Reddit Malicious Compliance Unpaid Weekend Work Story Sparks Global Debate

How much work is too much when you aren't getting paid? A recent story on Reddit's r/MaliciousCompliance has gone viral, highlighting a growing tension in modern work culture. User u/pappie317 shared how they finally drew a line after their boss expected them to handle client calls on their personal phone throughout one weekend without any extra compensation.

The Breaking Point of Reddit Malicious Compliance Unpaid Weekend Work

The employee explained that the company had developed a habit of redirecting job-related calls to his personal cell phone during off-hours. Despite the added stress, there was zero financial incentive for this 24/7 availability. Fed up with the lack of respect for his downtime, the user decided to ignore every single call for 48 hours. This act of strictly following the non-working hours of his contract—a classic move of malicious compliance—left the workplace struggling to manage without his unpaid labor.

Commenters on the platform were quick to support the move, noting that many employers often take Work-life balance for granted. In numerous jurisdictions, labor laws strictly mandate that employees must be compensated for all hours worked, including overtime. Experts suggest that when employers fail to value an employee's time, it leads to a massive drop in morale and, eventually, burnout.