Manager cuts all employees hours from 30-40 hours per week to 10-15 hours per week, leaving facility barely functional: 'The AC was stuck at 82 degrees during the 95+ degree heatwave.'

Author image for Emmy Pratt
Emmy Pratt • Senior Editor
Aug 24, 2026 6:00 PM EDT

It's like they're trying to get their employees to quit!

If I were a manager and I wanted to encourage my employees to quit so I didn't have to fire them, there are a couple of things I would do right away. I would make sure they have extremely high expectations placed on them that even the most hard-working employee couldn't meet without hours of unpaid overtime. I would cut their hours so they cannot make a living wage, even if they beg and beg to be put on the schedule more often. If those things don't work, there are plenty of other ways to get people to want to quit! Luckily for my coworkers, I'm not an evil person, and I wouldn't do either of those things, even if someone asked me to. I think it's so cowardly to cut somebody's hours and hope they quit instead of just firing them like you want to. Sure, you might have to pay out unemployment or severance packages, but at least you can sleep at night knowing that you didn't intentionally cause someone else harm at the workplace. 

Unfortunately, the manager in this story doesn't have the same ethics. One worker posted to r/antiwork to share his story of his manager putting employees in a genuinely dangerous situation while trying to force them out of the workplace. While commenters gave him good advice as to how to deal with this situation, it's hard not to be sad about the fact that this is even legal.

Advertisement
  • A person in an orange coverall and a black hat
    via Hatice Baran (Unsplash+)

    An employee at a warehouse working part-time.

    Individual pictured is a model used for illustrative purposes.

  • Manager drastically cut everyone’s hours, and our site is barely operational

    I’m at my wit’s end. How in the [world] do they think this is a good idea?! Is it common for companies to do this?!

    Everyone is being given 10-15 hours per week when we used to get 30-40. We are now a “single coverage site”, which means one person per shift is expected to do inventory, pack orders, answer the door for delivery drivers (we keep it locked at all times because we’ve been robbed multiple times), clean the bathroom and take out garbage. So less money for more work. I can barely go to the bathroom, let alone eat. I routinely get 15,000 steps a day.

  • We have rats. Someone broke in and stole my coworker’s bag from the break room and the police never followed up. The AC was stuck at 82 degrees during the 95+ degree heatwave. Our manager JUST changed the schedule for this coming week (starting tomorrow) at 11:47pm. They are micromanaging us and getting angry at tiny mistakes, but still expect us to increase our packing speed.

    I feel like I’m in some kind of boot camp!!!

  • albatrossSKY They are trying to get everyone to quit so they dont have to pay out unemployment. Its called constructive dismissal. Look into your local labor laws because a drop from 40 hours to 10 usually qualifies you for partial unemployment benefits for the lost wages anyway. File now and watch how fast they panic when the state starts charging them for your missing hours.
    via u/albatrossSKY
  • lights-in-the-sky OP Thank you, I can look into that. I'm applying other places already too. Should I just expect that this situation will never improve, then? :,) I am a bit confused because there have been a couple new hires within the past week, and the manager told us he has a set number of hours to divide between us as it is
    via u/lights-in-the-sky
  • Guilty Objective4602 Also, tell your coworkers. Urge everybody else that was previously working at the greater number of hours (not the new hires) to file for unemployment, too, and it will likely cost the company enough that they may start restoring hours somewhat.
    via u/Guilty_Objective4602
  • Istremene They are probably trying to pay the new hires less than what you guys get paid. Definitely follow the advice and go to the department of Labor if in the US
    via u/Istremene
  • SingaporeSlim1 Act your wage. Don't work too hard, you can't be everywhere at once. And look for a new job
    via u/SingaporeSlim1
  • Young smiling employee sitting on the floor in warehouse, taking a break and using smart phone
    via Getty Images (Unsplash+)

    A worker acting his wage on the floor of the warehouse where he works. 

    Featured likenesses do not identify those mentioned.

  • trisanachandler Yeah, don't scramble and scurry, if anything, work extra slowly. Take your bathroom breaks, take them extra. They might fire you for letting things fail, but you'll get unemployment, which you need to look into anyway.
    via u/trisanachandler
  • nsa_k That's a large enough cut in hours to qualify for partial unemployment. Apply for unemployment, and they will have to justify the lack of hours without any disciplinary actions taken.
    via u/nsa_k
  • BuddhistNudist987 Yeah it sounds to me like the thieves know this place is vulnerable.
    via u/BuddhistNudist987
  • Robbers robbing the car in the parking lot at night
    via Getty Images (Unsplash+)

    A robber leaves the car to rob a warehouse. 

    Model representation. 

  • toastedmarsh7 Why are you running around to get everything done? Why do you care if work is left unfinished when they're paying you like $200/week?
    via u/toastedmarsh7
  • No Regrets-518 Use the extra time to look for a new job.
    via u/NoRegrets-518
  • scarey99 You got to let it fail. Stop caring and just say I didn't have time if a boss asks why sh wasn't done. Their failures are not your failures, their systems fail you don't fail.
    via u/scarey99

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

Tags

boss employee hourly part time manager employees hours full time air conditioning
Scroll Down For The Next Article