When my first paycheck was lower than expected, I figured out that our lunches were unpaid. I was miffed because at the time, I was going into the office and we receive no other benefits just our pay. Eventually, my coworker and I convinced our bosses to allow us to go hybrid with Tuesdays and Fridays in the office. So I just kinda mentally let it go.

BUT this week, my boss had a conversation with me about my hours. In this conversation, he said that I was not allowed to work more than 8 hours a day, and if I do it has to be approved AND allocated to another day so that they don’t have to pay me over time. This came about because a couple of weeks ago, my boyfriend surprised me with a trip and I had to do an entire weeks work in 3 days before I left. So I worked 10 hour days for 3 days. My boss said that if I do it makes me full time rather than part time and I’ll have to pay more tax.

Which to me sounds odd. I’m not allowed a paid lunch, technically we get an hour everyday but I never take it because losing $10 vs a whole $20 is a big deal to me. I’m not allowed over time which I always thought didn’t kick in until AFTER you’ve worked 40 hours in a week, I only worked 30 the week I went away. On TOP of that, when hired I was told I was being hired as a full time employee. I’ve worked full time and I’ve worked very part time and the only reason I’ve ever paid more in taxes is because I’m working more, not because the tax rate changes which is what my boss made it sound like. But I doubt that I’m suddenly in a new tax bracket because I make $100 more/week. My boss is an accountant, so i suppose there’s a possibility that he’s found some kind of tax loophole that I don’t know about. Even if that is the case, I feel I should’ve been informed. Owing money to the government terrifies me and if something is a little shady with my checks I should know. I don’t know if there’s anything I can do about this other than finding a different job, but I wish I knew this before.