_2998 2 yr. ago Yesterday, my team was advised that our team leader had decided to pursue opportunities outside of the company and we were getting a new manager. Translated from corporate this means "team leader made us look bad and we are NOT happy!" 2.8k Reply Share
    via u/nerdfury83
  • 17
    Font - Controversyiskey - 2 yr. ago I really don't get it. I'm a manager and if I had an employee that's demolishing expectations, I'd be leaving them alone and make sure that they get a good increase come performance review time 722 Reply Share
    via u/nerdfury83
  • 18
    Font - chaos_almighty - 2 yr. ago I used to do the same. My upper management was like OPS team leader-treat people as bad as you can and push them to the point of burnout...just because? I treated my crews as people and we had mutual respect. If they tried to test a boundary I'd put my foot down, but it was few and far between.
    via u/nerdfury83
  • 19
    Font - I left that role. You can't be a good supervisor when your bosses want you to be tyrannical for no good reason. I legit had my boss tell me I'm "too nice" to the employees...because I was cordial and would treat the with respect. Middle management is a whole other level of hell that I will never ever get
    via u/nerdfury83
  • 20
    Font - back into. The pay was only $2 more an hour than that of the crews I was supervising. I went back to the ranks to not be berated and be expected to treat people like animals 187 Reply Share
    via u/nerdfury83

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paid overtime boss micromanager hr meeting worker fired micromanaging new manager Office overtime company malicious compliance reddit unpaid workplace stories
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