Company gets rid of evening security guard, then demands last employee to leave to take care of closing duties, employee refuses: ‘I'm leaving at 5 from now on’

Author image for Bar Mor Hazut
Bar Mor Hazut • Senior Editor
Sep 2, 2026 8:00 AM EDT

What tasks beyond your job description would you never agree to do at work?

One of my first jobs was a teacher's assistant in a high school. My job was to accompany struggling students in lessons and tutor them before big exams. A task that I often found myself doing that had nothing to do with being a teacher's assistant was to shred the principal's documents. She would have piles of documents ready for me every week, and I would spend every free period in her office, shredding them away. I absolutely hated doing something that had nothing to do with my actual job.

I wish I had said something to my boss to bring it to a stop, but I didn't have the nerve. 

Other employees, like the one in the story below, have no problem standing their ground and making sure they aren't being tasked with something beyond their job description. When this employee noticed that the office's evening security guard was no longer around, they didn't think much about it. But when one night the employee found themselves the last one at the office, they realized that without the security guard, the closing duties fell on them. Suddenly, the employee was getting instructions from their boss on how to lock the office, with a full checklist of assignments. 

This was definitely not something the employee signed up to do.

The extra responsibility was not something that the employee was ready to take on, especially not when it should be another person's full job. So, while the employee ensures they would never leave the office after 5 ever again, they should also find out how exactly they should make sure these duties never fall on them ever again…

Scroll down for the full tale.

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  • Security guard monitoring camera footage.
    via Pablo Merchán Montes

    Security guard monitoring camera footage.

    Model representation. 

  • They got rid of our evening security guard and made us responsible for closing the building

    I work in an office that shares a building with our small warehouse. We used to have a security guy there until around 10pm because people regularly stay late.
    via ChampionEfficient374
  • A few weeks ago he disappeared. I assumed companies they changed or his schedule.
    via ChampionEfficient374
  • Then yesterday my manager sent me a "closing checklist" because I was the last person from my department leaving.
    via ChampionEfficient374
  • I had to walk both floors, check the warehouse side door, make sure the loading dock was locked,
    via ChampionEfficient374
  • turn off a bunch of lights and then arm the building alarm before leaving.
    via ChampionEfficient374
  • Whoever is last out has to do this now. I asked what happened to security and was told they
    via ChampionEfficient374
  • ended the evening contract and this was the new procedure.
    via ChampionEfficient374
  • Security guard walking at night.
    via Getty Images

    Security guard walking at night.

    Stock photo unrelated.

  • Nobody announced any of this. They just turned "locking down an entire building at night" into a random extra
    via ChampionEfficient374
  • responsibility for whichever employee happens to stay latest.
    via ChampionEfficient374
  • I'm definitely leaving at 5 from now on.
    via ChampionEfficient374
  • ShookMyHeadAndSmiled "I used to stay late to do my job. I won't stay late to do someone else's job."
    via ShookMyHeadAndSmiled
  • MuchDevelopment7084 The first thing you do is hit up HR about increased compensation for this added responsibility. I'd
    via MuchDevelopment7084
  • also ask about a release from liability; as you are not a trained security guard. Once they deny both requests. I'd refuse to accept the responsibly.
    via MuchDevelopment7084
  • ShelleyMonique Are they paying you your wage and another one for your security services?
    via ShelleyMonique
  • avacadoindifferent Also if everyone is working till 5 whoever is closing up should stop their work duties early and use the remaining 30 minutes to do the patrol and shut the building so they can also be out on time by 5. Providing the company releases them of all liability of building security.
    via avacadoindifferent

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boss security workplace-stories employee job tales-from-the-workplace night shift workplace security guard company
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