'I'll be leaving in 5 minutes': Worker gets dumb rule changed by following it and wasting everyone's time

Author image for Brad Dickson
Brad Dickson • Managing Editor
Nov 19, 2023 7:00 AM EST

Sometimes, the only way to get a dumb and unnecessary rule changed is to follow it to the letter and prove to your superiors what you knew the whole time and show them that it doesn't work… Only then will they realize the error of their ways and relent. Of course, they're never going to admit that they were wrong and will just quietly sweep things under the rug and pretend that they knew it wasn't going to work all along.

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  • This worker shared their story of working for a micromanaging small business that sought to keep their overheads as low as possible by cutting on labor costs wherever possible. The couple who owned the company liked to regard themselves as moguls and wielded their authority with vigor, implementing all kinds of “arbitrary” and unnecessary policies just because they could. One of these policies necessitated workers working a mandatory amount of 40 hours, which meant you had to make up any time that you missed at work by coming in on the weekend. When the worker missed just half an hour during a week and had to come in on a Saturday, they were determined to prove how ridiculous the policy was.

  • 01
    Posted by u/oopspoopsdoops6566 Required to work 40 hours a week? SOC Years ago I worked for a company that tried to skate by with as little labor overhead as possible. They'd hire under qualified people and then expect top results. Management was a husband and wife who ran the company like it was a Fortune 500 company. We maybe had 30-40 employees. They'd implement all sorts of policies. Most of them were arbitrary and very micromanaging.
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  • 02
    One of the policies they created was a "mandatory 40 hours" policy. If you missed any work Monday-Friday you'd have to come in on Saturday to make it up, no excuses accepted. If you didn't come in on Saturday to make up the time you'd get a strike. 3 strikes and you're gone. One day I needed to take off from work 1/2 an hour early and I cleared it with my on-site boss. On Friday one of the owners calls me and says she double checking to make sure I'll be there on Saturday. I explain it was only
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  • 03
    1/2 an hour I missed and she said there were no excuses accepted. I needed to work my 40 hours otherwise I'd get a strike. Cue my malicious compliance. I told her okay and I'd be there on Saturday. I get to the site on time for 7am roll call. The on-site boss takes roll and starts telling people what projects they are going to work on. There's about 15 people on site and I deliberately stand in the back waiting. By
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  • 04
    the time the boss makes it to me it's about 7:25am. He starts detailing my job and I cut him off and explain that I'll be leaving in 5 minutes. He looks at me and asks why? I explain to him that I was told I needed to work my 40 hours and that since I missed 1/2 an hour of work I only needed to make up 1/2 an hour and would be leaving at 7:30am. He asks why can't I stay all day and
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  • 05
    get the overtime. I reply that I'm only required to work 40 hours and that I have plans. I left promptly at 7:30am and had a great weekend. Come Monday I got a "we're disappointed that you chose not to stay to help your coworkers" speech from the bosses and that was about it. That policy went away a few weeks later.
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  • 06
    Odd-Measurement8177 16 hr. ago Be the reason a stupid policy was abolished. Check. Nice one OP. Vote Reply Share mellonians 10 hr. ago Also being the reason a stupid policy is implemented can be just as much - if not more - fun! ✩ Vote Reply Share
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  • 07
    Jordangander 13 hr. ago Too bad you didn't have any state requirements to be paid a minimum of 2 hours work for coming in. Once had to attend a 40 minute "mandatory" meeting. Boss got nailed by corporate because I
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  • 08
    made sure everyone knew that could claim 2 hours on their timesheets and a ton of people ended up with it as OT. Never had another mandatory meeting. Reply Share Vote AfterTowns 11 hr. ago 3 hour call out minimum here! I've worked at a variety of different jobs in 20+ years and
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  • 09
    I've never been asked to come in for a 30 minute meeting, though it would really make my week to be paid $90 for a quick meeting. Vote Reply Share
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  • 10
    Red Cathy 15 hr. ago Very nicely played, you made up you half hour. "We are disappointed you didn't stay to help" - oh man, I am disappointed they don't expect you to have a life outside of work. What is it with these middle management robots who see working as the only thing that people exist for? Vote Reply Share
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  • 11
    Effective-Ladder9459 - 16 hr. ago This is one of those places that think work should be your main focus, and everything else comes second. Vote Reply Share StreetofChimes 13 hr. ago Non-profit work is like this. It can get really bad. Because you are working for a good cause, it can feel harder to draw the line. Vote Reply Share ...
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  • 12
    latrion 16 hr. ago I'll never work for a family owned small company again. I'm glad it's your company and you are trying to milk it for money, I got nothing for going above and beyond except being forced to run it while you cumts scampered across Asia Vote Reply Share
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  • 13
    Peach Muffin 13 hr. ago The on-site boss must haze been kind wondering just what the of a batshit company he's working for where they require an employee to show up, stand around doing nothing for 30 minutes, and then leave. ↑ Vote Reply Share
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  • 14
    CLAGE929 14 hr. ago Why wouldn't they simply take that 1/2 hour out of your paid time off? Easiest for everybody? Or ask you to stay half an hour later any other day? Way more productive than having somebody come in for half an hour on a Saturday... I don't get certain bosses! Vote Reply Share
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  • 15
    Ok_Art_1342-15 hr. ago Why do these people expect people to choose to do more for their company, having no stakes in the company? Vote Reply Share
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  • 16
    Figgzyvan 16 hr. ago If you had done 40 by friday you wouldn't have been there at all to help out on saturday. Silly rule. Reply Share Vote Chuck_Walla 13 hr. ago I think that's the goal. No one wants to work on a Saturday, unless they have to. Reply Share Vote
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  • 17
    Honest Invite_7065 16 hr. ago Not all heroes wear capes. Vote Reply Share
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  • 18
    chaingun_samurai · 8 hr. ago "we're disappointed that you chose not to stay to help your coworkers" "I'm disappointed that I had to come in on a Saturday for a half an hour because I'm required to get my full forty hours, yet here we are." Vote Reply Share
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  • 19
    Bot4twenty 12 hr. ago We are in an era of peace and prosperity, technology evolving faster than ever and yet we still have to work just as hard to struggle paycheck to paycheck.... No matter how far we advance as a species I don't think life will ever get easier, they won't let us... I'm not trying to just survive in life, I want to live it. Otherwise what is the point. Vote Reply Share ...
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workplace discussion workplace-stories jobs job malicious compliance work workplace employment in the workplace
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