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30 Employees Share The Absurd Things They Were Banned From Doing That Made Their Blood Boil
Even with labor laws, unfair practices still happen in the workplace. Recent research reveals that 80% of employees feel unjustly treated by their employers. This list will show some of that through images from the Antiwork subreddit.
These photos expose the improper behavior of some companies, particularly their ridiculous bans on employees. Some rules prohibit drinking water, calling off from work, and even sitting down.
Unfortunately, this is the reality that some people must go through daily to make ends meet.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
I Wasn't Allowed To Use A Notebook At My Cashier Job
So I started writing my book about bullying on printed out receipts. This year, after transposing hundreds of receipts, I finally published my novel
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#2
Amazon Is Inhumane
Any frustrated employee would automatically pin the blame on their managers and supervisors for unfair treatment. But according to UNC Kenan-Flagler professor Elad N. Sherf, the root of the problem could be within the company itself.
“We might think about managers and supervisors as unfair, or think about them as being mean bosses, or incompetent, etcetera. But we need to think about why the workplace environment can create these types of behaviors.
“Instead of thinking, ‘This is a bad manager because his or her employees are unhappy,’ I would start thinking, ‘What are we asking him or her to do? How is the organization leading him or her to behave in those ways?’”
#3
“You Are Not Allowed To Sit, This Is Not A Office Job.” The Last Order Was 90 Minutes Ago
axle f 6 months ago (edited)
...a place that pays you less than minimum wage, relying on customers to fill the gap....wants to tell you, during a lull with no customers, so you're clearly making less than minimum wage....you can't sit? s**t? scratch your naked a*s?....pay me or STFU...( Note tip jar)
#4
Is This Even Right?
According to Sherf, most companies place less emphasis on impartial treatment and place more importance on getting work done.
“Organizations implicitly and explicitly signal to managers that technical tasks are more important than acting fairly.
“As a result, on average, managers perceive technical tasks—as compared to [relational] tasks—as more important or central to their role … [and] when facing higher workloads, managers tend to prioritize technical tasks at the expense of acting fairly.”
#5
Workplace Won't Allow Use Of Mobility Device, What's The Legality On This? (Rhode Island)
Lyone Fein 6 months ago
Well this is a clear violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
#6
This Store That Doesn't Allow Workers To Sit During Their Shift
Sherf defined "technical tasks" as "ensuring work units produce desired products or services." These include client interaction, reporting to superiors, and implementing new initiatives.
#7
This Workplace That Doesn't Allow Crying On The Job
#8
This USPS Mail Sorting Facility Where You Read And Enter Addresses All Day And Are Not Allowed To Speak
Sherf pointed out that managers also face workload stressors. Because they already have much to deal with, addressing employee concerns becomes the least of their priorities.
“Employees often complain that managers are too busy to meet with them, listen to their concerns, or update them about decisions; similarly, managers often acknowledge that they behave insensitively towards employees or act less fairly because they are overloaded or lack time.”
#9
I'm So Done With This Petty, Asinine Bulls*it 🙄
Jeremy James 6 months ago
If you learned more punctuation other than strings of exclamation points at the end of each rambling paragraph, your run-on bullshìt would be much easier to parse.
#10
Recently Posted At Work
#11
Local Pizza Hut Not Allowing Employee Meals Due To Staff Occasionally Not Charging Customers 25¢ For Extra Ranch
#12
There’s No Way This Is Legal Right?
Geoffrey Scott 6 months ago
Of course it's legal. That away they can say "no one wants to work anymore"
#13
How My Workplace (Fast-Food) Feels About It’s Employees Staying Hydrated
#14
My BF's Snapchat Memory From 2017 - Posted At His Old Job At A Grocery Store
To address the problem, Sherf offered three possible solutions: allowing managers to choose their own schedules, giving them a role in writing job descriptions, and incorporating fairness in performance evaluations.
“[Doing so] sends a signal about the importance of these things and the need to deal with them. It also more accurately shows the amount of work being required of people. Otherwise, you’re just ignoring reality.”
#15
My Work Doesn’t Allow You To Use A Toilet As A Toilet
#16
What Are They Going To Do If I Don't Follow Policy? Fire Me?
#17
My Job Has Been Lying About The Break Rules For The Year And A Half I've Been Here
This sign heavily implies you need to work a 6 hour shift to get a 15 minute break. I'm assuming with the defense my manager gave that she did not know someone wrote in the 3rd line.
But basically every now and then we will be scheduled to work 5 and a half hours instead of the usual 6 hour shift. This entire time I was never allowed to take the break. But apparently it has been the rule that you only need a 4 hour shift to get that break.
I feel so angry at this and really want to quit. There's a bunch of other small things like this that piss me off and I have been looking for another job for months without success.
In addition to Sherf’s suggestions, UNC Kenan-Flager also shared some tips. Lower-level managers are advised to “be deliberate but creative with your time.”
