Imagine having a manager who tells you that you’re not allowed to work overtime. Would you be happy to have a healthy work life balance, or would you be annoyed because it’s helpful to your job and your paycheck to work a little overtime?

In this story, one employee shares that she never worked a lot of overtime, but sometimes she would stay a little late to finish a project she was working on. It was never a problem until her new manager made it a problem and told her not to work overtime anymore.

Managers need to think before they speak because this manager tried to backpedal and pretend that she never actually said that. Thankfully, the employee had proof.

If you take something from this story, always get it in writing, and don’t be scared of a meeting with HR when you have proof that your manager is lying.

Let’s read the whole story.

No overtime, no problem

Been working at this job for some years when I got a new manager.

A month or so into her working there, she came into my office and told me I wasn’t allowed to work overtime anymore and if I have any issues, we can discuss it.

The way she said it sounded like she was expecting this to really hurt me. I sent an email to confirm the conversation we had and her response basically said, “Correct, no more time theft!”

She explains why she sometimes worked a little bit of overtime.

I didn’t really like that accusation.

I usually stayed a little late by 30 minutes at most to finish up projects.

A lot of projects come in last minute and other managers were thankful for my help.

So I quit staying to finish projects and wouldn’t start a new one if there wasn’t enough time.

She explained the situation.

No real issues but some projects started falling through the cracks.

I let the other managers know my manager told me no more overtime and I’m just following orders.

Fast forward barely a month later. As I’m leaving for the day, she rushes to me asking if I can work on, you guessed it, a last minute project. It’s potentially worth millions!

I explained how I’ve got plans and I’m not about to be a thief.

A surprise meeting with HR usually isn’t a good sign.

Next day was too quiet.

In the afternoon, I get a request to have a meeting with my manager and HR. Usually you get a written complaint beforehand so I’m still a little off guard. I could at least be a little prepared.

At the meeting, my manager reads off grievances like it’s an intervention. She frames it like I have antisocial behavioral issues, insubordinate, and I don’t go the extra mile. If you let her keep going, I wouldn’t be surprised if I was somehow to blame for the company not reaching it’s goals.

When she finally finished (she had to have started writing that the night before and into the next day), I asked if it’s okay if I had my say.

She had proof that her manager was lying.

I pointed out a lot was just her opinion and I’m overall well liked. I always do exactly what she says. However, my manager likes to constantly move projects around while I’m working on them and I’m not allowed overtime.

She denies ever saying this so I forward the email to HR.

My manager then starts backtracking she didn’t mean it permanently.

HR takes me off the call a bit.

HR was on OP’s side.

When they come back, it’s just HR and I start by saying I’m not signing anything.

They tell me let’s agree to disagree, this has been one big miscommunication, and they appreciate all the work I do.

I asked to confirm if this was going to be held against me in any way and they said no. They went on to say if I can stay late sometimes, great but it’s also okay that I leave after my 8 hours.

My manager later quit in less than a year.

That manager sounds so annoying! She can’t make a rule and then get mad at the employee for actually following the rule! HR must have chewed her out.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this story about an employee who followed bad orders, then ruined their manager’s career for good measure.

Let’s see how Reddit responded to this story.

A manager shares the rules of being a manager.

Yes, this is a good summary of the entire story.

Always get it in writing.

This isn’t a bad idea.

That manager is an awful manager. Not only did she accuse her employee of stealing just because she used to work a little overtime, but then she accused her of being a horrible employee because she refused to work a little overtime. It’s a lose lose situation with that boss. No matter what you do, she’ll complain.

While the manager was stupid to lie to HR, it’s kind of a good thing for OP that she did. It gave OP the opportunity to defend herself while also shedding light on the real bad employee in the meeting, which was the manager.

When a bad manager makes a stupid decision, it can actually work to the employee’s advantage.