I’ve never really understood the phrase “have your cake and eat it too,” but listen.

If ever it applied, it might be in this situation here.

You can’t be late anymore, you are to work only your set schedule. Ok, you’re the boss..

So after I graduated college I went back to work at my high school job at a large auto parts chain.

I have a few stories of malicious compliance from there because it was a miserable place to work with miserable management, but I think this one takes the cake.

She often stayed late to get a bit of overtime and to buy some goodwill with her manager.

I lived about 15 minutes from the store and would routinely work 1-2hrs past my shift to help the manager close up and tally cash sale receipts(we were mainly wholesale so the cash receipts were a small portion of the sales and had to be tallied by hand).

I’d also take out the trash, prep and stage the first deliveries for the next morning, as well as sweep the store front. I didn’t mind doing these things because I got a little OT out of it, got in the good graces of the manager(or so I thought).

My drive home was short, staying a little late and letting traffic die down was fine with me.

Except, he busted her balls one morning for walking in late – even though she’d stayed two hours over the night before to help him.

One morning I walked in at about 9:07, when my shift was scheduled to start at 9am.

I didn’t see what the big issue was since I had been staying late every day for months helping him close the store, but he apparently took issue with it that day.

Which would have been fine if he had said something along the lines of “hey, liabilitylandon, you’re late and I know you worked long yesterday, but let’s still get here on time.”

But that isn’t what he said.

He flew off the handle and went on about needing to “work my schedule” and “we have schedules for a reason” and “you just need to be at work for the schedule that I made you”.

Well needless to say, since I had been staying late for months to help him close the store(it’s against policy to not have 2+ people in the store at a time) despite it not being “on my schedule”, this rubbed me the wrong way.

So, I convinced myself that instead of causing a scene and yelling, I would just do EXACTLY what he said.

So, she clocked out on time.

So, 5:30 rolls around(we closed at 6) and I stood in front of the computer until it hit 5:30 exactly, clocked out, and started walking towards the door.

Manager: where are you going?!

Me: home.

Manager: what? Why? Who is going to help me close the store tonight?

Me: I dunno, but you made it very clear I was to “work my schedule”. So, I get off at 5:30, it’s now 5:30, and I’m going home.

And I walked out.

She spent a few more days just working her schedule, as instructed.

The next morning I got there at 8:55 and just stood in front of the computer until it hit 9:00.

Phones ringing? Too bad, my shift hasn’t started.

Deliveries need to go out? Sorry, I’m not on the clock yet.

I clocked in at 9:00, and then clocked out at 5:30.

Same conversation as the day before about who was going to help him close.

Eventually he decided a few minutes in the morning didn’t matter so much.

The third morning I walk in, and he waits for me to clock in, then pulls me aside to talk to me.

Manager: you know, I think we can overlook a few minutes in the morning if you stay and help me close.

Me: oh, interesting. I thought I was supposed to just work my schedule.

Manager: yeah well I guess we can overlook that.

I had very few problems with this manager after that little exchange.

You know Reddit is going to consider this a big win!

Not all managers can admit their mistakes.

He definitely couldn’t have it both ways.

No one said he’s smart.

Sometimes you just have to move on.

No one likes to work for a boss like that.

She’s a hero for the way she handled this.

I hope someone gave her a cape.

If you liked that post, check out this one about an employee that got revenge on HR when they refused to reimburse his travel.