“Think whether your time management approach affords time for justice tasks, not only technical ones.”
#18
Is This Even Legal? Stopped At A Restaurant For Lunch And Saw This Sign In The Employee Area
Jeremy James 6 months ago (edited)
I can tell the manager worked really hard on this one. They probably spent hours in their office typing this into Word and experimenting with various fonts. That's why they make the big bucks.
#19
Employees Need A Doctor's Note To Eat At Work
#20
I Work At A Dispensary Where We Are Not Allowed To Have Food/Drinks On The Floor. Thirsty? Wait Until Break. Which We Only Get Three Of In A Twelve Hour Shift
A 2022 study by MIT Sloan Management Review revealed that toxic culture ignited the Great Resignation. As Sherf pointed out, big corporations are beginning to shift towards an employee-centric approach, and it has so far produced positive results.
“When Google started directly evaluating managers based on behaviors, busy managers started devoting more time and effort to them at the expense of other technical tasks.”
#21
So This Is The Sign Posted On The Bathroom Door At Work Today
#22
No Water For Children. I Quit Today
#23
Hung Up Next To Pto Calendar At New Job
#24
Company Response To Union Fighting For Our Wages
#25
People Have Been Clocking In 10 Minutes Early For 20+ Years. Now We’re Not Allowed To Do That And If We Do, Our Pto Will Be Used. Everyone Is Now Going To Clock In At 7:04 Every Single Day. I Can’t Wait Till They Notices They’re Actually Getting Less Time From Employees By Implementing This
ginshun 6 months ago
This all seems pretty reasonable to me. Most time systems are designed around a certain amount of time, be it 7 minutes or whatever where the system rounds your time. People are expected to clock in sometime up to X number of minutes before their shift starts, and within X number of minutes from when a shift ends. Expectations are that those punch ins will happen before the shift starts, and the punch outs will be after the shift ends. This is pretty standard stuff.
#26
Top Rule Was Added Because A New Member Of Staff Who Couldn't Afford To Buy Food Took Home A Portion Of The Food That Was Going To Be Thrown Out Anyways
Dave 6 months ago
It's not unusual to have a rule prohibiting the taking of "extra" or "mistakes." The concern becomes that staff will cause there to be extra or mistakes to take home. Feel like a burger with extra mayonnaise? Oops, I put extra mayo on that no mayo burger. It will just get thrown out anyway.
#27
My Stores' Language Policy Of A "Diverse Work Environment"
Jeremy James 6 months ago
Sounds like Brad & Jeff were starting to suspect what "chinga tu madre" might mean.
#28
Because Sitting Is Such A Bad Thing When The Job Is Perfectly Capable Of Being Done While Sitting Down
Carl Roberts 6 months ago
Ah yes, I've always wanted to discuss medical issues with a "menger"
#29
Got This Gem
Add New Image
What do you think ?
digitalin 6 months ago
I've worked in a lot of "dead-end" type jobs where notices like this may be posted. The beginning of this list has some really awful things, but by the end of the list, a lot of the entries are just basic workplace behavior and etiquette. No, grocery store employees do NOT get to have headphones, cell phones, and snacks while helping customers. I've worked places where people just stand around, ignore customers, or just don't show up. There's a big difference between evil companies denying human rights and a shop or cafe trying to train people who can't put their phones away. We can't lump them all together, or we won't make any progress addressing the serious stuff.
Bald Panda 6 months ago
I am self employed now and I have been for over a decade. It's not as easy as it sometimes seems, especially not knowing where your next pay day is coming from. But I used to work in hospitality, a bit of retail and in call centres. Lists like this really remind me how much better off I am and that I made a positive change in my life. I deeply sympathise with anyone who works hard for minimum wage in an unfulfilling job, only to be treated like garbage by a line manager on a power trip. It's all too common. Maybe if you foster an environment that people want to work in, they wouldn't want to call out at every opportunity. Just a crazy thought!
digitalin 6 months ago
I've worked in a lot of "dead-end" type jobs where notices like this may be posted. The beginning of this list has some really awful things, but by the end of the list, a lot of the entries are just basic workplace behavior and etiquette. No, grocery store employees do NOT get to have headphones, cell phones, and snacks while helping customers. I've worked places where people just stand around, ignore customers, or just don't show up. There's a big difference between evil companies denying human rights and a shop or cafe trying to train people who can't put their phones away. We can't lump them all together, or we won't make any progress addressing the serious stuff.
Bald Panda 6 months ago
I am self employed now and I have been for over a decade. It's not as easy as it sometimes seems, especially not knowing where your next pay day is coming from. But I used to work in hospitality, a bit of retail and in call centres. Lists like this really remind me how much better off I am and that I made a positive change in my life. I deeply sympathise with anyone who works hard for minimum wage in an unfulfilling job, only to be treated like garbage by a line manager on a power trip. It's all too common. Maybe if you foster an environment that people want to work in, they wouldn't want to call out at every opportunity. Just a crazy thought!
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