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I’m at a loss.

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Anonymous

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I’m at a loss, last year I single handed saved a major project, the guy running it screwed up, made it live, then went on holiday for 3 weeks, production systems went down that evening, he’d spent almost 2 years on this, I had to roll everything back and start again, for the next 2 weeks I was working 20+ hour days . My boss implied I’d be compensated for it. Anyway systems back up business is happy everyone smelling or roses., so I put the overtime in the system only for my boss to refuse it???? Some bs about only weekends are covered by overtime, then he implies the year end bonus will be a good one, come to year end and you guessed it, it’s a crap bonus, when I point out I’d make more doing shifts at McDonald’s then the hourly rate of the bonus he explodes. I’m not living the companies core values apparently. I told him I’m not doing anymore out of hours work including the 24-7 support I’ve been doing for free for the past 7 years, again he explodes, threatens me, threatens my wife (who also works for the same company). Nothing changes. Now scroll forward and he’s agajn asking me to start an hour early every day to do support (I’m a developer not a **** helpdesk monkey) because he’s promised the business out of hours support but doesn’t want to pay for it. I physically cannot do this as we have kids to sort out in the morning and have to drive to work. My boss is a total bully, he only promotes arse kissers and I’m really at the end of my tether here. This year end review is going to worse than last year - even though my actual customers love me. I’m trying to find reasons to stay apart from needed the money. Employee rights are practically zero here and hr won’t do a thing

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  1. Anonymous

    I think you are kind of powerless to change this. Your manager sounds completely unreasonable and no, you are NOT being paid for all of your work. You are being USED, every single day. But, you've forgotten who is driving this bus: it's you. If you know that you have NO employee rights, etc...then start looking for another job. I'm sorry, but I see this as the only clear answer. You and your boss are not going to work out, and I understand that with family concerns it's hard to leave. But i suspect that another employer will LOVE your skills and work ethic. Start looking, and put that chip (already on your shoulder) away- Don't let the toxic, user boss ruin your life any more.

  2. Nettie Spiwack

    Career coach here. He won't change, only you can change the circumstances. Start looking. 7 years is a long time to tolerate this.

  3. Anonymous

    You keep giving in to his requests, he is going to keep doing what he's doing. Find something new.

  4. Anonymous

    some more info. This isn’t a small company, it turns over hundreds of billions per year so it not like the overtime / money is coming out of his pocket. Of course the less he spends the higher his year end bonus is

  5. Wanda

    Okay, all the more reason for you to plan your exit.

  6. Anonymous

    I’m after other peoples experiences with a narcissistic bully boss

  7. Anonymous

    Never live in the head space of implications. Legally, you are to be paid for any time of working, even with salaries if it's considered an egregious amount of time over the expected salary week hour worker, you have an argument here, BUT BUT not with your manager. They are showing that they're not an advocate and a decision maker. If you have documented the dates and times of you work, regular hours and then the overage you should be connecting with your company's legal dept for review. Learn your states pov on this too with employment law. They can be drastically different.

  8. Anonymous

    Document the detailed (not the emotion) and go over his head to his boss. Implying rewards and putting them in writing are 2 very different things. You need to either document and make leadership know or leave and find another job.

  9. Anonymous

    Consult an attorney if you think the company has broken laws. File a complaint with the EEOC and FEHA and that might help solve it. If you are in a hostile workplace and are being threatened that too is illegal. File a claim, don't sit silently by. If you work you have to be paid. If you are salaried cap the time you work to 40-45 hours and be firm about not working weekends unless it is a short project and you get compensatory time off another time for time worked.

  10. Rachel

    I second consulting a labor/employment attorney ASAP.

  11. Rachel

    You have bills to pay and a family to feed. At the same time, your life has revolved around a job and a company whose mantra appears to be, "We take everything and give you nothing in return." There are no reasons to stay here other than money, and if you can make enough money elsewhere with stable management, you should do it. Your customers will miss you, true - but your new customers will love you!

