Imagine having a boss who used to allow you to work overtime if a customer came in right before closing, but now, you’re not allowed to work overtime.

Would you leave as soon as your shift is over, or would you be willing to stay late even though you wouldn’t get paid for it?

In this story, one employee is in this situation and refuses to stay late. Her boss is not pleased.

Let’s read all the details.

AITA For not staying late at work when my boss said no overtime?

I work as an event coordinator at an establishment I’d rather not name. My job is to sell/ create events for kids birthday parties, adult events, etc.

Our boss used to allow all the overtime we wanted. But a few weeks ago, she sent us a text saying, “Moving forward. No one is permitted to work outside of their scheduled times. We are no longer able to have over time.”

Most of our sells are done over the phone, but sometimes people will come in-person to tour the facility and to discuss the event they want to have. These conversations can take anywhere between 30 minutes all the way up to an hour sometimes.

Sometimes, a customer will come in to book an event when I’m clocking out. But even if we were allowed over time, I have a life outside of work. I cannot stay 30 minutes late at a moment’s notice.

Her boss seems to expect her to work for free.

Tonight, it was just my boss and I in the office and it was 6:59pm (I get off at 7pm) when a family walks in to book a birthday party. So I politely asked the family to take a seat and to wait one moment.

Then I went into my boss’s office to ask her if she would like to see the family or if she would rather I take their info and call them tomorrow morning.

She got mad and said she couldn’t believe I’ve been, “turning people away” instead of staying late to help them.

I apologized and told her I know we aren’t allowed to work overtime any longer and I told her that I couldn’t stay late tonight because I had plans (that was a lie).

Her boss was not happy.

So she started helping them (I heard her tell them the office was closed though) and I clocked out and got in my car.

Soon after I left, she calls me to complain about what I did.

I politely explain to her that I schedule my personal life around the schedule she gives us and I cannot stay late at a moment’s notice because I have things going on outside of work. I also referenced the fact that she told us we are no longer allowed to go over 40 hours.

She said we’ll have to change my schedule around so that I can stay late when I need to.

She’s worried about what’s going to happen to her schedule.

I asked her if she was going to cut my hours (something she just did to my co-worker because she was mad at him) but she said she’ll have to make my shifts different times.

I told her that even if I get off at 5pm, if I have to be somewhere after work, I wont be able to stay late.

She said she has to do what’s best for the company and that we’ll have to have a conversation tomorrow.

So I took a screenshot of the text she sent us telling us that overtime is no longer allowed.

She’s a reliable employee.

I have never been late for work and I never leave early.

During our last 2 meetings she told me that I’ve been doing a great job. So I think it’s more than reasonable that I leave when my shift is over.

Those are the hours we agreed to, so those are the hours I’m prepared for.

If she’s not supposed to work overtime, she shouldn’t be expected to be willing to work overtime.

Let’s see how Reddit reacted to this story.

Here’s a suggestion to look for a different job.

Another person votes for job hunting now.

This is a good point.

This is a very good suggestion!

When the work day is over, bosses shouldn’t expect employees to keep working.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a daughter who invited herself to her parents’ 40th anniversary vacation for all the wrong reasons.