Newsflash, It's Apparently Unethical To Have Plans An Hour After Work According To This Workaholic Manager

It's a good thing one of the employees is not a doormat and confronted the manager in front of the director

Chelsi

• Published in Interesting
• September 18, 2022

Having back-to-back Zoom meetings can be incredibly exhausting. What's even more exasperating are meetings, whether via video conferencing or in-person, are meetings scheduled methodically close to the official end of the business day.

Naturally, OP's boss held a 4:15 PM Zoom meeting on a Friday which went on for more than 45 minutes. OP had other plans and it was obvious to him that the meeting was not about to end anytime soon.

He apologized and told his manager that he had other plans right after the shift ended which is why he had to go. His manager was ticked off by this and announced to the room that everyone should leave at least the first hour after work free in case they are needed.

She said that even though their office hours are 9 AM to 5 PM, it's actually 8 AM to 6 PM if they are ever needed to do some extra work. OP muted himself and laughed at his manager's response.

He reiterated that he really had to go. Plus, his contract says his job ends at 5 PM officially and he can do whatever he wanted during that free time.

There was another meeting scheduled the next Monday and OP is hoping that their director joins in on the meeting in case the manager brings up the hours again. OP says their director is pretty chill with their time as long as their job is done properly.

Here's OP's first post:

Managers are known to schedule meetings close to the end of work hours

OP hopes everything will be okay

OP gave an update after their Monday meeting:

OP brought up the issue to the director when the manager failed to do so

OP said he wanted an official contract that would reflect his new work hours as stated by their manager to make sure he was compensated properly. His director had absolutely no idea about what the manager said.

The manager told OP they should set up a separate meeting about it later. It was obvious that OP caught his manager off guard but he at least clued in his director about it.

OP's manager sent him a message asking him jump in on a call and to admonish him for bringing up the work hours issue in front of their director without giving her a head's up which OP found hilarious

During the call, OP's manager asked him why he brought the issue up with the director

She said the discussion is more of a manager-employee conversation. After she said that, OP said he would be more comfortable if the director was a part of their meeting and if the exchange was properly documented.

His manager said she felt that OP was undermining her authority but did agree to book a meeting with their director

During their next meeting, OP's director agreed with him

He said that OP and the other employees are not expected to work 50 hours a week without their contract reflecting it. They only work from 9 AM to 5 PM and anything they do during their free time is none of the company's business.

OP's manager apologized for the way she worded things

She said she should not have implied that OP has to work an extra hour every day "just in case." The manager also acquiesced that if she ever needs OP to work overtime, she will make sure that OP is notified and his hours are properly documented.

OP is satisfied with how things turned out after their meeting. He says he will remain vigilant in case his manager decides to treat him differently after this.

If only OP's manager was this thoughtful

If the work is so important, why should it fall on the shoulders of an intern who is probably unpaid?

Unless it's a life or death situation, you shouldn't stress about it

... even in actual life-saving work, extra hours are a no-no because stress causes people to make mistakes

People who have a boss who are this transparent should be really grateful

Most workers have had to deal with a manager like this one who passes the blame on their employees for their own mistakes

No one should schedule their Friday meetings an hour before the end of the workday...

...unless it's to announce good news or an excuse to do nothing

This should be a norm or at least an unspoken rule because it's no secret that people just want to fast forward to their weekend off

OP was right on the nose here, unfeeling business owners and management will spin everything to make it look like it's the worker's fault

OP's manager overestimated the power she had over the employees when she made that bold announcement. Expecting your employees to work additional hours daily without pay is a ridiculous ask.

She obviously didn't foresee OP standing up for himself, and essentially his colleagues, and it blew up in her face. We're waiting to hear from OP if the manager ever retaliates, "just in case."

Chelsi