  12. Anonymous

    What you need to realize is that your assessment of your contribution is highly subjective so I would press for a written plan with metrics and rewards so there is a clear and agreed upon plan to point to when assessments and reviews are due.

  13. Anonymous

    I can't add much to what has already been said. If he acts like this and even threatens your spouse, you both need to find new employment quickly. The last thing you need is for both of you to get caught up in a reorganization or lay-off. Follow the advice of checking with your state's Department of Labor because where I live, companies are no longer allowed to take advantage of salaried workers by making them fill in for hourly workers that they don't want to pay overtime. Every person who works more than a certain number (either 40, 45, or 50) hours a week is required to receive overtime. My company made me take a class on a Saturday and offered me either a day the week before or after the class or overtime pay, and at the time, I needed the money worse than the day. It was a virtual class, so I didn't lose much because I took it from home.

  14. GirlBossanova934974

    i have worked for 1-2 outfits like this in the past. Believe me! These companies go out of their way to hire and retain these sorts of "managers". Everyone is always at each other's throats and nepotism is out of control. YOUR RECOURSE? You should have been out of there a long time ago! Don't wait around like I did hoping things are going to change and/or the economy crashes. SOUNDS like you have a LOT OF GREAT SKILLSETS! Some other company will be happy to pay you what you are worth and not subject you to a company culture that rewards abusive behaviors. Trust me! In good organizations, these abusive bad actors never get in the door. They are sniffed out and turned away by people who know how to conduct proper interviews.

  15. Regina Brown

    Wait...why are you still there?

    1. He's threatened you...illegal
    2. He's threatened your wife...illegal
    3. He's not paying fair wages...illegal.

    Why are you still there again?

  16. Anonymous

    Employment Law paralegal here. Sounds like you have a legitimate claim. Specifically with regard to your wages, if you have proof. Those cases are the easiest to win. Quit your job and sue them. Move on.

  17. maria Hamelers

    Why would you stay where you are not valued, look for something else while still working

  18. Anonymous

    I’m not is the USA by the way

  19. Wanda Shaw

    NO EXCUSE. Even if this happened on a remote island in the middle of nowhere, it would be egregious to treat a colleague with such blatant disregard and disrespect.

  20. Wanda Shaw

    It's well past time for you to put feelers out for a new position at another company.

  21. Sharmil McKee

    I came here to say exactly this. Find a company that will show that they appreciate your skills and talents by adding money to your paycheck. Your current employer is exploiting you. You will probably start to feel better once you start talking to recruiters. GL.

  22. Anonymous

    Run. Do not walk. Run to the nearest exit.

  23. Lisa Marie

    Use your time and energy to find another job.

    The longer you stay, the worse it will get:

    1, your psychy will get used to the abuse, and you'll accept it

    2. you're gonna get fired and be without your paycheck

    Find another job now, and leave.... BOTH you and your wife NEED to do this at the SAME time.

  24. Jennifer Tanner

    I'm not a lawyer but federal labor laws state hourly employees must be compensated for overtime worked even if it WASN'T authorized.

    An employer CAN choose to discipline someone for working overtime without authorization, however they cannot just not pay when the employee can show they put in the time performing work. Depending on your state and even local laws, there may be additional overtime protections and/or additional monetary damages.

    If it's a significant amount of money and you're ok with potentially burning bridges, it can be worth talking to an employment attorney to see what your options are. Sometimes all that is needed to get an employer to do the right thing is a positional letter on law firm stationary lol

    The current administration's DoL takes wage theft very seriously and has made it a priority. There may be ways to submit a complaint yourself to the Dept of Labor or your state labor office. Document everything and make sure you have copies of emails and chats discussing your overtime work saved somewhere that ISN'T your work computer so you'll have access to everything you need if you no longer work there or have access to email/chats/other proof of the OT you worked and what your supervisor communicated.

  25. Veronica Benton

    ^This. I work in HR and this is 100% correct.

