Micromanager bans salaried employee from using the break room because it 'confuses' hourly workers, suggests he take breaks in his car: 'She wants a private break room'

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JR Atkinson • Writer and Editor
May 27, 2024 4:00 PM EDT

As any employee will tell you, breaks are everything. They are our momentary respites from the workaday pace. Even if it's just a few minutes to get up, stretch your legs, or best yet, get a cup of coffee, it's completely worth it. Taking breaks is also good for your brain and how it manages productivity. The Pomodoro Technique (favored by college students on deadlines the world over) relies on taking 5-minute breaks after every 25-minute work session. It helps you lock in when you need to lock in. I'm sure any psychologist or neurologist would say the same thing. 

My favorite break time activity is taking a walk-- it helps you generate ideas, and get inspiration from the outside world. Like, perhaps, an empty plastic bag tumbling around in the wind. So when a micromanaging boss tried to put restrictions on their employee's break time, he rightfully had a lot to say on the matter. Read on for details. 

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  • 01
    Cheezburger Image 9926049024
    via Andrew Neel
  • 02
    r/antiwork u/hiphopTIMato ⚫ 17h • My boss told me today to not use the break room so often because hourly employees have to clock out to use it and, even though I'm not hourly, this is making people confused.
    via u/hiphopTIMato
  • 03
    That's it. Kinda. There's more. She also told me to just go to my car to take breaks and that it's "it's not a good look" because the breakroom is right by all the hourly employees' desks and apparently one of their supervisors saw me in there a few times last week and was wondering how I'm clocking in and out so much. Apparently the fact that I'm salaried and don't have to clock in and out and can use the breakroom at will was explained to this supervisor, but it's still an issue for some reaso
    via u/hiphopTIMato
  • 04
    Bonus: she also told me the lady in the cube next to me, who does nothing but have conversations at her desk all day long, complained that I sometimes yawn loudly and that she can somehow hear my music through my headphones from one cube away AND even though it's fine I listen to ASMR videos to focus while I work, just to be careful not to "watch them". I love being treated like a child.
    via u/hiphopTIMato
  • 05
    AshamedCollar3845 • 17h lazy and proud I can almost guarantee that none of the hourly employees actually give a even notice that you're there. They probably don't
    via u/AshamedCollar3845
  • 06
    hiphopTIMato OP. 17h Yeah. I know it was the supervisor. I've crossed paths with her in the breakroom a few times and she's looked really annoyed each time and I was like " was that about", well, now I know.
    via u/hiphopTIMato
  • 07
    Middle-Wrangler2729 • 17h Those micromanaging types really hate it when there is something outside their control nearby. They need the world to bend to their will at all times
    via u/Middle-Wrangler2729
  • 08
    hiphopTIMato OP. 17h You're not going to believe it but this is a law firm so that also explains a lot
    via u/hiphopTIMato
  • 09
    foobar_north ⚫ 17h "Have you clocked out?" is what you should ask her next time you see her in the break room
    via u/foobar_north
  • 10
    Or frankydie69. 14h "Are you here to clock out? Apparently someone thinks employees using the employee break room is just for clocking in/out, I was told to not be in here so much. Imagine that, an employee who doesn't get to use the employee break room!?" Anyway how's your day going?"
    via u/frankydie69
  • 11
    Rare-Incident-2091 • 17h That's ridiculous. As an employee you have the right to utilize the break room. Why can't that be told to the people who "don't understand"?
    via u/Rare-Incident-2091
  • 12
    hiphopTIMato OP. 17h Also, the supervisor who saw me in there "too often" was in there every time at the same time as me but I guess she's exempt
    via u/hiphopTIMato
  • 13
    Turbulent-Armadillo9 • 16h Which means she's their all the time lol. Guess she wants a private break room.
    via u/Turbulent-Armadillo9
  • 14
    Solution No4268 • 16h Resort to asking her to help you grab coffee and water since you are not allowed in there.
    via u/SolutionNo4268
  • 15
    777joeb • 17h Are you about to be up for a review or something? Seems like they are scraping the bottom of the barrel to come up with issues so they can tell you that you aren't getting a raise lol
    via u/777joeb
  • 16
    Cassierae87 • 16h Ask them to put in writing that you have to take your breaks in the car. They won't. Then ignore them. When you see this woman just smile and wave. You could even send them an email stating something like "in our meeting I was told I am not welcomed in the break room because of [bitchs name] and should take breaks in my car instead. I plan to continue to utilize the break room just like every other employee does" etc
    via u/Cassierae87
  • 17
    R-Dragon Thunderzord • 17h Hourly employees have to clock out for a break? That smells illegal, refer to FLSA. Lunch breaks sure, but shift employees typically get a paid break unless your job only has them on short shifts.
    via u/R-Dragon_Thunderzord
  • 18
    Secret-Boss-7000 16h • It sounds like you're probably an adult. I'd suggest getting a job that treats you as such.
    via u/Secret-Boss-7000
  • 19
    hiphopTIMato OP. 16h Buddy I wish I could. I took this job out of necessity.
    via u/hiphopTIMato

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homework boss antiwork workplace-stories toxic-manager micromanager work stories toxic-workplace Professional At Work work coworkers breaks workplace reddit thread Reddit break
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