Boss deducts employee's pay for officially clocking in late despite starting work early, employee maliciously complies: 'Never talk to me before I clock in'

Author image for Ben Weiss
Ben Weiss • Writer and Editor
Jun 7, 2025 8:00 AM EDT

Employers who are strict about start and end times at work often make quick enemies with the people who work for them. A certain degree of punctuality is necessary, of course, but one has to extend a grace period when there are travel issues or personal circumstances getting in the way. 

In this instance, however, this employee often did show up to work 20 minutes early and got started immediately. However, he got in trouble for not officially clocking in on a few occasions because he already had his hands full with tasks and responsibilities. Despite numerous attempts to explain the situation and to express that there are witnesses who can account for the employee's presence, his pay was still deducted. That's when some good old-fashioned malicious compliance came to the rescue, ultimately proving to the employee's boss that his fixation on start times could backfire for him as well. 

Advertisement
  • 01
    Cheezburger Image 10514272256
    via Unsplash+ (Getty Images)

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

  • This employee decided that he was not going to let his boss's silly rules about clocking in and out only work in the company's favor. If that's the case, then he would not be starting work any earlier than he officially needed to, despite the fact that the entire workflow of the day seemed to be reliant on the employee's tendency to go the extra mile. Not anymore!

  • 02
    I worked for a self-storage company in the UK based in Wales. I commuted in by train and bus every day because the job came at a time when I needed a permanent role desperately.
    via IsfetLethe
  • 03
    Looking back, if I'd known more than I did then or looked closer, I'd have stayed well clear of them.
    via IsfetLethe
  • 04
    The company is dreadful, had gone through 6 internal recruiters in a single year when they're only supposed to have 1-2 at any one time. When I joined, I would often arrive 20 minutes earlier than my
    via IsfetLethe
  • 05
    shift was due to start. If I took a later bus, I'd definitely be late due to it not being a frequent route. When I arrived each day I normally just began working early
    via IsfetLethe
  • 06
    to get a headstart and because I wanted to do a good job. As the only Talent Acquisition Specialist, things could fall to pieces quite quickly especially as the company relies on having 2-3 staff assigned to each store and has massive staff attrition.
    via IsfetLethe
  • 07
    They use a clock in/out system to make sure staff work the shifts required. This is intrinsically tied to payslips. When I began, I didn't mind that too much.
    via IsfetLethe
  • 08
    After a month or two, the Communications officer emailed me demanding to know why I'd clocked in late in a couple of occasions. She also contacted my manager to make him aware. I
    via IsfetLethe
  • 09
    replied to both, pointing out I had not only been in the office, but working and had witnesses who would back me up as well as emails which I forwarded to prove
    via IsfetLethe
  • 10
    it. One of those dates was also a time when I'd not clocked in at the instructed time because I was discussing how best to prepare for a new member of staff starting that day with my manager.
    via IsfetLethe
  • 11
    In response I would told that they could not accept any of that and had to rely on the clock in system. As such, I would be deducted pay for hours "not worked".
    via IsfetLethe
  • 12
    When I pushed for clarification they explained that I could clock in at 09:01 on a 9-5 shift then work until 5:01 to make the extra minute up but would still be deducted 15 minutes pay.
    via IsfetLethe
  • 13
    I told my manager from that point onwards to never talk to me before I clocked in and would regularly arrive early and do nothing on my phone. When asked about it I'd simply say I hadn't clocked in yet.
    via IsfetLethe
  • 14
    Here 1040022 FINANCE A OTHER INFO ACT DETAI 11
    via Unsplash+ (Behnam Norouzi)

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

  • Keep scrolling below for this follow-up story about the same work environment. This time, the employee was tasked with stalking his coworkers to see who was looking for other work opportunities and reporting that to his boss. The employee managed to find a loophole to do as his boss asked while protecting his coworkers in the process. 

  • 15
    Follow up story: Same company. The General Manager has a policy of firing people who are looking for work on the spot if they find out as she "doesn't want to pay for people to look elsewhere".
    via IsfetLethe
  • 16
    As the internal recruiter, she made it my job to check job boards for candidates CVs and report to her if anyone was looking for work or any changes on their job board activity.
    via IsfetLethe
  • 17
    Thing is, I knew the entire BD team, accounting team and several store front staff in head office were looking for another role but I didn't want to lie on a company report. I had also begun looking for work myself.
    via IsfetLethe
  • 18
    I told my colleagues how my weekly job board check worked. I told them: • When I did it . • What job board . • What would trigger them coming up on my search
    via IsfetLethe
  • 19
    • How to avoid triggering it • The contact information for several good recruiters I knew who I was also using
    via IsfetLethe
  • 20
    Each week I submitted a completely accurate report that didn't have any of them appearing on, and then would chat to them advising them and encouraging them to keep up the job hunt while I did so
    via IsfetLethe

Want More? Follow Us and Add Us as a Preferred Source on Google.

Tags

workplace-stories work stories toxic-workplace job malicious compliance work Horrible Bosses bad bosses company workplace malicious compliance toxic-work-environment
Scroll Down For The Next Article