If there’s one thing that seems to be true about the bosses that get called out on Reddit, it’s that they have a hard time deciphering when they’re already getting their money’s worth (or more).
OP works for his uncle. Because his role is flexible, his schedule is, too – meaning he works until his job is done. Some weeks he works 60 hours, others might be less than 40.
I (31M) started working for my uncle two years ago, he has a company with some business partners of his, my work is now being directly under him, learning every perk of running the business and also being a personal assistant to him.
We settled on a contract in which I’d recieve a fixed monthly amount with a bonus of an additional salary by the end of every year, and while I had no overtime pay, I had total control of my work schedule, and by total I meant TOTAL, where I could come to the job just 3 days a week as long as I delivered results.
They agreed he would get a base monthly salary with an end-of-year bonus option, but that he would not receive overtime.
Both were happy with this arrangement.
My uncle knew my work ethic so is kinda of a win for him since when needed i’d work 60-65 hours a week, if needed to, also I could work during a holiday (we have around 10-12 festivities days that are non working days – if i were to put into an American perspective, is just as if we had over 10 july 4th holidays during the year), also I was avaliable on call nearly 24/7 if anyone needed anything from me related to work.
Then the uncle went out of town to meet with clients and the guy who stepped in didn’t like that OP wasn’t coming or going “on time” while he was in charge.
Work was running great until september last year when my uncle took a couple days to travel to another state to meet new clients and one of his associates (let’s call him Gordon) took his role in the company for a those days to suport some of his roles.
due to having worked a 14 hour shift the day before the travel, and also having 2 12 hour shifts the week before I was dead tired, and since we had little to no work piled up i took a early leave the first day he was there and arrived way after lunch the day after, then started working normaly from the 3rd day until he came back a week later.
he was furious at my “attitude” berating my uncle for even contracting me in the first place, since i don’t even work full regular hours and demand among the other business partners (the company has in total 6 owners including my uncle), that I at least punch in my working hours.
If i don’t meet the “quota”, those would be deducted from my monthly payment.
All of the owners met and demanded OP clock in and out every day, thinking that his pay would be reduced.
there’s a ton of labor laws were i live, employees have a certain amont of hours required to work each month, every hour short of that is deducted from the monthly payment, and every hour beyond is payed as overtime.
other partners backed up Gordon’s Claim stating that I needed more supervision on what I was doing, which my uncle was forced to comply.
His only remark was “since we’re doing by law, it means that we also will pay him overtime according to the law, right?” – they all agreed and from October forward I would start punching my hours on the job everyday.
Instead, OP is making 30% more due to required overtime laws.
cue the malicious compliance, that was exactly what i did, Gordon was expecting a decrease on my pay due to being in the company at my least busy week since I arrived, when in fact i usually pull a crapload of overtime, also, if they need to call me after I left they have to punch in the hours from the moment I left until the I finish the call, resulting in “free” overtime pay.
One more thing, by the law the rate of overtime pay increases the more overtime is done in a month, is a really weird formula, but to simplify my average overtime hours pays 1/3 higher than the average overtime hours of other employees that have the same monthly salary as me.
My monthly income is now 30% higher due to the overtime I started recieving and in a busy month that could get even close to 50% higher even though I am actually working a little less than before.
Gordon can’t go back in the same situation as before, since my uncle made sure that once i started punching my hours there was no going back, and all partners approved.
This is a rare tale of when working for family actually comes out in your favor!
The top commenter thinks OP’s uncle is a stand-up guy.
This person advises OP to take the high road with the other owners now.
And this commenter agrees, but thinks OP could twist the knife a little.
Others didn’t think this technically qualified as malicious compliance.
To others, though, it make sense.
I’m actually glad OP got called out.
Now all is fair in the pay department.