Salaried Employee Disciplined For Coming Into Work 15 Minutes Late After Working 12 Hours The Day Before — 'Our Hours Are 9 To 5'
The overworked employee workplace culture is getting old.
Maria Markevich / Shutterstock Full-time employees in the U.S. are defined as anyone who works 32 to 40 hours a week or 130 per month, yet most people end up working more than their designated hours. It's become the norm to be an overworked employee in the modern workplace.
One woman went above and beyond the requirements of her job by working four hours overtime, only to get in trouble the next day for arriving a few minutes late.
A salaried employee was disciplined for arriving 15 minutes late after working for 12 hours the day before.
Ashley Ray, a TV writer and comedian, shared the negative reaction that management had when she showed up for work at 9:15 after her 12-hour day.
“I work 10 to 12-hour days sometimes,” Ray explained. “Usually when that happens, I’ll come in, like, 15 minutes late or leave a lil early the next day, but then they yelled at me for doing that and said, ‘Our hours are 9 to 5,’ so I’ve been strictly working 9 to 5 and guess what, they don’t like that either.”
The entertainment industry is notorious for requiring people to work long hours for little compensation, yet when Ray pushed back, she was reprimanded for being slightly off-schedule.
“Mind you, my boss works 10 to 3 every day but doesn’t get how it might be chill to let me grab a coffee for 10 minutes in the morning when I worked 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. the day before,” Ray continued. “Well, no more working outside of 9 to 5 now!”
She revealed an issue that’s keenly felt by many employees: There’s an unspoken rule that we’re expected to work more than the hours laid out in our job description.
Ray made it clear she planned to work within her scheduled hours, no more and no less, which led to her boss asking for more.
“She asked if I plan to stay late to finish something,” Ray said. “No! Our hours are 9 to 5!”
She highlighted the inequities that exist between management and other employees at her workplace — something many workers could undoubtedly relate to.
Higher-level employees seem to be allowed to push the boundaries of what working hours mean, yet that grace isn’t extended to everyone.
“Today, my manager showed up at 10:20,” Ray said. “20 minutes late for a meeting we had, then left at 2. Our hours are 9 to 5.”
She made it clear that she’s a salaried employee, saying, “I lose money anytime I work overtime.”
In April 2024, the Biden administration finalized a rule to extend overtime eligibility that was set to start July 1, 2024.
Employers are required to give overtime to salaried employees with an annual salary under $43,888 who have certain executive, administrative, and professional roles.
Julie Su, the Secretary of Labor, commented on the way that this new overtime rule will make the workplace a little more fair, saying, “Too often, lower-paid salaried workers are doing the same job as their hourly counterparts but are spending more time away from their families for no additional pay. That is unacceptable.”
An estimated 4 million lower-paid salaried workers who were previously exempt should become eligible for the new overtime protections.
The experience Ray went through makes it clear that workplaces aren’t an even playing field, and certain employees are expected to work harder and longer than others.
Alexandra Blogier is a writer on YourTango's news and entertainment team. She covers social issues, pop culture analysis and all things to do with the entertainment industry.