Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Add Upworthy to your Google News feed.
Google News Button

Navigating corporate life isn't easy, especially when managers impose questionable rules on employees. A recent incident at a Planet Fitness in Kentucky highlighted how some managers misunderstand labor rights, particularly regarding salary discussions. Employees brilliantly confronted their manager after he attempted to forbid wage discussions—both at and outside the workplace.



Image Source: Joshua Potash | Reddit

Jer, the manager at this Kentucky Planet Fitness, put up a controversial notice that read, "Attention all subordinates. Effective immediately, conversing about wages (both on duty and off duty) is strictly forbidden.” He argued wage discussions involved "private information," further stating Kentucky is an at-will employment state, adding a stern warning: “If you are overheard speaking (OR LISTENING TO!!) a conversation in which wages are discussed, you will receive disciplinary action up to and including termination."

In a brilliant act of workplace defiance, employees responded by publicly posting their wages on the same company notice board. A follow-up sign directly addressing Jer humorously read, "Yo Jer-Bear. Seeing as you’re a manager in the great illustrious [world] of Planet Fitness gym franchises, it may behoove you to become familiar with the laws pertaining to it. Sprinkling legalese and word-salad across an 8.5×11 paper you printed does not a legal doc make.”

The posted notice listed hourly wages for 12 employees, clearly indicating it's illegal for employers to prohibit wage discussions, and included helpful legal links. It humorously concluded with, "$10.50 an hour Shelly," prompting social media to applaud her courage. One Twitter user wrote, “Ah good, looks like Jer got to the 'finding out' part thanks to Shelly."


media.tenor.com

Online users also mocked Jer’s demanding tone toward staff. One joked, "Me, the most beloved and effective manager in the history of Planet Fitness, upon arriving at work: 'Good morning subordinates!'"

Other commenters shared similar experiences, including a former Planet Fitness worker who recalled: "I once worked at a 'planet fitness' and made an offhand joke about starting a union. The manager told me PF was non-union and as a result, I couldn't talk about it. I took out a pocket notebook and wrote the time date what was said and a witness. They never bothered me again."

Another user recounted challenging their employer directly when told not to discuss wages: "I said, 'That’s illegal.' He asked me to speak up, so I did. 'You can’t tell us not to discuss our wages with each other.'" When the employer insisted it was company policy, the worker shot back: "The company can’t have a policy of something that’s illegal to the whole country. Like, you can’t say ‘Feel free to murder 1 passerby on the street, it’s ok, company policy.’"

According to employment attorney Donna Ballman, "Employers hate it when employees discuss salaries because it exposes discrimination and other unfair pay practices."


media1.tenor.com

Under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), the National Labor Relations Board emphasizes employees’ rights to discuss pay freely with coworkers. It explicitly states employers cannot legally punish or retaliate against employees for wage discussions.

More For You

Productive, productivity, mental health
woman sitting beside a bed while using a laptop
Photo by Andrew Neel on Unsplash

22 things highly productive people never do for the sake of their sanity

Productive people have one thing in common: they've found the keys to defeat distraction and procrastination. They excel at focusing and getting through to-do lists–which clearly takes some mental aptitude and strength. Good mental health translates to better productivity, so Reddit user Moist_Apartment5474 polled productive people in r/Productivitycafe by posing the question, "For your mental health what is something or things you avoid?"

Whether you're trying to implement a new habit, break old ones, or finally stick to your New Year's resolution–we can all take some mental health pointers from productive people. They shared a bevy of people, places and things that they have removed or cut from their lives to improve their mental health.

Keep ReadingShow less
Husband supported his wife for decades. Then she inherited a fortune and left him empty-handed.
Representative Cover Image Source: Pexels | RDNE Stock project

Husband supported his wife for decades. Then she inherited a fortune and left him empty-handed.

After more than two decades of marriage, one man found himself questioning everything when his wife inherited a large sum of money—but refused to share any of it. Reddit user u/IrishRoller shared his story, revealing how he had spent years financially and emotionally supporting his wife, even using his own inheritance to save their home. But when she came into a six-figure sum, her response left him stunned—and reconsidering their entire relationship.

media1.tenor.com

Keep ReadingShow less
Boss’s response to employee hit by a car is so bad it’s almost satire
Representative photo by Canva

Boss’s response to employee hit by a car is so bad it’s almost satire

A manager's reaction to an injured employee is sparking outrage online after a viral TikTok exposed the shockingly cold response. Most people expect at least a little empathy when dealing with a crisis, but for one worker, that was not the case. Internet personality Ben Askins (@ben.askins) shared the story, highlighting just how toxic some workplace cultures can be.

@ben.askins This boss's response was completely unacceptable #Worstboss #Badboss #Toxiccompany #React ♬ original sound - Ben Askins

Placing deadlines above basic human decency, the boss in question seemed far more worried about an upcoming pitch than the well-being of their employee. The text exchange, revealed in the TikTok, shows just how dismissive they were. Instead of checking on their injured worker, the manager immediately asked when she would be back at work.

Keep ReadingShow less

Woman kidnapped and trapped—until two teens noticed her silent cry for help

With global challenges on the rise, being vigilant about our surroundings has become crucial. Often, even the most subtle signs can indicate someone in need or serve as an important warning.

Two observant teenagers demonstrated this when they saved a woman’s life a decade ago. Aaron Arias, then 19, and Jamal Harris, then 17, were driving through Dallas, Texas to pick up a friend when they spotted a young woman in the backseat of a nearby car. Harris, from the passenger seat, noticed the woman and thought she was "attractive." To their astonishment, she seemed to be mouthing words at them. According to NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth, Harris quickly understood that she was asking for help.

Keep ReadingShow less
17 everyday things we do now that the future will find horrifying
Representative photos by Canva

17 everyday things we do now that the future will find horrifying

A recent thread on r/AskReddit posed a fascinating question: What’s something normal to us in 2025 that by 2075 will be seen as barbaric? With over 4,500 upvotes and thousands of comments, the responses ranged from hopeful predictions about medical breakthroughs to funny critiques of social norms. It’s an interesting thought experiment at how our everyday habits might age in the not-so-distant future. Here are 17 of the most memorable takes.

1. Wiping with toilet paper

Redditor u/Dramatic-Avocado4687 keeps it blunt: “Wiping our asses with toilet paper.”

Keep ReadingShow less