Imaging technician told to take their breaks "No matter what," leaves customers waiting and stuns management: 'I'm only doing what you asked'

There's this thing that happens in some organizations where upper management knowingly sets policies that they know infringe (or come close to infringing) on their legal minimum obligations to their workforce. Then they act all surprised when said minimum obligation isn't being upheld because it's simply not possible to do under the constraints they've created.

A perfect example of this is employee breaks, of which there are usually laws where you're working around when, how long, and how often you're entitled to leave your duties and get some mental headspace. Of course, within certain industries (cough retail and service cough), employers have this silly tendency to staff their stores at critically low levels, ensuring that there is never enough staff on hand for workers to take their obligated breaks. Of course, upper management will always be upset and listen to no excuses when they get complaints from customers about wait times and lack of staffing, blaming their overworked and exhausted workers for not working hard enough. And if workers ever dare to raise this issue themselves, the onus of the blame will be placed upon them while upper management puts on an Oscar-winning performance, acting outraged that their employees would dare place them in the "precarious" legal position of not taking their breaks. 

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  • 01
    "I was just told by our district manager that I am required to take a lunch no matter what and make sure it's recorded on my time sheet. Bet. I'm currently eating pizza while 4 patients wait for me."
    via Redd F
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  • This happens in other quite serious areas, too, such as management placing deadlines or demanding efficiencies that can only be accomplished by cutting corners with quality control or safety standards—leading to sometimes disastrous results.

    Yeah, this is an experience that will be familiar to a lot of workers out there, and the story below is a classic example. This imaging technician at the outpatient clinic had watched their team slowly dwindle from a team of five members to just them. The nature of their work demanded that someone always be ready to undertake a scan if a patient required one, and since they were operating alone, they never had the chance to take their breaks. Cue management was “shocked" and “horrified” to find that the technician wasn't taking their breaks, resulting in an order that they must take their breaks “No matter what.” So, the technician complied, ending up with a predictable result. Sure, now they're going to get the ire of their managers because of upset waiting customers. But what else can you do in this situation?

  • 02
    r/ r/MaliciousCompliance • 5 hr. aç MadSpaceYT You require to take a lunch no matter what? Ok. S So to give a little bit of background, I work as a CT/XR tech at an outpatient clinic. It's within a building that also as an ER which kinda works as a glorified urgent care center. We are responsible for imaging both outpatient and ER patients. This means we are open 24/7 and coverage for CT and X-ray are needed at all times
    via MadSpaceYT
  • 03
    I work the day shift and have about 6 years experience. When I first started in this place about a year and a half ago it was great. We had a full staff and everyone worked well together. Little by little people started to moved on to other endeavors and there were not enough hires to keep up with the departures. This was made worse by our outpatient schedule being packed while also being expected to handle dozens of ER patients as well.
    via MadSpaceYT
  • 04
    There use to be 5 CT techs on rotation and overlapping shifts at any given time. Now we just have 1, me Imao. And the only X-ray techs left don't do CT scans. As you can imagine it gets very busy and I really only eat small bites of whatever I brought for lunch in between patients. Sometimes I go my 8-10 hour shifts without eating until I get home for dinner. Management is obviously up in arms about this because they don't want to be audited and reprimanded for their employees not having a prope
    via MadSpaceYT
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  • 05
    I was just told by our district manager that I am required to take a lunch no matter what and make sure it's recorded on my time sheet. Bet. I'm currently eating pizza while 4 patients wait for me. Its probably more right now as I sit here. There's a phone in the break room and they called me asking where I am and I said I'm on break. Obviously management can't do anything. I'm only doing what you asked
    via MadSpaceYT
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    derKestrel • 5h ago Take your break times, leave on time or ask for paid OT. Do this until they are forced to hire. As long as you spend your private life making up for their management mistakes, there will be no change. ✰ Vote Vote ↑ Share
    via MadSpaceYT
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    Vuirneen 5h ago • Dude, this is sad. You're entitled to a lunch. You're entitled to cover. You should not be doing the job of 5 people, alone. On the other hand, the boss can't afford to lose you. ✰ Vote Vote ☐ ↑ Share
    via MadSpaceYT
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  • 08
    StellarPhenom420 . 4h ago Good! You shouldn't be overworking yourself as you have been to begin. with. This isn't even malicious compliance but I'm happy you're finally starting to take care of yourself! The patients will still be there. They can wait. Let them complain about the wait times to management. That is not your fault. You still must have your breaks and eat your food, otherwise you might not have the energy and ability to do your job correctly! Vote ↑ Share
    via MadSpaceYT
  • 09
    oldmanlikesguitars • 4h ago You need to set a limit. "I'm capable of doing this many scans in an 8 hour shift. If you don't hire someone, I'll start leaving once I've done that many." I mean, I know overtime pay is great so adjust it to however long you want to work. But then leave. "Sorry. I have an appointment." I know you don't want to neglect patients. But if you get sick or hurt because you're desperately fatigued then they'll be completely screwed. ✰ Vote ↑ Share
    via MadSpaceYT
  • 10
    Qnofputrescence1213 • 4h ago I'm in a situation where the higher ups (the state) think we can get by with only so many people on my team. Which is not the case. So my team lead and director are saying at least once a week, "Do not overwork yourself, take your full lunch and both breaks. We do not want them thinking that we have adequate numbers for our workload" The only way you will get help is if you take those breaks and let things back up! Vote ↑ Share ...
    via MadSpaceYT
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  • 11
    vanillagorilla 5h ago Their poor planning does not equate to an emergency on your part. The Department of labor is on your side. Don't not take a break because the place is busy. Make them pay, either through hiring more people, overtime, or loss of business. ✰ Vote Vote ↑ Share ...
    via MadSpaceYT
  • 12
    hotlavatube. 4h ago "Not a team player..." - manager at your next employee review There's just no winning with manglement like that so you might as well enjoy your lunch. Vote ↑ Share
    via MadSpaceYT
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    tchotchony 4h ago What are they planning to do when you want a day off? A holiday? Fall sick? Decide to leave for greener and less-pressurized pastures? Be strict with your hours & break times, manglement needs to hire, not your fault. Vote ↑ Share •••
    via MadSpaceYT
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