Boss increases salaried employees hours from 9-5 to 7-5 after team goes from 5 employees to 2 employees: 'Is that a red flag?'

Author image for Emmy Pratt
Emmy Pratt • Senior Editor
Sep 18, 2026 12:30 PM EDT

What would you do if your job did this? 

You don't realize how much time you have until you no longer have it. I am grateful every day that my workday doesn't start until 10 AM, because it gives me so much more flexibility in the morning and in the evening. I can stay up late on work nights, and I can wake up early for doctor's appointments if I need to. I don't always use my extra time well, as shown by mornings I've spent lying in bed for 2 hours watching TikToks after waking up at 7 AM. I probably would get a lot more done around the house and read a lot more if I didn't waste my extra time with endless scrolling. At the end of the day, my free time is mine to waste. If I want to waste it by scrolling, that's my prerogative! If I had to work from 10 AM to 10 PM, I would feel a lot differently about how I used my time outside of work. I would have to use every waking hour for something essential, like cooking, washing, and cleaning. I wouldn't have any time for leisure during the week, and I'd have to adjust my schedule accordingly. 

Losing two hours of free time can drastically change your daily schedule. The employee in this story was miffed when he found out his boss was adding two extra hours to his workday and more work on top of that. He doesn't want to act like an entitled young person who doesn't want to work, but he's understandably alarmed by new expectations thrust on him without more pay or even a conversation about whether he could handle it. His boss just expected him to go along with it, and he's probably not going to do that. He has other options. 

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  • Business man having problems at work
    via Getty Images (Unsplash+)

    A stressed worker starts his day at the office at 7 AM, down from 9 AM.

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

  • My salaried position is changing 9-5 to 7-5. Am I being entitled, or is that a red flag?

    Basically the title - my current position has been a salaried 9-5 sales position. Honestly, I'm trying to check myself here and make sure I'm not being an entitled millennial who "just doesn't want to work." To put a very long story short, our sales team.
    via u/ThePoobahsJester
  • shrunk from 5 to 2 people, and one of the solutions is giving me a new territory. I'm the west coast rep, but I was just told I am being given mountain territory, and will now be expected to work 7am-5pm (minimum, this obviously doesn't include
    via u/ThePoobahsJester
  • networking events, expectations to be on the clock later, etc). This was not a request, nor was it discussed prior, it is just...what my schedule is now. No change in salary, no change in comp structure, no new tools or support (not that we have anything other
    via u/ThePoobahsJester
  • than email and hubspot anyways). I have a new opportunity lined up that I'm really thinking of taking, but I cannot stress enough how cognizant of my own ego I want to be. To me, this feels like a rug pull, but maybe I'm just burnt out and looking for
    via u/ThePoobahsJester
  • a final straw. Is this acceptable to you, or do you feel this is a red flag request. Edit: to be clear, I have been offered a new job. The "risk" is that it's 1099 work where a majority of sales comes from commission. That being said, every rep there is making more than I am currently, and
    via u/ThePoobahsJester
  • I have seen the confirmed numbers to prove it. Assuming I hit their comp, I will be making more money there than I currently am, and have a more flexible schedule. I really do want to check my ego on this one hahaha
    via u/ThePoobahsJester
  • False Appointment_24 It's absolutely a rug pull, and often a sign that the company is going down. When teams shrink and the response is to just squeeze more out of the remaining people, you have to worry that the problem is they cannot afford to hire anyone else. If they can't afford it now, they aren't going to turn it around with a smaller staff that will necessarily have to provide less service. Get out.
    via u/False_Appointment_24
  • robot_ankles Is this a temp situation while they're hiring replacements? Approximately how big is the company? Was the reduction from 5 to 2 a temporary situation or are they just not backfilling after people leave? That would be a yellow flag. Eliminating sales positions? Red flag.
    via u/robot_ankles
  • ThePoobahsJester OP Not a temp situation, this is to be the new norm indefinitely. The company is extremely small. 5 to 2 is not temporary, they are maaaaybe hiring one more rep but it seems very unlikely, and it would not be for this new territory. Two of the people were fired, and the third quit after being asked where his sales were two months into ramp.
    via u/ThePoobahsJester
  • No_Inside_2908 Time to change jobs
    via u/No_Inside_2908
  • Mortgage-Love It's a tough economy right now so it's probably not easy to just change jobs. That being said, they are really I you over and I would start to plan an escape route now (in your case, seriously considering taking that escape route). 50 hour work weeks minimum is insane. Nothing more valuable, to me, then work life balance.
    via u/Mortgage-Love
  • ThePoobahsJester OP Like I said, fortunately I have a new job offer. Slight pay decrease at first, but every sales rep there is making more money than I make now, and it's a flexible schedule. Time to jump ship, I suppose. Thanks for the input, sometimes I worry my work ethic isn't "enough," and I really try to not complain and just work hard. But this feels like bulls
    via u/ThePoobahsJester
  • Advanced Aerie5854 Yeah, I would be running from the current job so fast. No free chicken. You want to increase my workday by 25%, and take on new territories as well, thats added value and I would expect that to be reflected in my compensation. Also, I would ask "Monday or Friday"? Pick one and because I am not working ome of those days.
    via u/Advanced_Aerie5854
  • Odd_Addition_256 10 extra hours more work with no compensation adjustment? No, you're not being entitled.
    via u/Odd_Addition_256
  • ThePoobahsJester OP That's my gut instinct. I appreciate all the insight though. People are asking the same questions | asked, which is good to see that I went down a "logical" route.
    via u/ThePoobahsJester
  • Fair-Literature8300 It is not a red flag or a rug pull It is a fork in the road. The winds have shifted and the ship is changing course. It may feel as though the company does not care about you... well.... they never did. If you and stick it out and make it work, well, great! But, if it were me, I would worry that there are only going to more and more changes. If it were me, I would be actively exploring my options elsewhere... even if I decided to try to stay put.
    via u/Fair-Literature8300
  • AstralMinotaur At the end of the day, what you put up with at work mostly comes down to what your options are, and less about what's "typical". If you have few prospects and need the job then maybe you have a conversation, but you'll probably sk it up. if you have prospects and don't need the job then maybe you have a conversation, and decide to start pursuing options if they hold firm. Most corporate jobs are 8-5. Most will leave it to the individual on when or if they carve out time for lunch.
    via u/AstralMinotaur
  • Ok Plastic5399 They gave you an additional territory? I've never been in a sales position that had a particular territory, but isn't that a good thing? More customers? It's not a pay raise, but it's kind of a pay raise if you're good at sales, right?
    via u/Ok_Plastic5399

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schedule salary boss employee coworkers sale sales Horrible Bosses red flags red flag work schedule
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