  26. RR W

    I was checking the comments for this type of response. I would definitely speak with an employment attorney

  27. Focused721350

    Good Morning, I'm really sorry to hear this! You sound like a Excellent Employee. But! Your No Doormat! Bottom line here buddy! Be done with this ARSE!!!! No body works for free! Not only that! You jumped on this Project and he should be SO GRATEFUL!!!!! Say no more! LAWYER UP!

    Good Luck and God Bless you & yours, Ms. T ;)

  28. Jessica Ferland

    Yikes, that sounds disheartening, defeating, all the things. A couple of thoughts here in no particular order:

    1) Run fast to the next opportunity it. You got burned the first time. They showed you how they will treat you.

    2) if you have anything in writing about getting compensation for the extra time, perhaps there are workforce attorneys that could give you a free consultation on if you have a case. Your EAP may be able to advise as well. Good luck!!

  29. SPNN4 S

    I agree with this post. Get your letters of recommendation or ask your customer who love you and recognize your hard work and dedication to let you use them as a reference or ask them to provide feedback on your linked in page so other employers will see how awesome you are.

  30. ARB

    I feel you. But here is the hard truth. Your company is not going to change. Your boss is not going to change. In your current environment, it is unlikely that you will ever get the professional validation that you deserve or the pay. So, guess who's got to change? <YOU> If leaving is too much right now, that's understandable, but start taking it in bite size chunks. See what's out there for you. Start exploring then move into applying and going on some interviews. Remember the golden rule- don't bad mouth your current company or boss. I know you can do it!!!

  31. Ayian

    This is a pretty common experience in the coding industry. That doesn't excuse the behavior, but put bluntly, businesses like this succeed only because hard working people like you enable them and are taken advantage by them. It's just a job and they've stolen enough of your life. Why DO you want to stay, apart from the money?

  32. Diane J Huff

    As someone in the same industry with decades of experience - just leave. Find another role and go. It will not

    change.

  33. Sharon Elsberry

    I put up with similar, my husband and I worked for the same small company. He was given a new title, promised more hours and a raise and instead I received an email that there was no future for him at the company, so I had to fire my husband and train his unqualified replacement - then a month later I was out the door - I was “not fired” over a LinkedIn post I shared because it made her and her company look bad. Point of the story, at the end of the day they don’t care about us or our families, it’s all about them and what works for them at any given moment. Look out for you and yours and get away from that jacka**.

    I was so afraid I wouldn’t be able to make it, after nearly 7 years of giving my everything I had nothing in my bank account and nothing to show for my sacrifices (other than a ton of stress related illnesses). I’m so happy now, it’s just been two months and it’s amazing. Get your life back and enjoy it, you deserve it!

  34. MidwestMaven456

    I hope you kept all the email from him telling you your OT is not covered. They don't get to pick what days OT is covered and paid for. Report him to the state Department of Labor and get it taken care of through legal channels. Oh, and start looking for a new job.

  35. Anonymous

    Why are you still there? He's never going to change.

  36. Anonymous

    "a **** helpdesk monkey"? Really?!

  37. LORI-ANN BURLINGAME

    Are you a salaried or an hourly employee? If you are salaried, you do not get paid "overtime" no matter how many hours you work in a day.

    Do not be "bullied" by the office Screaming Memes -- we all have some and they are not pleasant to work with.

    Protect yourself! Ask for clarification in your job description and compensation. Unfortunately, the more you are willing to help, the more the company will use you.

    Remember to empower yourself! You have a voice -- use it!

  38. Stephanie Branch Lekowski

    Start planning your exit strategy. If your boss is threatening both you and your wife and exploding when you call them out on going back on their word, you need to get out of there (your wife too). As for the money, it really becomes a ? of "What money??!!" And yes, this boss is going to retaliate with a negative evaluation, if you make it that far. Get references together and think about contacting an attorney/solicitor before they have a chance to sack you and/or your wife.

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