Employee quits after getting written up for being 2 minutes late after covering 3 people's jobs for 6 months: 'I got a formal write-up'

Author image for Brad Dickson
Brad Dickson • Managing Editor
May 12, 2025 10:00 PM EDT

The sliding scale of taking on more work only goes in one direction. Once you've proven that doing that extra work is "possible," there's no going back. After all, doing less work and being less "efficient" than you've proven you're capable of being simply is never acceptable. Even if that level of work is being achieved through unsustainable means, through high stress and late nights, seldom, though, if ever, will an employer consider proper compensation for that increased production, either, turning a blind eye to the fact that that magical reduction in the bottom line since the vacant positions is just the worker saving them the money by carrying all of that weight. And when burnout finally takes its toll or once one mistake is made, all that shouldered weight is going to come crashing down, with accusations being leveled at that same worker who has been doing everything they can.

In a lot of cases, employers will never know or realize, or appreciate that this reduced staffing is being made possible purely because of the talent of that remaining member who is taking on more work. Even once they resign or get fired after being scapegoated for their superiors' poor decisions, they'll remain unappreciated. However, there may be some silent acknowledgement of how much they were achieving when the company is forced to hire not one but two or sometimes three people to replace them.

When this worker was given a full formal write-up for being two minutes late to work after doing the work of three people for six months, they chose to resign, undoubtedly sending their employer scrambling to cover for them.

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    via Marten Bjork

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 02

    "Got written up for being 2 minutes late… after covering 3 people's jobs for 6 months."

    So I work at a mid-sized company in logistics. A few months ago, two people from my team left. Management didn't replace them just kind of looked around and went "Let's redistribute the work." Guess who got the bulk of it? Yours truly.
    via avadesires
  • 03
    No raise. No title change. Just "we really appreciate your flexibility." I was running around like a headless chicken, working late, skipping breaks, doing the jobs of three people to keep the whole thing from collapsing. Last week, I walked in two minutes late. Not even exaggerating two minutes. My manager pulls me into a meeting and says "We've noticed a pattern of tardiness." I laughed because I genuinely thought it was a joke.
    via avadesires
  • 04
    Nope. I got a formal write-up. For TWO MINUTES. Meanwhile, one of the execs "works from home" four days a week and sends one email a day, if that. I handed in my resignation today. Told them I'll take my skills somewhere they're actually valued. My last day? You guessed it. I was two minutes late on purpose.
    via avadesires
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    via Nick Fewings

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 06
    Jarrus Kanan_Ja... Never do more work after they lay people off, they're counting on the fear pushing you. Do the same work, put the new stuff at the end of your to do list. Take your breaks, leave on time, and make a show of prioritizing your tasks with management.
    via avadesires
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    Beautiful_Tap_7472 This is why you always take your breaks. Always. ND not half assed eat lunch at your desk breaks either, proper breaks.
    via avadesires
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    benjani12463 · 12h ago . To anyone reading this comment, please, I'm begging you, don't make the mistake OP made! Your company will be 100% vindicated in not replacing staff if they don't feel/notice the pain/pressure if you put that pain/pressure on yourself instead of the company. They use saved 100k a year while the operation carries on as normal because you're breaking your back and your mind.
    via avadesires
  • 09
    Just stop, let the company feel the pain/pressure as soon as they don't replace anyone or hire anyone else when taking on more work. Do not, I repeat. DO NOT take that burden on a personal level.
    via avadesires
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    LumberJer 13h ago But don't you know that if you're on time you're late? If you are early you're on time. And since you're doing three jobs, you're supposed to be three times early!
    via avadesires
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    Moby1313 • 12h ago The new president of my company that I just left, gave me sh after spending a holiday weekend updating our sales tax codes at home. Took me about 60 hours, not paid, to do it. I came in an hour late on a Tuesday, after the holiday weekend of mass uploading thing to save us, and he tried to write me up. I just walked out, and reversed everything I did off the clock once I got home. 9 years, and I'm not dealing with a new upstart with an ego.
    via avadesires
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    Insomniacintheflesh 12h ago . I got written up at one job for being two minutes late. You didn't even have to clock in at this job but the higher ups would look out the window in the mornings to see who was coming in late. I was also having car problems. My car would break down almost once a week and I live in a high traffic city. They said to me,
    via avadesires
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    "everyone else can be here on time why can't you?" I was like, "because my car is breaking down and I can't buy a new one". (They didn't pay me enough). I eventually started riding with someone in the mornings to avoid getting in more trouble. But after that write up, I quit about a month later. Ps: this was a nonprofit. They were literally some of the meanest people I ever worked for.
    via avadesires
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    MeltedWellie •11h ago I am sometimes 2-5 minutes late due to traffic but I always stay 10-50 minutes late completing tasks I want done for the day. I have always vowed though, the first time anything is mentioned about any lateness will be the last time I stay a single second after 5pm. Thankfully it has never happen but there is a change in management so who knows.
    via avadesires

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workplace discussion employment issues antiwork workplace-stories jobs employee employment-discussion job work i quit quit employees overworked-employees workplace Horrible Bosses quitting employment in the workplace
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