New Employee’s Refusal to Play Along With Weekend Work Hours Unleashed a Storm The Office Didn’t Anticipate.

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In a workplace where promises of work-life balance lure talent, the Original Poster (OP) grapples with a boss’s unexpected after-hours demands and mounting peer pressure. As OP courageously defends their right to personal time, tensions with coworkers escalate to a breaking point, forcing a confrontation that challenges the office’s status quo.

Promised Work-Life Balance

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OP was hired for a job that strongly emphasized work-life balance. The job was described as one that would respect personal time and never required late nights or weekend shifts. However, this promised balance was not what it seemed.

The Unexpected Calls

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Soon after joining, OP’s boss began calling them during off-hours. Using OP’s personal number from their resume, the boss frequently disturbed their evenings and weekends. This was not what OP had signed up for.

The Work Phone Excuse

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When questioned about not answering calls, OP cleverly used their work phone as an alibi. By showcasing no missed calls on their official device, they subtly highlighted their preference for formal communication channels. The boss, however, was persistent.

Setting Boundaries

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The boss questioned OP on their availability outside regular working hours. In response, OP laid out a method that would allow for scheduled weekend communication. They suggested a calendar-based approach to stay organized.

The Boss’s Last Minute Needs

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However, the boss clarified that his calls were mostly unplanned. The intention behind his calls was not for tele-meetings but to call people into the office. This was different from OP’s expectations.

Prior Commitments

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OP emphasized their busy weekends, filled with commitments made weeks in advance. They explained the difficulty in dropping plans on short notice, suggesting a three-week advance notice if weekend work was essential.

A Compromise, Or Not

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While trying to be accommodating, OP expressed that they might not always catch the boss’s calls. They were committed to the job but also valued their personal time. Their dedication to their commitments outside of work remained undeterred.

The Peer Pressure

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Ignoring the boss’s persistent calls drew ire from OP’s coworkers. They felt that OP needed to contribute more equally, even though this was outside the originally agreed-upon terms. The workplace dynamics began to shift.

Defending the Original Agreement

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OP was firm in their stance, referencing the promises made during their job interview. They had been assured of standard working hours, and their compensation was based on this. OP wasn’t willing to shift from this standpoint.

The Coworkers’ Argument

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The frustration among coworkers grew as they perceived the situation as unfair. They believed that if everyone took OP’s approach, work wouldn’t progress. Their perspective was rooted in the current office culture.

An Insight into Sacrifice

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OP offered a counterview, raising concerns about missing out on family time. They questioned the cost of such sacrifices, suggesting that some tasks weren’t worth the personal toll. They had taken the job with an expectation of work-life balance.

The Underlying Resentment

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It became clear that the anger towards OP was not just about work. Coworkers were envious of OP’s ability to set boundaries, something they felt they couldn’t do. This jealousy exacerbated the office tensions.

OP’s Realization

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OP began to see that their colleagues didn’t feel empowered to decline extra work. They recognized the difficulty in going against the grain in a work environment. The issue was larger than just one employee’s resistance.

A Matter of Perspective

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Each individual’s reaction, be it the boss, OP, or coworkers, reflects their personal values and priorities. While some consider constant work a duty, others value their time outside the office just as much.

Was The Employee’s Behavior Appropriate?

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OP poses a question online, wondering if they were wrong for sticking to their principles. The readers in the community forum had a lot of mixed views on the matter.

Forum Responds

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One reader said, “No boss should be expecting free labor!! If you knew this was a seven-days-a-week job, not just five days, your salary would reflect that!”

Another Commenter Thinks

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Another responder wrote, “I think there are laws that cover even how many hours salaried employees can work without overtime pay. You might not have your job long at this rate.”

A Third View on The Story

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A different person stated, “Both sides should respect the employment contract. You are entitled to your days off, plus we don’t live just for work.”

A Final Perspective on the Matter

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Another reader commented, “The only people being unfair are your coworkers who are being unfair to themselves. If they get frustrated, then they should stop working weekends.”