Employee stands up against unfair workplace rules by working overtime for extra pay

In the workplace, there are instances when rules may appear nonsensical or illogical. Employees often encounter situations where they scratch their heads, wondering why certain rules exist. These absurd rules can be incredibly frustrating, especially when they seem to hinder efficiency or create unnecessary complications. Reddit user u/SpoodsMcBeef shared their story of encountering a seemingly ridiculous rule at their workplace.

The post begins with the author recounting their experience working in the deli department of a grocery store. According to the rules, they were expected to clean up and prepare to leave by 9 pm. However, a customer arrived at 8:55 pm, seeking freshly cut deli supplies. When they were unable to fulfill the request, the customer complained to the store director, who, in turn, reacted unfavorably towards the worker. This encounter proved to be a significant mistake on the store director's part.

It was the employee and one other man working at the time. He describes that night as having been particularly busy and how they had fallen behind on their cleaning as a result of that. They explain, "A woman walks up to the counter and starts looking through the product, as we had a glass case filled with a bunch of types of our lunch meats pre-sliced and ready to go for bagging up. She looks at one and says, 'I want this turkey right here, but I want it freshly sliced.'"

Having cleaned up the slicers in sanitizer and preparing to close the counter for the day, the employee tried explaining to her, "Well, ma'am, we really can't do that right now, our slicers are both being cleaned at the moment as the department is closed in 5 minutes, but I'd be glad to get you something here from our cold case."

The woman was unhappy to hear this and questioned, "So you're not gonna slice it fresh for me, that's what you're saying?" To which the author firmly replied that they would not and apologized for the inconvenience. The lady walked away without uttering another word leaving both workers to resume their tasks and finish cleaning up. They managed to clock out just in time after about five more minutes.

Two days later, during a regular workday, the author gets unexpectedly called into the office of the "Store Director." The director hands them a piece of paper, a printed-out screenshot of a scathing Google review for the store. The review gives the store a one-star rating and includes a paragraph of complaints about not receiving freshly sliced meat from a "rude employee," specifically referring to the author.

During the meeting, the author provided a detailed explanation of the incident from two nights ago, trying to clarify their actions. However, the store director grew increasingly agitated, cutting them off and insisting on the importance of customer service. The director disregarded the author's concerns about overtime and demanded that the slicers be attended to until the end of their scheduled shift.

After this frustrating encounter, the author and their coworker responded with a spiteful yet impactful act. They stayed past closing time, ensuring shelves were fully stocked as instructed. They worked tirelessly until 3 am, amassing around 6 hours of overtime, despite the management's disapproval of any overtime. Surprisingly, the deli department manager acknowledged their point and allowed them to keep the overtime without repercussions.

The experience proved to be a turning point for the author, who eventually moved on to a better-paying job, never returning to the world of retail. Users on the platform supported the author's decision. u/Dawn_37 commented, "When between a rock and a hard place, the only thing to do is be water."