Workplace flexibility can vanish the moment the wrong person takes charge.

One employee spent years proving herself as a high-performing employee, but when a new boss with a chip on her shoulder took over, things got personal fast.

When the flexibility in her schedule disappeared, she decided to only work when she was required to work.

Read on for the full story.

I need to work regular office hours? Sure thing!

I used to work for a nonprofit that has very important government contracts. My role expanded quite a bit over the years, and they weren’t sure who I should report to.

Now, the executive director of my state didn’t like me. I think it’s because I take up a lot of space when I know what I’m talking about.

I was not thrilled when I became her direct report. She has her own problems and I don’t suffer fools when it comes to my money.

But before the executive director became her boss, she had a great deal of flexibility in how she did her job.

Before I reported to her, my boss didn’t care what hours I worked or where I worked from. Which was perfect for me as a single mom of two who got her Bachelor’s and Master’s while working there full time.

I had weekly one-on-one meetings with my new boss (the ED) on the day she “worked” from home.

As a child of an alcoholic, she could really tear me down sometimes.

But I put up with her tirades.

So when the employee had some life stuff come up, this new boss was less than understanding.

But here’s the kicker.

My cousin got diagnosed with breast cancer about 4 months after her husband left her.

I was her only family in the area. So I told the ED that I would need to take her to chemo, etc.

Suddenly the new boss started bringing the hammer down on all her flexibility.

She told me that I had to take PTO for those times I was going to be with my cousin.

I was a salaried employee, so I didn’t understand, but whatever.

AND she added that I needed to be in the office from 8:30 to 5:30 every day per my contract.

Great! So I started working those hours.

But that’s when the new boss started noticing things getting dropped.

A couple of weeks in, she asked me why I was telling my internal customers that I didn’t have time to do their marketing.

I told her that I was working my contract hours. And was no longer logging on at home from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. to make sure everything was done.

So she then had a choice to make.

The look on her face was priceless.

She didn’t change her mind, though.

She had to hire another marketer. Not great for her nonprofit budget!

This story ended with one less overworked employee and one very stressed executive director!

What did Reddit think?

Seems like the boss’ own ego really got in the way here.

Work shouldn’t always be the most important thing in life.

It seems like this employee really dodged a bullet.

Turns out it’s expensive to replace free labor!

If you liked this post, check out this story about an employee who got revenge on a co-worker who kept grading their work suspiciously low.