Boss takes away employee's flexibility they take leave and start looking for other work: 'Boss wanted to take away the only reason I stayed in the company'

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Brad Dickson • Managing Editor
Jun 19, 2024 10:00 AM EDT

When you're young, you have all the ideologies about how you're going to move to the big city and live in lofted apartments while you hang out in coffee shops and bars with your friends and all laugh about how carefree your lives are… Oh, and you're working in humanitarian aid and making a difference in your work, too.

As things progress you come to ind that you've instead found yourself in a corporate job that you despise, working as a means to an end, all your money is going to rent and if you want to save anything to work your way toward a better life those coffees and drinks with your friends aren't going to be happening much. Instead, you work and return back to your cardboard box of an apartment, stare at the walls and contemplate existence. 

When this worker found themself in this position in their life, they knew they needed to make some changes; their favorite boss had left, their workload had doubled—along with the stress—and the flexibility they had once enjoyed at their job had evaporated. So, they started making moves to move on up, stopping the extra hours they were working and taking every second Friday off using the leave they had accumulated.

See the original story that they shared with this popular online community below.

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  • 01
    Cheezburger Image 10363438336
    via Amy Hirschi
  • 02
    Boss wanted to take away the only reason I stayed in the company, so I found a way to get it back LOC This isnt as good as many i've read here, but when you're win feels really really good. I off, a
    via u/RGLynB
  • 03
    I work in an industry I lothe, I prefer helping people one on one to improve their lives however I can but life brought me to a corporate hole full of negativity, an overly ambitious hipster CEO, enough money for SWAG but not enough money to hire enough people for each department so everyone suffers with stupid SWAG no one cares about. Turnover rate is WILD!
    via u/RGLynB
  • 04
    I work in an essential, often over looked section of the company. We handle massive volumes of clients who choose our company, or leave. (Vague on purpose, national company) We handle legal contracts, keeping new clients happy before we send them to their new team, and a million other tiny tasks that need to be done precisely or it'll ruin other departments and we could lose TONS of money.
    via u/RGLynB
  • 05
    Anyway, all of that to say there is not one person in this company that knows every aspect of our specific role and how to keep everything afloat. My Team Lead decided it was time to leave and pursue her dream career after nearly 6 years perfecting this role, 4 of those years were with me. Me being the , procedure perfecting, anxious about making any mistake type person, we were the backbone of the sector. Dream team.
    via u/RGLynB
  • 06
    So of course when she left she told all the bosses who praised the ground she walked upon that I should get the job. She knew full well I hated this place but I was waiting for something perfect to come along, but she also knew I am the only one who could hit the ground running. I didn't exactly WANT the job but we would all end up suffering and i'd end up training without the extra pay... so I reluctantly took it.
    via u/RGLynB
  • 07
    The sheer amount of stress of cross training for 2 weeks for this position while already doing my full duties (an extremely stressful job in itself) and picking up the slack for both of us while she tied up loose ends, me creating far more detailed procedures prior to her leaving, already made me so stressed out I was having chest pains, breaking down, and wanting to quit.
    via u/RGLynB
  • 08
    This being a company with horrible leadership, I didnt even get my contract until several weeks after I accepted the job and discussed the terms. AND they still havent backfilled my position so I am still suffering a few month after I started training. No increased payment for the training and extra work I had to endure, and chose the start date AFTER the
    via u/RGLynB
  • 09
    training was done. I have been losing hair, breaking out, having nightmares, bursting into tears, had to find a therapist because I have been pushing myself to be the best I can while being set up for failure and have zero support and I CARE about a job well done but I am just.... failing no matter how many extra hours I put in on evenings and weekends. Mental health is going down the drain~ ANYWAY.
    via u/RGLynB
  • 10
    On to the actual malicious compliance. 1. I started work at 7:30 am for 4 years, this helped a lot with my work-life balance because I am a single mom and I can be home a bit earlier to take care of them.
    via u/RGLynB
  • 11
    2. We have the option to opt into working an extra 25 minutes each day to get a half day on every second Friday. Some people don't care about it, but I found this incredibly useful, especially for Dr appointments and to use only a half day vacation. for a full day off. Strategic. This meant I worked from 7:30am to 4:25pm. (We have an hour unpaid lunch we have to take)
    via u/RGLynB
  • 12
    These 2 things were the reason I stuck around this long. These kept me sane and allowed me to be there for my kids as much as I could, and still be fully mentally there for them. WELL I was told that if I decide to become a Team Lead I have to start at 8:30 and end at 5pm. I asked if that could be modified at all, the answer was no. . I'm
    via u/RGLynB
  • 13
    thinking I am already taking on far more stress and now I have less time with my children too, AND the kids see my suffering as much as I try to hide it. I am then told that I will no longer get every second Friday as a half day either, so no more working the extra 25 mins a day.
    via u/RGLynB
  • 14
    The reasoning was 'we need you here during normal business hours'. you, but makes sense. For a company who needs me to keep this business going, no one was budging on this and as someone who already hates this place and feels no one gives a about my mental health and how I have even been injured for this company, I shut down.
    via u/RGLynB
  • 15
    So I logged into the system to book days off every second Friday, and asked my old Team Lead to accept them right before she left. She said GLADLY. SO now I have every second Friday off, I don't work the extra 25 minutes a day, I get paid way more and I am using my new title to find a better job.
    via u/RGLynB
  • 16
    Less work for more money while I hand in resumes. I am trying to learn to be okay with failure in the mean time. Wooooosahh. Whenever we have a meeting where the boss asks if they should be aware of any time off, I just smile and remind them that I have the usual every second friday as a half day. They just nod. :) The end.
    via u/RGLynB
  • 17
    Reasonable_Star_959. 2 hr. ago Boom! You will be on to your own dream job soon. Nicely done!! ✓ RGLynB OP. 2 hr. ago Yess! That thought helps me get through this. Thank you.
    via u/RGLynB
  • 18
    Cfwydirk . 2 hr. ago I was not liking where this was going, but then.... I am using my new title to find a better job. Good on you. RGLynB OP. 2 hr. ago Thank you! It's about time. Glad they made it easier for me, I guess. :]
    via u/RGLynB
  • 19
    • HMS_Slartibartfast 1 hr. ago. Please tell me you've banked enough sick time so you can turn in a month's notice.. Along with a note from your therapists stating you need a month off to "recuperate".
    via u/RGLynB

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workplace discussion workplace-stories jobs job malicious compliance work workplace workplace malicious compliance employment in the workplace
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