Manager Attempts To Manipulate Employee Into Doing 50 Hours Of Unpaid Overtime, Netizens React

“She insisted all my co-workers were doing it and made me feel awful for refusing.”

Jesse

• Published in Interesting
• October 25, 2023

Life after college is that thrilling yet perilous leap into the raw, unforgiving world of adulthood. For our narrator (Original poster), this post-college chapter was a mix of anticipation and apprehension.

OP had just gotten her degree and was ready to embrace independence head-on. Within three months, she landed her first real job.

The new gig might not have been a dream come true, but for her, it was a stepping stone towards adulting, paying the bills, and gaining that elusive work experience. 

OP had just started to settle into this new routine when an unexpected summons arrived from the supervisor's office. The subject of discussion? The ever-dreaded topic of Overtime.

During the meeting, her supervisor proposed an inconceivable scenario – an extra ten hours of work each week. This would push OP’s workload to a backbreaking 50 hours. The kicker? No extra pay in sight.

What made this proposition more bewildering was the reasoning behind it. OP’s supervisor implied all her other co-workers were taking on unpaid overtime, so it was only fitting she followed suit. 

She went on to play the guilt card, emphasizing the importance of cooperation and highlighting how OP’s colleagues were struggling and needed extra help.

OP already had to deal with an exhausting one-hour commute. She couldn’t fathom the thought of enduring a grueling 13-hour workday, so she respectfully declined.

But now, the supervisor’s words won’t stop echoing in OP’s mind. Was she a bad person for not wanting to lend a hand to her struggling coworkers?

Let’s dig into the details

A bit of background

OP’s supervisor wants her to do 10 hours of unpaid overtime work

OP refused giving in, but she has been feeling guilty ever since

Here’s how the Reddit community reacted to the story:

If OP agrees, then the company would probably not hire more hands to take the load of her shoulders

No one can force you to work overtime at your workplace

“NTA. F**k working overtime if you are not gonna be paid for your troubles.”

“NTA. It is against the law to work overtime without getting pain the last time I checked.”

“Where I live a salaried employee is still entitled to overtime pay at time and a half.“

“OT is for when you want to save up for something nice. Not to help your employer for low wages.“

Management should sort themselves out

This Redditor got fired for refusing to work overtime

“NTA. My work used to always try to do this to me even phone me up at random times during the day to get me to do overtime.”

“Guilting or otherwise manipulating people is a bad look for the company.“

Reddit users overwhelmingly support OP in this scenario. Such a demand can genuinely shake one's career confidence. 

Who wouldn't second-guess working an extra ten hours without additional compensation? Time is a valuable commodity, and fair compensation should be non-negotiable. 

If the workload is overwhelming, perhaps it's high time they consider expanding their team rather than stretching their existing workforce to its limits.

What do you think about this story? Let us know in the comments.

Jesse