'Guess I'll take lunch then': New manager triples employees' workload, refusing to let anyone go home before everyone is done, employee uses their lunch break to "avoid" working

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Bar Mor Hazut • Senior Editor
Nov 3, 2025 6:00 PM EST

At some workplaces, employees are given the opportunity to skip the breaks they are legally owed and instead leave work earlier. Instead of "wasting" 30 minutes of not working while still at the office, they can eat their lunch at their desks, then head home 30 minutes before their workday is supposed to end. 

While this opportunity sounds like a great deal, it can lead to a lot of problems, just like it did in the story below.

This employee has been skipping their three breaks, amounting to one hour of time off at work, so that they could go home early. Then, a new manager was appointed, and with them, a lot of rules have changed. All of a sudden, all of the employees found themselves working a lot more than usual, sometimes even 12 hours a day.

This led the employee to realize that they can't really continue skipping their lunch, especially as they are expected to work a lot more than they used to…

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  • So while it sounds compelling to change your work around so you could leave early, it might not be the best course of action.

    Keep scrolling to read the full story below.

  • 01
    Cheezburger Image 10570923264
    via Ika84

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 02

    Well guess i will take lunch then.

    This is gonna be a quick one. My job used to be when you are done go home.
    via amerc4life
  • 03
    The earlier you are done with your task the sooner you can go home. So I skip my 30min lunch and 2 15min breaks to go home early.
    via amerc4life
  • 04
    Recently we got a new manager and they changed a lot of rules. Now we must keep going back out until everyone is done and our work load has tripled.
    via amerc4life
  • 05
    Now on to the Mc. I had finished my work fast with no breaks. Then helped someone else.
    via amerc4life
  • 06
    I came back to the office already had 12 hours on the clock no breaks. The new boss yells at me that not everyone is done so get back out there.
    via amerc4life
  • 07
    1 person needed about 30 mins of help. But he was 20 min drive away. So even if i started driving now I would barely get there in time to help.
    via amerc4life
  • 08
    I tried to explain this to the manager. "Nobody goes home until everyone is done." Ok i jump in the work truck drive to a nearby drive through and clock out for lunch.
    via amerc4life
  • 09
    30mins of relaxing and eating a burger later. I clock back in and call the guy who needed help.
    via amerc4life
  • 10
    He is done and the manager had called it a day. I go back to the office.
    via amerc4life
  • 11
    The manager is there steaming (they tracked me on gps)but cant do anything cause I followed the rules.
    via amerc4life
  • 12
    I am never rushing this job again. Im gonna take my sweet time. Every single day is going to be 12 hours or more so might as well make it an easy 12 hours.
    via amerc4life
  • 13
    Im gonna take all my breaks now too.
    via amerc4life
  • 14
    Overworked employee covering his face
    via South_agency

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 15
    Impossible_War_2741 Take your breaks. You deserve them if you bust your butt the way it sounds. My petty butt would have looked my manager in the eye and say, "okay boss, I haven't taken my lunch yet tho, so I am going to do that before I drive out to the site to help." Then just watch how much his face reddens as he puts together what is happening and that he legally (where I am at least) tell you to do anything else. With labor laws where I live, your job is legally required to give you a meal
    via Impossible_War_2741
  • 16
    Overall-Tailor8949 Talk to your co-workers, it's time for everyone to stop busting their asses for that (mis) manager. Take your lunch and your breaks. DON'T rush to complete a task, DEFINITELY don't bend any traffic laws traveling between job sites.
    via Overall-Tailor8949
  • 17
    smoosh33 I'll never understand the purpose of having people sit around on site when they are paid by the hour. Get the work done and let's go home. I'm an Electrical superintendent and when we have to come in on a Saturday for shutdown work, I get everyone together before the shift and say "listen, here are the 4 things we need to get done today. Once those are complete we all get to go home and everyone gets paid for the full 8 hours". You've never seen people work so fast. Guys finishing their
    via smoosh33
  • 18
    Toddw1968 Dude take your lunch and breaks, they can get in trouble if you don't in some jobs.
    via Toddw1968
  • 19
    Gonpostlscott Take your breaks. Don't drag your feet, but don't bust your ars for them constantly. This new guy is only about making himself look good and doesn't care about the people
    via Gonpostlscott
  • 20
    ItPutsLotionOnltSkin >Now we must keep going back out until everyone is done and our work load has tripled. The last company I worked for tried to get me to do extra work for the same pay. Funny how my work stretched out until the end of the day and nothing extra
    via ItPutsLotionOnltSkin
  • 21
    seagull321 Loyalty does not exist from employers. Do not give loyalty to them. Do not overdo your job. Ever. You'll not get promoted because your current boss won't give up such a good and helpful worker. And, you will be handed extra work, which will become expected work, over the time you work there. Never skip breaks. With the previous boss, did you eat lunch/take your breaks on or off the clock when you went home early. If you were off the clock, you were giving them free labor. The not gett
    via seagull321
  • 22
    ggibby Our payroll gets audited by the state and the business can be fined if employees are not taking their breaks. Not saying the mismanager ain't a jerk, but imagine if the boss could deny your lunch and breaks.
    via ggibby
  • 23
    Donutordonot Sounds like service work. I would bring a book and park and read somewhere. Turn phone, computer, etc fully off and decompress.
    via Donutordonot

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boss workplace-stories employee manager job malicious compliance tales-from-the-workplace reddit story lunch overworked-employees workplace Reddit break company
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