‘I took my apron off and walked out.’ Her Boss Kept “Forgetting” Her Break. So, She Forced The Issue.

It can be hard to find a job that you not only like, but that really fits with your life and schedule.

And if you manage to find it, good luck also getting a boss you actually like as part of the package.

OP is working on campus while attending college classes, which is working out great. She doesn’t even mind doing the closing shifts because she gets to take the extra food home (basically hitting the jackpot for college kids).

I worked in a cafeteria on campus at my university. It was wonderful because I could take shifts around lectures and didn’t lose time travelling.

The manager used to sit in her office on the phone or just disappear for long periods of time. I didn’t mind because I liked my other coworkers and she left us alone to do our thing.

I always volunteered to do the closing shift because the owner let me take home all the leftover food, it basically kept me and my housemates alive and we were very grateful.

The only problem is that even though she’s required to take a break, she almost never had the opportunity to do so.

Which she was also whatever about…until she found out she wasn’t being paid for the full five hours she was working because the 30 minute break was assumed.

The problem was, on a 5 hour or longer shift, you had to take a 30 minute break. I’d always ask when mine was but she’d always say later, we’re too busy. I’d usually end up just working the whole 5 hours.

I didn’t mind until I realised she was only paying me for 4.5! I asked her about it and she said if I didn’t take my breaks that wasn’t her problem. Cue malicious compliance.

So, she decided to take the break at the end of the night and watch her supervisor deal with the fallout.

Now, she gets a break – and so does everyone else.

My next closing shift was 4.5 hours of opening hours and finished 30 minutes after closing. Everyone else went at 7 and I stayed back by myself to clean everything in 30 minutes. It was a big job but I had it down pat.

The entire shift I kept asking her if I could take my break and she kept saying no. So, at 7, I took my apron off and walked out, saying I’ll be taking my break now since we were too busy before.

I sat in the cafeteria and watched her clean that entire place. It took her well over an hour.

The next day she had a break schedule up!

Does Reddit love this story? Let’s find out!

The top comment loves the response, but says OP needs to take it further – and more official.

This person agrees, and thinks the business owners might like to hear about it, too.

There are managers out there who are doing it right.

And this commenter says they should go directly to the IRS.

They say wage theft is a big issue across the board.

I wonder if they will make more of a stink.

Or just be happy with the change they’ve got for themselves.