Imagine working for a large company where a lot of the employees are hourly contractors. What would you do if you were invited to an employee appreciation event, but it was after work hours, you wouldn’t be paid overtime for attending, and you were required to cook something for the potluck?

That’s the situation we hear about in this story, and one employee was furious at how unfair and unappreciative this really was for all the employees. Instead of something nice for them, it was extra work and time without extra pay.

Keep reading to see what happens when she calls the boss out on this event and what the company does to try to solve the problem.

Want me to cook for my own “appreciation” event? Gotta make sure I don’t violate the overtime policy!

Years ago, I worked in a satellite office of a large department (300+ people) in a giant corporation. Half of the staff had salary/benefits while my half was hourly contractors.

The department was run by two vindictive women who were wholly responsible for the toxic environment.

They loved talking about how much they were like sisters; I loved pointing out that when you have sisters like them, one of them ends up under Dorothy’s house.

They pretended like they were doing something nice.

Like most companies, they were constantly blowing smoke up everyone’s butt about how much we’re valued.

And they showed that by inviting us to an Appreciation Potluck!

There were going to be surprises! And delicious treats from our coworkers!

But this actually sounds like more work.

Of course, the other shoe inevitably dropped: the company was providing only soft drinks as alcohol on company property is forbidden (except when it isn’t).

The only food at this “appreciation” potluck was what employees were expected to make (“nothing store-bought – share some love with us!”).

They couldn’t put it in writing, but it got around that failing to cook something would be “noted.”

OP hated everything about this potluck.

It’s tough when the company won’t give you a budget, but it’s tone deaf and insulting to demand people give their own time to prop up the illusion the company cares when half your staff doesn’t get health insurance.

The participation non-mandate came straight from the top, and I wanted them thoroughly, inescapably embarrassed.

Two days before the potluck while on a call with my boss, I dropped the live grenade in her lap:

Boss: oh, before we go, I wanted to ask why you declined my Outlook invite for tomorrow afternoon. What’s up?

OP broke it down…

Me: oh I need to leave early tomorrow to cook for the potluck since I assume you can’t authorize overtime for it.

Boss: overtime?…

Me: My recipe takes an hour or so to cook and the actual potluck is another 2 after business hours, so I was going to leave 3 hours early to keep myself at 40 hours this week.

Boss: wait, you expect to get paid for cooking?

The boss got the message.

Me: Half this staff is hourly contractors. Does this for-profit company expect 150 contractors to donate 3 or more hours of their personal time for their own appreciation meal?

Boss: oh my God… nobody thought of how this looks? [she was asking herself more than me]

Me: or nobody expected to be called on it.

Boss: but who’s getting called on it? Oh… [sighs] you’re at your desk where everyone can hear…

It seems that OP’s message had the desired effect.

Me: correct.

Boss: I have to go.

I did feel bad about dragging her into it – she had enough on her plate – but I knew she’d just toss the grenade up the chain to people who get paid to know better.

Our satellite office wasn’t privy to many details, but I’m told my call sent people panicked and scurrying around at the mother ship, consuming a day and a half of a lot of people’s time.

Mission accomplished.

They made an exception for only this office.

In the end, they moved the potluck to lunchtime (during paid time for contractors) and bought our office pizzas – only our office.

We were, however, instructed not to be eating the pizza when we Skyped in because everyone else would get upset.

And yes, all the satellite offices were Skyping in like this was the Dunder Mifflin Infinity launch.

That’s great that nobody had to cook or work overtime, but what about at the other offices? It’s not fair to them.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a woman who volunteered to help promote a church event for free, then was surprised to find she had to still pay admission to get in.

Let’s see how Reddit responded to this story.

Oh, the sarcasm!

One person shares a story about a work Christmas dinner that didn’t work out the way the boss intended.

A paramedic weighs in.

Another person shares their two favorite lines.

Sometimes, when a company tries to make their employees feel appreciated, they actually feel less appreciated than ever. Requiring employees to socialize with their coworkers after work hours and cook for a potluck is definitely not a way to make feel appreciated. Free pizza for lunch is a step in the right direction, but it still comes across as cheap.

In the past, I’ve worked for some companies that were better at making employees feel appreciated than others. Free food and coffee always helped! When employees don’t feel appreciated, they’re more likely to look for another job.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a person whose colleague expected them to help pay for 11 elaborate birthday cakes they never agreed to buy.