Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Add Upworthy to your Google News feed.
Google News Button

A workplace ruled by toxic bosses can quickly become unbearable, even turning routine tasks like leaving work into frustrating ordeals. Sadly, some managers take micromanagement to extreme levels, insisting on needless and arbitrary rules.

One employee recently went viral on Reddit after brilliantly turning the tables on her manager, who demanded she seek permission before clocking out—even though no one else in the store ever followed such a requirement.



media1.tenor.com

She shared her experience at her retail job selling kitchen supplies. According to her Reddit post, she recalled:

"I was helping a long line at cash and had already been there for 10 hours and assumed they had someone to cover me. I wasn’t allowed to use the walkies to ask to be covered to go home, so I quickly found my manager and told her my shift was done."

Instead of just letting her clock out, her manager expressed irritation and oddly insisted on new rules:

"My manager got annoyed and said, 'Could you really not stay a few more minutes?' I tried to tell her, 'I thought you had someone to cover me, I can stay if you want.' She then replied, 'No, no just go, but next time you need to wait for a manager to let you go home,'" the employee recounted.

Confused, the employee asked her coworkers and soon discovered the manager had completely made up this "rule."

So she decided it was the perfect opportunity for some malicious compliance—and made sure her manager learned a costly lesson.

During her next shift, instead of asking permission to clock out, she stayed deliberately late, casually rearranging shelves near her manager.


media1.tenor.com

"After about 2 and a half hours, she said, 'You're still here, why haven't you gone home?' I replied, 'You said I need to wait to be told to go home.' My manager looked at me as though she was mentally kicking herself and said, 'Just go,'" she explained. "I clocked out and that's how I got paid an extra $30 for doing literally nothing."

When Redditors questioned why she willingly stayed late, she responded:

"The way I see it, I got paid while barely helping the company, so I don’t care."


media0.giphy.com

Her Reddit post quickly blew up, gathering widespread applause from users who loved her clever response.

One commenter noted humorously:

"She still hasn't specifically told you that you don't have to follow this rule. Malicious Compliance is still in effect."

The employee later confirmed to Bored Panda that the company quietly scrapped the bizarre rule:

“The rule was dropped and I pretty much went back to asking to go home," she shared.

Another Reddit user insightfully pointed out:

"The thing is, if she had had a real conversation with you the first thing, you probably wouldn't have even thought of it again. It always pays off to treat your employees like people and with respect... although sometimes you don't see the things like this that don't happen."


media1.giphy.com

Others shared their own humorous stories of workplace rebellion. One commenter described an incident at Jimmy John's:

"Our Jimmy John's put up a note saying 'temporarily closed due to labor shortage.' Another poster beside it, by former employees, read, 'The owners of this restaurant treated their employees like dogs... The past few months of crappy business have been the result of lazy, careless ownership.'"

This viral incident serves as a powerful reminder to bosses everywhere: Treat your employees with respect—or face the amusing consequences.

More For You

kimberly dowdell, reunion, down syndrome

Brothers Blake and Jack have an emotional reunion.

thekimberlydowdell/Instagram

Teen with Down syndrome travels hundreds of miles for incredible reunion with brother

Going off to college is the break-free moment that most young adults long for. While the newfound freedom is an amazing change, it is also a time of transition--which can bring a lot of uncomfortable feelings with the adjustment. It can be overwhelming, scary, and unfamiliar. So when mom Kimberly DowDell (@thekimberlydowdell) received a message from her son Blake that he was feeling anxious and overwhelmed during his second semester at college, she knew exactly what to do. She loaded up the family, including her husband and Blake's brother Jack (who has Down syndrome), and got on the road to go see him. And the brothers had an emotional reunion that was shared on social media.

"Blake is in his second semester of college, and being away from home can be hard. When he told us he was feeling anxious and overwhelmed, we didn’t even think twice—we jumped in the car and drove 286 miles just to be there for him," she wrote in the post's Instagram caption. "To remind him he’s not alone. To give him words of encouragement. To wrap him in a hug that says, we see you, we love you, and we’re always here for you."

Keep ReadingShow less
Teacher unleashes glorious payback against school after forced to pay for class trip himself
Representative image by Canva

Teacher unleashes glorious payback against school after forced to pay for class trip himself

School excursions often provide unforgettable experiences and bonding opportunities for students, but for teachers, they can be loaded with logistical headaches. So when a teacher was asked to single-handedly finance a field trip—with zero compensation—Reddit user u/Unfunded_Teacher took to the platform to vent about this bizarre demand.

Representative photo by Pexels | Anny Patterson

Keep ReadingShow less
A child's hand in an adults hand.

Representative Image: A mother and son found their way back together.

She gave her baby up for adoption. Years later, he named his son after her.

Choosing adoption is never easy. It’s a decision filled with love, sacrifice, and hope for a better future. When Schauna Austin gave birth to her son at 20 years old, she made the difficult choice to place him for adoption. But thanks to the openness of his adoptive parents, she remained an important part of his life, proving that family isn't just about biology—it’s about love.

A mother’s love, even from afar

After giving birth, Austin named her son Riley and treasured every moment she had with him before saying goodbye. She held him close for 72 hours straight, making sure to soak up every precious second.

Keep ReadingShow less
screenshots of a little girl in the hospital; little girl dancing with her father

Ava Cooper and her dad Sean celebrate a surprise daddy-daughter dance at Cleveland Clinic Children's.

Cleveland Clinic/Instagram

Hospital surprises 10-year-old waiting for heart transplant with her own father-daughter dance

One of the highlights for young girls in elementary school is the annual father-daughter dance. Not only is it an opportunity to get dressed up and get grooving, it's a special time for daughters to be celebrated by their dads and make new memories together. And for 10-year-old Ava Cooper, who has been in the hospital for more than 200 days awaiting a heart transplant, her mom Jamie and Cleveland Clinic Children's made sure she didn't miss out on the special occasion with her dad, Sean. They put together a surprise daddy-daughter dance in the hospital just for them, and the emotional video was shared on Instagram.

"There wasn’t a dry eye in the room, when 10-year-old Ava Cooper and her dad, Sean, danced forehead to forehead during an unforgettable father-daughter dance. Ava says, 'My dad is like having the best friend a girl could ask for'," the post's caption reads.

Keep ReadingShow less
 A groom speaks into a microphone during his wedding, addressing someone special in the audience.

Jefferson takes a moment during his vows to share an unexpected and emotional message.

YouTube | Jefferson

This groom's 'confession' shocked the crowd—and left his stepdaughter in tears

Every bride dreams of a perfect wedding day, but sometimes, the most unforgettable moments come from the unexpected. That was exactly the case when Jefferson, a loving groom, decided to surprise his bride, Jessica—not with a last-minute change of plans, but with a confession straight from the heart.

After exchanging vows with Jessica, Jefferson took a deep breath and admitted that there was someone else he loved just as much, if not more. Gasps filled the room as guests tried to process what he was saying. Jessica herself began to cry, overwhelmed by emotion. But before anyone could assume the worst, Jefferson turned to Giovanna—Jessica’s 8-year-old daughter—and revealed the truth: he wasn’t just committing to Jessica that day, but to Giovanna as well.

Keep ReadingShow less