Salaried Employee Says She’s Gonna Sleep In & Come In Late Because She’s Paid For Her Work Not Her Time
Are you stealing company time if you’re still getting all your work done?
Ground Picture / Shutterstock.com If a job requires you to work from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., most employees would agree that those working hours are not negotiable unless you are taking allotted time off.
Salaried employee @karinamichelleee on TikTok has a much different view. She explained that since isn't paid an hourly rate, her work schedule doesn't matter. “As a salaried employee, I’m gonna stay an extra 30 minutes in bed and come in late if I want to… Sorry, not sorry.”
The salaried employee said she sleeps in and occasionally logs into work late because she's getting paid for her work, not her time.
Almost half of remote employees admit they’ve struggled to maintain healthy boundaries with work. With your pets rummaging around, your bed sitting just a few feet away, and chores piling up silently in the background of your Teams meeting — how could you not struggle?
It’s only inevitable, especially when you’re probably already grappling with feelings of guilt for working a remote job everyone dreams about.
Her argument centers on the fact that salaried employees are not paid based on a shift. They are paid to complete their work tasks. You work for as little or as much as it takes to get that work done.
“Guess what? I’m getting paid for my work and not the time that I’m working,” she said.
If you’re lucky enough to have secured a remote job with some flexibility, you should be using it to your advantage — make time for your morning routine, run those errands, and pick up your kids from school. If you’re meeting work expectations does it matter?
Working from home, she often takes advantage of sleeping in or using midday breaks when she needs them.
Studies show that remote workers often end up working longer hours than their counterparts in the office. They don’t have commute times, can take appointments without using PTO, and often use less sick time.
So, while it might be taboo to suggest showing up to work “late” or sleeping in is okay, remote workers — at least, according to many salaried employees on TikTok — have the flexibility to do so.
If they’re meeting the job expectations, should the hours they work matter?
They’re not hourly employees, clocking in and out, so they shouldn’t need to be micromanaged about their time “in the office” if their work is getting done.
Studies even reveal that the average person is only capable of doing 3 to 4 hours of “real work” in a day, despite having 8-hour schedules, so it’s not unreasonable to assume they’d be able to complete their daily workload in a similar productivity window.
While many employers would debate the ethicality of this salaried employee’s opinion, other workers celebrated her.
“There will be weeks when you overwork, so it all balances out,” one commenter added. “Flexibility for your life, health, and happiness is part of what makes WFH jobs so great for salaried employees… you’re not doing anything wrong.”
insta_photos / Shutterstock.com
Considering discourse that targets employers for taking advantage of their employees, especially when they’re working from the office, these kinds of narratives often become annoyingly controversial. Is sleeping in when you need it, taking a break when you have a headache, or grabbing a coffee during the afternoon slump really “stealing” time from a company?
If you’re a salaried worker, especially working from home, your employer is looking for productivity. Are you getting your work done? If the answer to that question is yes, Karina and many other young workers say that you should cater your schedule to be happier, healthier, and more fulfilled.
If that means traveling to work abroad — do that. If that means grabbing a sweet treat at 3 p.m. — do that, too. Nobody is looking out for your happiness in the same way that you are. Just remind yourself that it’s possible to enjoy life, even when you’re working.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a News & Entertainment Writer at YourTango who focuses on health & wellness, social policy, and human interest stories.