Boss Uses Tricks To Reduce Long Lunchtimes Backfired, Allowing Employees To Get A Higher Paycheck

A boss tried to crack down on long lunches, and the move ended up costing the company more money instead of less.

In this Reddit story, a shift team lead had been taking extra unpaid break time for years, which quietly helped keep overtime down. Then a supervisor stepped in, demanded strict schedule compliance, and accidentally set up a paycheck surprise nobody saw coming.

The result was awkward, expensive, and a little too satisfying for the employee at the center of it all. Here's how it played out.

Boss Doesn’t Know This Guy Takes Longer Lunches Just To Cut Overtime

Jorge Franganillo (not the actual image)

The OP simply conformed maliciously because he knew he would be paid more as a result of these demands. As a result, the group worked for a month straight, without any regular breaks, strictly in accordance with the boss's demands.

Here's the full story below:

Team Lead

u/mattchica20

An Edit for Clarification

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The Main Topic

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It Didn't Matter

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I Needed to Be More Punctual

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I Can Do Better

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I Did Better

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And the Time Starts Now...

RBerteig (not the actual image)

When it came time to get paid, it turned out that the OP's paycheck was the largest he'd ever seen since starting his job. Supervisors also examined the payroll and realized that something was wrong!

As a consequence, despite the fact that he'd just innocuously asked, "What about the recent ban?" the team leader was officially directed to resume his extended lunch practice. As stated by the OP, he was sent home early this time because he had simply completed the Research plan.

My Biggest Paycheck

u/mattchica20

Working Schedules

u/mattchica20

No Long Lunches

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Straight Up Refused

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It Felt Super Awesome

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To Sum It All Up

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Now That Is How You Get Things Done

Andy Tyler (not the actual image)

The manager apparently only recently realized that he had been doing them a "favor" all along by reducing his overtime with these long lunches. Other Redditors quickly responded with their own similar stories from a wide range of companies and industries.

It’s a lot like the coworker confrontation over stolen office lunch, where etiquette and personal boundaries blew up fast.

But That's Not Possible

Santasotherbrother

No More Overtime

CheapConsideration11

Exactly

dsdvbguutres

Three Things Have to Happen

mikemojc

The Whole Thing

hmo_

Not Following

skiddelybop

Better Schedules

rpskallionprince

Check This Out

ChaosDragoon89

Word Came Down

night-otter

They Need to Schedule Better

dublea

Stop Doing That

Dear_Analysis_5116

Another Story

McDuchess

Like What?

Mander2019

Clock Out and Stay Longer

wuestenwind

Such an inept and tyrannical employer can be found at almost all managerial levels, it turns out. It is common knowledge that employees become more motivated and diligent when they know they will be compensated for working extra hours.

What are your thoughts on this matter? Please share your thoughts in the comments section.

Wait, things turned worse for the employee who confronted a lunch thief at work. Colleague Caught Stealing Lunch: Did Confronting Him Go Too Far?