I 24M Started at my new job in July this year. Now on my contract my work hours are 8:30am to 5:00pm however I have noticed that my manager comes in at 8:00am but stays till 5pm so I started to do the same however I leave at 4:30pm.
Now at my work majority of people do the 8:30am to 5:00pm, now here’s where it gets tricky. There is one person that gets in way before 8:00am and leave at 4:30pm especially doing some overtime(let’s call them John). There are also a handful of people that get in before 8am and stay after 5pm doing even more overtime.
Now today my manager left at 4:00pm for some reason not to sure why, and so I proceeded to leave at 4:30pm like usual and as I’m on my way out “John” commented for the whole office to hear “oh leaving early because you saw your manager isn’t here, taking a half day are we?” I proceeded to leave and didn’t say anything.
NOW am I the asshole for not doing overtime like most people, or should I just be doing the same work hours as everyone else?
The reason I get to work early is because it takes an hour to drive to work and leaving at 4:30pm allows me to somewhat beat the traffic on the way home
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I 24M Started at my new job in July this year. Now on my contract my work hours are 8:30am to 5:00pm however I have noticed that my manager comes in at 8:00am but stays till 5pm so I started to do the same however I leave at 4:30pm.
Now at my work majority of people do the 8:30am to 5:00pm, now here’s where it gets tricky. There is one person that gets in way before 8:00am and leave at 4:30pm especially doing some overtime(let’s call them John). There are also a handful of people that get in before 8am and stay after 5pm doing even more overtime.
Now today my manager left at 4:00pm for some reason not to sure why, and so I proceeded to leave at 4:30pm like usual and as I’m on my way out “John” commented for the whole office to hear “oh leaving early because you saw your manager isn’t here, taking a half day are we?” I proceeded to leave and didn’t say anything.
NOW am I the asshole for not doing overtime like most people, or should I just be doing the same work hours as everyone else?
The reason I get to work early is because it takes an hour to drive to work and leaving at 4:30pm allows me to somewhat beat the traffic on the way home
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OP has offered the following explanation for why they think they might be the asshole:
> (1) I left work on time even when majority of people in my office do overtime
(2) I think it may make me an asshole because I’m not doing what everyone else is doing and I got called out for it
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Contest mode is 1.5 hours long on this post.
INFO: What does your contract say / what have you agreed with your manager?
Just because someone else has an agreement, doesn’t automatically mean it applies to you. People might be working part time, term time, flexible hours, or have any other arrangements that you’re not going to be informed about
Unless you have an agreed Flexi-Time contract – YTA
You’re contracted to work until 5pm. Whether you start early is irrelevant unless your contract is Flexi-Time
YTA very Gen Z coded
You do not have to do overtime work but if you are not strict to contract that you signed; you will be false forever. I will not call you ASSHOLE but still…
NTA for not working overtime, but you shouldn’t just change your hours because you notice your manager is working other hours, especially not if your contract says something else. There can be heaps of reasons why other people, and in particular your manager, have other official hours than you do.
Talk to your manager about whether you can have flexitime, perhaps with a core time that you have to be there (for example you have to be there between 8:30 to 4:30, but whether you arrive at 8 and leave at 4:30pm, or arrive at 8:30 and leave at 5pm is up to you), or else if they could move your set hours to 8:00 till 4:30pm.
I mean just changing your hours because the manager isn’t there isn’t gonna look good to your colleagues and I think you know that. So up to you as to how bothered you are by their opinion. I know a lot of people are telling you to get it in writing that you can have flexitime but I sense you don’t want to ask for it officially because they might tell you no and then you’re stuffed.
NTA ignore the cheap shot you’ve got a doctor’s appointment for all they know. People make jokes, are assholes, jealous, trying to score points and put others down all the time. Whether others start early or stay late is mostly irrelevant. You don’t necessarily know their contracted hours or the flexibility they have requested for things like picking up kids and they don’t have to know all the specifics of yours.
Going just off the information you’ve posted, you do need to be careful. Your boss is ok, indifferent or unaware of you working 8:00 to 16:30? Yes, they may actually be unaware or assume you are working 8:00 to 17:00 or arriving at 8:00 but starting at 8:30. You don’t even necessarily get credit with your boss for working extra hours. Some will even hold it against you because you can’t get your work done in time.
You aren’t following you contract. You can not follow your contract for years and it is fine until someone decides they don’t like you any more, needs a scapegoat or can’t afford to keep you on. You need at the very least an email from your boss saying 8:00 to 16:30 is acceptable and preferable for them. If it is the hours you’d prefer to work you should actually have the contract amended.
Yta. Just because your boss works at 8, doesn’t mean you should! If your contract is 830 start, you start at 830
Did you actually check with anyone that changing your hours is ok? I take it you haven’t actually seen your managers contract so you have no idea what hours they have specified. It’s unprofessional to just adjust your hours without previous arrangement with managers.
NTA for not doing overtime, since that is your question. Some random other employee is not your boss.
But if your contracted hours are 8:30 – 5:00 and you haven’t got an agreement with management to amend that then you will get comments like this. Are you on salary? Paid by the hour? Paid for production, regardless of time? Required to be present during certain hours? All of these things could affect your situation, so it’s best to get that settled before taking things into your own hands gets you into trouble.
I’m really glad I posted this, I have accepted that I am the Asshole for going outside my contacted hours. I feel like requesting for my hours to be changed this early into a new job may be asking a bit much. But people are right in saying that I need to follow my contracted hours
Deviating from the contract could be grounds for dismissal.
John notices you leaving because you’re arriving after him and leaving at the same time he is.
If you are arrive at 8:30a and leave at 4:30p, you are not only not adhering to your contract, you’re stealing time from the company (unless you made up for the time at lunch/stayed late/made up for it later in the week).
Now you’ve been outted, it’d be prudent to speak with your manager and get authorization for you to leave early/flex your time by amending your contract or agreed to by HR so that you’re operating within its established bounds.
CYA.