Sign in

Boss wants employees to sign out for bathroom breaks

After going through the Reddit post, an individual suggested, “There's no way HR is cool with this policy, but you have to complain without complaining.”

Published on: Aug 24, 2023, 08:28:33 IST
Share
Share via
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • linkedin
  • whatsapp
Copy link
  • copy link

A man’s post about his boss’ new rule asking employees to sign out when they take bathroom breaks or go for lunch has created a chatter. He shared that he is contemplating going to HR about the issue and asked Redditors if that is the correct step to take.

When the Redditor refused to sign out for bathroom breaks, the boss said she would write up for ‘insubordination’ or, in better terms, ‘failing to follow instructions’. (Representational Image/Pexels: Christina Morillo)
When the Redditor refused to sign out for bathroom breaks, the boss said she would write up for ‘insubordination’ or, in better terms, ‘failing to follow instructions’. (Representational Image/Pexels: Christina Morillo)

“My new boss wants us to sign out anytime we go to the bathroom or take lunch. I refuse to do so and have been threatened to be written up. What should I do?” the man wrote. In the next few lines, he explained the new rule and his reaction to it in detail.

Also Read| Employee texts boss after a few drinks, WhatsApp messages go viral

“So I’ve been at this company for 18 years now. I’m a high-performing senior member of my team. My boss just took another job, and my new boss is a hard ass when it comes to knowing where we are at all times. I’m almost 40 years old, and I’m not about to walk over to his cubicle, slide my dot to the left to signal I’m going to the bathroom. Maybe I could see that while taking lunch. But we have a set 30-minute lunch every day so it’s not really a thing in my opinion,” he wrote.

“Since I refuse to sign out when I go to the bathroom, my boss has told me she would write me up for ‘insubordination’ or, in better terms, ‘failing to follow instructions’. I’m contemplating quitting, but I make way more than most in my engineering design field, and my benefits are good, not to mention I get 5 weeks of vacation per year. I’m tempted to go to HR if this can’t be resolved. What would you do?” he further explained.

Take a look at this workplace-related Reddit post:

The post was shared two days ago. Since being posted, it has accumulated close to 22,000 upvotes, and the numbers are only increasing. The share has further gathered tons of comments.

Here’s what Reddit users suggested to the man:

“There's no way HR is cool with this policy, but you have to complain without complaining,” suggested a Reddit user. “It is all about power, it has nothing to do with bathroom breaks,” added another. “I don't see how the manager could possibly be efficient at their job if they're monitoring bathroom breaks. They are a control freak,” joined a third. “Be careful here. With 18 years seniority you could be one of their more expensive employees. This could be the start of a process to drive you out. Start a diary,” wrote a fourth.

  • Trisha Sengupta
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Trisha Sengupta

    Trisha Sengupta is a Chief Content Producer at Hindustan Times with over six years of digital newsroom experience. Specialising in high-engagement storytelling, she blends viral trends with traditional journalism to cover the intersection of technology, finance, and human emotion. Her reporting spans real estate and personal finance struggles in hubs like Bengaluru and Gurgaon, the NRI experience, and corporate shifts like tech layoffs. Trisha also frequently tracks global figures and writes human interest stories. Offline, Trisha is an avid reader, history enthusiast and solo traveler. She balances her journalism career with family life while actively integrating AI tools into her modern storytelling approach.Read More