Imagine working the closing shift at a retail store. If your boss told you not to work overtime, would you close the store early, or would you work overtime in order to keep the store open until regular closing time?

In this story, one employee is in this situation, and she decides to follow the boss’s rules; however, the boss didn’t realize what the consequences of an overtime ban would be.

Let’s see how the story plays out.

Overtime ban? Alright, I guess I’d better lock up now.

This is an old story from back when I used to work in the opticians department of a major supermarket chain. I was a part-timer, working 9 hours per week: 3pm-9pm on Saturdays, and 1pm-4pm on Sundays.

Part of my job was to close down the department on both days, because none of the managers liked being around at closing time. The department closed at 9pm on Saturdays but it was often about 9:20 that I actually left.

Closing down a department takes time, mostly because you can’t do it when customers are browsing. Unsurprisingly, I consistently worked more hours than I was supposed to.

They employees were paid very accurately.

All store employees were on the clock, and for some reason the store took readings down to the second. You were paid an hourly rate to within a few seconds of how long you were clocked in for.

My manager (I’ll call her Val, because that was her name) called a meeting at 3pm on a Saturday, which coincidentally was the time I was scheduled to start work.

Everyone in the department was either starting or finishing their shifts within a couple of hours of then, so it was a logical time, but that was about the only logical thing about it.

Val made a new rule.

The thrust of the meeting was that “some people” – she said, looking directly at me down the length of her not-inconsiderable nose – were claiming more than their allotted hours, and that this must stop. Henceforth, all overtime must be approved in writing.

This was entirely her decision.

Other departments didn’t have this problem as long as you weren’t taking the mick.

Fast forward to about 8:45pm. Val and I were the only employees left in the department.

OP tried to make sure she didn’t work overtime.

She started to gather her things, as is her way.

And I started the process of putting our more expensive frames into their night display cases, where they could safely be locked away when the department was closed.

Val: What on Earth are you doing, ThereShallBeWings?

Me: I’m locking up. I have to make sure I don’t go over my hours today.

Val didn’t want OP to lock up yet.

Val: This department has to be open until 9pm. It’s in the store handbook. You can’t lock up right now, my boss will be furious.

Me: You know from experience that it takes a good 10 minutes (I lied, it’s actually more like 20) to lock up. I’m not allowed to be on the premises after I clock out. I have to start locking up otherwise I’ll be disciplined.

I reached for the tannoy and my voice saying “Good evening. Would Mrs Lock please come to the optical department? Mrs Lock to the optical department. Thank you!” resonated through the store – code for “Security, bring the keys, we’re locking up”.

Val seemed pretty stressed out.

Val goes white as a sheet.

The first cracks in her caked-on makeup began to show, I could see the look on her snooty face as a very large penny began to drop.

She yelled “Wait here!” while leaving the department with a purposeful stride.

By the time she’d returned, I’d explained to the security guard, what’s happening. He agreed to play along. We start (slowly) locking down the spectacle frames.

OP got the overtime request.

Val, with sweat starting to show on her brow, wordlessly handed me a hastily-scribbled note authorising 30 minutes of overtime.

I showed it to the security guard, who nodded.

Val left without a word, looking really flustered, just as a customer walked in.

My friend from security unlocked the frames again and I went to serve.

Val changed OP’s schedule.

The following day, Val’s usual snooty demeanour had changed. She didn’t look contrite, but there were definitely a few cracks in her expression.

She took me to one side, and without preamble, handed me a new rota, and launched into what was clearly a well-rehearsed speech.

Val: ThereShallBeWings, I have approved your request to extend your hours to 10 hours a week. I now expect you to work from 3pm until 9:30pm on Saturdays, and from 1pm until 4:30pm on Sundays. I trust that this will not be a problem?

Me: Oh, that’s fine, thank you Val.

Val: And henceforth, if you should happen to work slightly over your hours, do not be overly concerned about it.

It seems that Val learned her lesson, but instead of admitting defeat, she just increased OP’s hours.

Let’s see how Reddit reacted to this story.

The manager clearly messed up.

This person would’ve handled it differently.

Another person loves that OP used the manager’s real name.

This person shares what happened when they weren’t allowed to work overtime.

It’s not always possible to avoid working overtime.

If you liked that story, check out this post about an oblivious CEO who tells a web developer to “act his wage”… and it results in 30% of the workforce being laid off.