39-year-old employee told he's not allowed to use the break room at work because he's salaried: 'I can't get water or coffee now because it's too confusing for other people?'

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Ben Weiss • Writer and Editor
May 17, 2025 2:00 PM EDT

Imagine if one day at work, your boss went up to you and said you were no longer allowed to use the break room. It's not like this was a declaration that applied to everyone else in the office. Rather, this new rule only applies to you. No, it's not punishment for anything you did wrong, and it's not temporary for whatever reason. The explanation this boss gave was that because this employee was salaried and other workers nearby were not, there was confusion as to why this person was able to clock in and out three to four times a day when others were discouraged from doing so. 

So, essentially, this employee was no longer allowed to get coffee or water a few times a day because people can't mind their own business. Furthermore, his boss clearly did not want to inform other folks on the floor that this employee was salaried so as not to upset the others. However, the lack of transparency and the taking away of privileges for the salaried employee are not exactly the proper solution here either. Keep scrolling below for the full story and for the best reactions from members of the online community.

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  • “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.”

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    WORK
    via Unsplash+ (Eduardo Ramos)

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

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    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'
    via hiphopTIMato
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    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
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    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
    via hiphopTIMato
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    for some reason. I'm really in there maybe 3-4 times a day tops for a minute at a time to get water and coffee. Like what the . I'm a 39 year old man. I can't get water or coffee now because it's too confusing for other people? This
    via hiphopTIMato
  • 06
    job pays as much as I'd make working at Home Depot, but looks better on a resume so I'm kinda stuck. I hate it here. This is so demoralizing.
    via hiphopTIMato
  • 07
    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
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    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 hiphopTIMato
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    via Kenny Eliason

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

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    AshamedCollar3845. 19 hr. ago lazy and proud I can almost guarantee that none of the hourly employees actually give a . They probably don't even notice that you're there.
    via hiphopTIMato
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    hiphopTIMato OP. 19 hr. ago 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.
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    Rare-Incident-2091. 19 hr. ago 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 hiphopTIMato
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    hiphopTIMato OP. 19 hr. ago 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
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    foobar_north 19 hr. ago "Have you clocked out?" is what you should ask her next time you see her in the break room
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    R-Dragon_Thunderzord 19 hr. ago 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 hiphopTIMato
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    777joeb 18 hr. ago 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
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    hiphopTIMato OP. 18 hr. ago ooof, this is grim but good call
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    Cassierae87 18 hr. ago . edited 18 hr. ago 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.
    via hiphopTIMato
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    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 [b s name] and should take breaks in my
    via hiphopTIMato
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    car instead. I plan to continue to utilize the break room just like every other employee does" etc
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    Secret-Boss-7000. 18 hr. ago It sounds like you're probably an adult. I'd suggest getting a job that treats you as such.
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    hiphopTIMato OP. 18 hr. ago Buddy I wish I could. I took this job out of necessity.
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    wynnduffyisking · 18 hr. ago You took a break? In the break room? HOW DARE YOU!
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    Wolfman01a 18 hr. ago Sounds like either your boss or a coworker has decided to go full Karen against you. I would honestly completely ignore everything said. I would dare her to write me up over like that.
    via hiphopTIMato

  • Whatever happened to everyone minding their own business at work? Someone's frequent coffee or water breaks should not be so carefully monitored, and if hourly employees are jealous that someone else gets to use the break room more often, then that says more about the need for their unfair conditions to be changed than anything else!

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workplace-stories work stories toxic-workplace job work employees toxic-boss overworked-employees Horrible Bosses bad bosses company toxic-work-environment
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