Archive · 30 Aug 2026
Worker’s Unpaid Overtime Sparks Debate After 15-Minute Delay
A worker said their official hours were 11 a.m.
to 7 p.m.
with weekends off.
They said they often worked late and came in on weekends.
Later, the worker arrived about 15 to 20 minutes late on quieter days because of a long commute.
HR questioned the small delay but did not address the extra hours, according to the worker.
The worker said HR also accused them of taking too many days off.
They had taken two days off in August and one day in July.
The worker was still on probation and worried about losing the job.
They asked online how to set fair boundaries without causing a conflict.
Reddit users largely viewed the situation as unfair and advised looking for another job.
An event-management employee said they were reprimanded for arriving 15 to 20 minutes late.
The employee reported working Saturdays, some Sundays and beyond official hours during July.
The worker said HR accused them of taking too many leaves despite three days off across July and August.
The employee’s attendance sheet reportedly documented overtime and weekend work that management did not address.
The Reddit post prompted users to criticize the company and advise the worker to seek alternatives.
- Who
- An unnamed employee at an event-management company, along with the company’s HR department and managers.
- What
- The employee said they were reprimanded for a 15-to-20-minute delay despite working unpaid overtime and weekends, and were later accused of taking too many leaves.
- When
- The employee joined in May; the reported overtime occurred mostly in July, while the punctuality dispute occurred afterward.
- Where
- At the employee’s event-management workplace; the account was shared on Reddit.
- Why
- The employee attributed the delay to a two-hour commute each way and said they wanted reasonable boundaries while protecting their probationary job.
Employee’s account
HR and management’s concerns
Time expectations
Employee’s account
The employee said a short delay was unfairly scrutinized after extensive late work and weekend shifts.
HR and management’s concerns
HR focused on the employee’s late arrivals, while management did not publicly provide a detailed response in the account.
Leave usage
Employee’s account
The employee said three days off across July and August did not amount to excessive leave under the probation policy described.
HR and management’s concerns
HR reportedly emailed senior management accusing the employee of taking too many leaves.
Workplace treatment
Employee’s account
The employee described shouting by a senior manager and felt their overtime records were being ignored.
HR and management’s concerns
HR escalated the punctuality issue to the senior manager, who addressed it in a meeting; the article does not include the company’s broader explanation.
- Official hours
- 11 AM to 7 PM, with weekends listed as off.
- Reported overtime
- The employee said they worked most Saturdays, random Sundays and frequently beyond official hours during July.
- Arrival delay
- The employee said they arrived between 11:15 AM and 11:20 AM on relatively quiet days.
- Commute
- The worker described a two-hour journey each way involving heavy traffic and multiple trains.
- Leave taken
- The employee said they took two days off in August and one day in July.
- Employment status
- The employee was on probation after joining the company in May.
- Attendance records
- The employee said a manually maintained attendance sheet recorded overtime and weekend shifts.