Shop security guard scolded by new boss for refusing to arrive early to shift

20 October 2021, 16:19

Should the man be expected to turn up to work before his shift starts? Picture: Alamy

By Alice Dear

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The man argued that out of 'principle' he would not arrive before his shift as he wasn't getting paid for the time.

There are a lot of things to remember on the first day of starting a new job, but the most important? Arriving on time.

Turning up on time for your new role shows organisation and dedication the job, and just sets a good record for you and your new boss.

However, for one man, turning up on time to a new job wasn't enough for his employer.

Taking to Reddit, the unnamed man explained that on his first day he was scolded by his boss for not arriving earlier than the time his shift started.

The man said that he refused to turn up before his shift started out of 'principle'. Picture: Getty

Let's start with some context on the situation; the man had been hired by a shop as a security guard with his contract stating his started at 10am.

On his first day, the man arrived at the shop at 10am and, according to him, was on the shop floor working in a matter on minutes.

However, it was on his lunch break when his manager pulled him aside to ask him if he could come in before his shift starts.

The manager of the store explained that this would allow him time to put his belongings away and be on the shop floor ready to work at 10am.

And while many people who have worked in retail will know this is often a condition a lot of managers expect from you, the man has refused to comply.

Writing on Reddit he explained: "I told her no, that if I'm rostered to start at 10am then I will show up at 10am, and that if they want me to come earlier then the store would have to arrange that with the security company.

"I'm not getting paid to come earlier so I really don't see why I'm required to."

He continued: "She got huffy with me and said that the sales staff aren't trained to be security, and with the popularity of the store every morning there will be people lining up waiting to go inside and that I needed to be here earlier because of that.

"She said that it really wasn't hard to come a few minutes earlier and that it wasn't fair to come 'just on time'.

"I know it's not hard to come a little earlier, but I feel it's more about the principle - if you want someone to come earlier then make that clear through the hours."

The store manager argued that the security guard needed to be on the shop floor for 10am due to the queues outside the shop. Picture: Getty

People have been divided by the situation the security guard has found himself in, with some agreeing he shouldn't be expected to work longer than he is paid for.

However, many people have shared that in a lot of jobs in the retail sector, they have always been expected to be on the shop floor and ready to work at the time their shift starts.

One person commented: "At every job I have had, if you are scheduled to start work at 10 that means that at 10 on the dot you are on the floor available to work.

"If you're in the back putting away your belongings then you aren't working. You weren't working at 10, you started somewhere around 10:05."

Another added: "In every job I've had the start time is when I'm expected to be ready to work, not walking in the door.

"If your job is to man the front door and you are scheduled to be there at 10am, then I would expect you to be at the door at 10am."

But what do you think, is the man wrong to refuse or not?