Shutterstock

Imagine working third shift at a company that gives you the option of working voluntary overtime. Would you jump at the chance to make some extra money, or would you rather enjoy your free time with the people you love?

In this story, one man is in this situation, and he would rather hang out with his girlfriend than work overtime. His coworkers seemed really upset at him for not working overtime like they were, and years later, he can’t help wondering if he made the wrong decision.

I think he made the right decision. Keep reading to see if you agree.

AITA for not working voluntary overtime?

This happened a couple years ago. I was working a factory job that I hated.

My girlfriend at the time (now wife) was about to move out of state for a 6 month internship so I was trying to spend as much time with her as my schedule would allow.

I was working third shift and typically flipped my sleep schedule for the weekend so I could be awake during the day.

My company started allowing people to work voluntary overtime.

But he decided not to work overtime.

This was a problem for me because that meant I wasn’t able to flip my sleep schedule and as a result would not be able to spend any decent length of time with my girlfriend over the weekends.

A couple people that I had been friends with starting getting mad at me for not working the voluntary overtime.

My choosing to not work overtime did not affect them in any way. We each worked in our own stations and my not being there did nothing to affect their productivity.

They eventually stopped talking to me altogether and not long after that I moved on to greener pastures.

He says he doesn’t have regrets, but he seems to feel kind of guilty about it.

I really don’t have any regrets because:

1. I chose spending time with someone I loved and who is now my wife over work.

2. Those people deciding to stop talking to me was the push I needed to quit that awful job. I now no longer work thirds and am in a dream job of sorts.

That being said I can’t help the bad feeling I get when I think back on it. Did I do something wrong? Am I the jerk here?

It’s voluntary overtime. That means it’s optional. Obviously, he didn’t do anything wrong.

Let’s see if Reddit agrees.

This person doesn’t think he did anything wrong.

Never Miss a Story

Sign up to get our BEST stories of the week straight to your inbox.

Another person is on his side.

One person thinks the friends might’ve been jealous.

Nobody thinks he should worry about this at all.

His former friends need to stop living rent free in his head. He didn’t do anything wrong. He chose not to volunteer his time to work extra hours. That’s a choice, and it’s a perfectly fine one.

Maybe his friends were jealous, but that’s their problem. He made the right choice for him and needs to stop worrying about a decision that doesn’t even matter anymore.

Add TwistedSifter to your Google News Add us as a preferred source on Google

Author

Jayne Elliott

Jayne Elliott | Contributing Writer, Life & Drama

Jayne Elliott is a contributing writer and editor for TwistedSifter specializing in human interest stories, internet culture, and family dynamics. With over 12 years of editorial experience in digital publishing, Jayne excels at analyzing complex online communities and transforming viral social debates into thoughtful, highly engaging narratives.

Rather than simply aggregating internet drama, Jayne brings a sharp, empathetic editorial eye to everyday dilemmas. She has a unique talent for unpacking the nuances of pop culture and online conflicts, providing readers with relatable, well-researched commentary.

Based in California, Jayne spends her free time outside the newsroom exploring theme parks with her family or beach-combing along the coast.

Follow Jayne's adventures and connect with her on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.