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The original was posted on /r/maliciouscompliance by /u/wowthatssocool2023 on 2025-05-15 16:07:28+00:00.
The timekeeping system at my job runs on a 15-minute increment schedule. Basically, if you clock in during the first 7 minutes of the increment, it rounds you backward to the start of that segment. If you’re in the last 7 minutes, it rounds you forward to the end of the segment.
Example: You clock out at 4:52? Congrats, the system says you left at 4:45.
Now, if you clock in and out multiple times a day (like for lunch), that’s four punches—and potentially up to 28 minutes lost or gained depending on where you land in those increments.
Shortly after I started, I began getting flooded with emails about being “short” a few minutes on my timesheet and was told I had to submit PTO—even though I worked full 8-hour days, sometimes more. It didn’t matter that I was physically at work; if the system said I was short, I had to burn time off.
So I started paying attention. Really close attention.
Here’s the twist: my employer doesn’t pay overtime in cash, but they do give you 1.5x time off if you earn it. So one hour of OT = 1.5 hours of PTO.
With some strategic clocking in and out—always landing on the “helpful” side of the 15-minute window—I’ve gotten good at squeezing out those 28 minutes extra a day.
That adds up to 140 minutes (2 hours 20 minutes) of overtime a week… which, when converted at 1.5x, becomes 3.5 hours of PTO every week.
All for doing exactly what they asked: watching the clock very closely.
Thanks for the free time off!