Employee is forced by management to clock out earlier than she should, as she’s not doing anything, when she complained: ‘They respond with “No, I’ll fire you.” I ended up clocking out early because I didn’t want to take the risk.’

Author image for María Cetra
María Cetra • Writer
Aug 19, 2026 10:30 AM EDT

If you HAVE to be there, then you NEED to get paid

I hate when managers threaten employees with getting fired after every little issue. I don't think that should be allowed at all. It's disrespectful, and it creates a toxic workspace environment where the employee complies with ANYTHING because they are afraid of being unemployed. If the only way you can say an order as a manager and make sure it's complied with by an employee is by threatening to fire them, maybe you aren't a good enough leader to be a boss.

I always have a lot of bad things to say about bosses. I hate when they micromanage, when they mistreat the employees, and especially when they threaten to fire them all the time. Here we have those three in just the story below. The boss was micromanaging to see if this employee was working till the last second of her shift. It was a couple of minutes before closing. She was allowed to have been finished for the day. Then it was the mistreatment and the threat of firing. These two appeared together when the manager decided that a great response to the employee saying that if she has to stay for a little more, she will just clock out as soon as she needs to go was to say: "No, I'll fire you".

I think a good leader wouldn't do things like this. And I also think the employee should do something about it. Whether it is talking to human resources or to a higher authority of the company. But this kind of behavior shouldn't be tolerable for anybody, and acting like this makes you an incapable boss. What would you do if you were in this situation? I would definitely reach out to somebody, and if nothing changed, I would consider resigning. There's probably a better job where employees don't have to put up with incapable managers like this. 

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  • 01
    For context I work retail (California, part time, minimum wage) where the store closes and we lock the doors at 8:00. We usually complete closing duties at 9:00, but take a little longer sometimes. The other night I finished my tasks a little after 9:00, go to my manager, and they tell me to clock out. I ask if I could leave afterwards and they say, "no, wait until I'm done, it'll take about 5 minutes." I tell them "I'll wait until you're done and clock out when we're all ready to leave." They r
    via HDTVforThehomies
  • 02
    A boss controlling their employees' work time. Stock photography for depiction only.
    via Hunters Race

    A boss controlling their employees' work time. 

    Stock photography for depiction only. 

  • 03
    already clocked out and was waiting. It's like a dollar difference, but I felt it was more of the principle of not being able to leave after clocking out. Their reasoning was that “i wasn't technically doing anything" after I was done with my tasks. I want to ask if I WIBTAH if I refused to clock out until we were all ready to leave.
    via HDTVforThehomies
  • 04
    A team meeting taking place at an office with employees and a manager. Model portrayal.
    via Campaign Creators

    A team meeting taking place at an office with employees and a manager. 

    Model portrayal. 

  • 05
    socolime22202 This likely violates state and federal labor laws. Your supervisor can't force you to stay if they've asked you to clock out. Once you clock out you're no longer under their supervision, legally speaking. If this is a recurring pattern with all the other staff, start documenting every time it happens and eventually take it to your manager's boss or corporate or an advocacy group who can connect you to some pro bono lawyers.
    via socolime22202
  • 06
    EmilyAnne1170 Why even ask if it's okay to leave after you clock out? If they make you clock out, you're done for the day. Just leave.
    via EmilyAnne1170
  • 07
    Inevitable-Wind-1925 Conversely, it wouldn't even occur to me to ask if I could leave after I've clocked out. I've clocked out, so it's time to go! If I don't leave, because I'm chatting with someone about personal stuff, that's on me and my time, but not being able to leave is something else entirely. I'd probably plan to stay clocked in and do busy work until they are ready and clock out when we are all walking out the door actually leaving. NTA
    via Inevitable-Wind-1925
  • 08
    Dazzling-Exercise 761 Nope. I don't clock out until I'm sitting in my car. The company I work for uses UKG, so we clock out on the app. But my policy is if I'm required to spend my time, the company is required to pay me. Your manager threatening to fire you sounds like something HR needs to hear about if that's available.
    via Dazzling-Exercise 761
  • 09
    augustsolaris You get paid to be at work, if you're not working, you clock out and leave. If you're not on the clock, you are under no legal obligation to do what they tell you. Also, it's a legal liability. Plus, they threatened to fire you. Easy lawsuit if you cared enough to get a lawyer. Edit: it's basic labor laws. Most US states have them.
    via augustsolaris
  • 10
    terrika_has_spoken ΝΤΑ You need to find out labor laws and next time don't clock out. Recite the labor law they are breaking and tell them you will contact the proper authorities if you are terminated. Honestly, I would call cooperate, that's me and I don't play about my money or threats to be fired.
    via terrika_has_spoken
  • 11
    HatingOnNames Technically, if your time is restrained and not yours to do as you wish and you're under the authority of an employer or manager, then you're still on the clock. You clock out when their time ends and yours begins. Management was not correct. If you clock out, you're free to leave. Edit to add Nta
    via HatingOnNames
  • 12
    readergirl35 No ma'am you are not the AH. One dollar or one minute doesn't matter. What he told you to do is a) illegal and b) wage theft. If he does it again say, "I don't know about this, it seems wrong to say I can't leave but I also have to clock off. I'll go clock off but I'm going to call the labor board tomorrow and get more information about this cause it seems odd to me." I can almost guarantee you'll be told to clock off and go.
    via readergirl35
  • 13
    MadzShelena WB NAH I used to be a closing manager in fast food, and nobody clocked out until we were all ready to leave. Some things we could help each other with, like putting away the last dishes or restocking one item, but some had to be done alone like closing out the system or counting the safe. If I knew I was gonna be a bit longer and they couldn't help me, and tell them they could leave. Half the time they waited for me anyway, if not inside, then in their cars. But we also had a regular
    via MadzShelena
  • 14
    only transient the owners allow to park overnight because he's been around for so long and doesn't cause issues, and actually deters the people trying to park and use dr js and such.
    via MadzShelena
  • 15
    rm78noir If you're not allowed to leave you need to be paid. Even if your tasks are completed. NTA
    via rm78noir
  • 16
    Brooke Baranoff It is called "wage theft". Once you clock out in America you're done working. Anything else falls under wage theft. 5 minutes adds up each day.
    via BrookeBaranoff
  • 17
    No-BSing-Here NTA. If you're paid by the hour then you clock out when you leave. If your manager wants you to stay, for whatever reason, they pay you for the time. Why didn't she let you and the other employee leave? It may only be a dollar. It could be £5 a week and £250 a year that is rightfully earned by you. To threaten you with firing you for this is mad. To me, America seems to be able to fire people for the colour of their short, could she fire you for this? She'd probably claim it under
    via No-BSing-Here

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corporate clock out overworked-employees bad bosses
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