When an Employee Being Dedicated Becomes a Bad Thing

TEDDY LOVED OWNING his small chain of pet stores. And he really loved getting local recognition and awards. Early one morning, Teddy unlocked the front door of his flagship location, the store’s latest Readers’ Choice Award tucked under one arm. He wanted to put it on display to surprise his team. Teddy slipped inside, locked the door, and headed into the stockroom, where he almost ran head on into his store manager, Stephanie.

“What are you doing here so early?” Teddy said.

Stephanie wiped a lock of hair from her eyes in shocked delight. “I like to come in early to make sure the store is clean the way I like it,” she replied eagerly. Her genuine, broad smile lit up her entire face, creasing the corners of her eyes and exuding a contagious warmth. Stephanie saw the award nestled under Teddy’s arm and enthusiastically asked about it.

He showed her the award, much to Stephanie’s delight. But being a stickler for rules, Teddy had to ask — yet again — if she had clocked in before she started to work. Stephanie confessed she had not.

Teddy made sure that all of his full-time employees had 40-hour work weeks and paid them as much as he could. He also had a strict “No Overtime” policy. The stores had enough part-time staff to ensure the full-time team members never had to work more than 40 hours. It was obvious that Stephanie loved her job — and loved the store nearly as much as Teddy did. Her work ethic and passion for people and their pets were clear to all who met her.

The problem was that Stephanie would regularly work early or leave late, helping the team members and waiting on customers, all while off the clock. One of her excuses was that her husband went to work very early, and she would come into the store for something to do. To make things even harder for Teddy, the other team members and customers loved having Stephanie around.

He had previously made her a salaried employee, and that worked until state wage laws changed, requiring salaried workers to earn a minimum much higher than Teddy could afford.

He couldn’t bring himself to punish Stephanie for doing what she loved so much, and he wished he could find a way to reward her for the drive and excellence without paying her overtime. In every other respect, Stephanie was a perfect employee. But Teddy feared a disgruntled employee, or even worse a disgruntled Stephanie, would complain to the state. Wage violations are serious business!

Pat S.
SKANEATELES, NY

We had a full-time groomer who had to have hip-replacement surgery. During her recovery, before she got her doctor’s clearance to return to work, she decided to clean inside the grooming van. We politely explained that if she got injured while doing this, it could create a significant liability for us. I’d do the same thing here with potential wage violations. Reiterate how much of a valued team member she is, but that we can’t put the business at risk.

Julie S.
MARYSVILLE, WA

It sounds like this manager truly wants the best for the owner and the business, and likely simply doesn’t understand the ramifications of her working off the clock. Giving the benefit of the doubt and an explanation as to “why” would be beneficial. “You’re amazing, but I’m officially banning off-the-clock heroics! You’ve earned your downtime, and I don’t want you working unless you’re on the clock. It’s actually against labor laws and could get both of us in trouble. I know you’d never want to do anything that could hurt the business or me personally, so stick to working only when you’re clocked in. If it keeps happening, I’ll have to take formal action to protect the business, and I really don’t want to do that because you’re such an important part of the team.”

Claudia L.
WASHINGTON, NJ

Teddy is correct: Wage violations are a real concern, and fines can be steep. Also no employee should be working off the clock, ever, as it is also a concern for workers’ comp should she be injured while working off the clock or while doing a task not part of her job classification. Teddy can: 1) Offer to change her hours so that she clocks in earlier each day and leaves earlier. 2) Offer her a longer period of time each day where she clocks out for a break/lunch so that when she does clock in earlier, she will not go over 40 hours a week. Or 3) Explore putting her on salary again.

Allen L.
WENATACHEE, WA

At first glance, I want to go recruit Stephanie and ask if she has any siblings just like her. All kidding aside, it is so important to look at this from a few angles. First is always about following the law. Teddy was not the one who established the law or rule, but he is the only one on the hook if it is not followed and he condones that. This is a matter of ethics that he should explain carefully to Stephanie. Second, he is creating a recipe for burnout whether Stephanie knows it or not. While I love her enthusiasm, she will eventually hit a wall. Recommendations: 1) Look at whether four 10-hour shifts would work better. That creates a longer work day for Stephanie, but also reduces her temptation of working longer by one shift per week. 2) Since she is a manager, ask her for solutions. Turn it around on her, and let her know it is a non-negotiable rule. What ideas does she have to help eliminate working off the clock. I would tell her, “Stephanie, I love how dedicated you are. It means the world to me. But I need to protect both of us. State law says I can’t let you work off the clock even if you want to. Let’s figure out how we can use your energy in a way that works within the rules.” 3) Help her discover a hobby within the industry. She could volunteer at a shelter you partner with, get involved with the local rotary club or a youth organization. Encourage her to spread her amazing energy to others who could really use it. Lastly, if she likes to work 40 to 80 hours a week, encourage her to look into opening her own business. Sounds like she has the DNA to be a biz owner.

Jodi E.
Bradley, IL

Who in their right mind wouldn’t want Stephanie on their team? She sounds spectacular! And like she’s not at all worried about being rewarded for the work she does. She’s totally invested in what she does and is passionate about every aspect. This is NOT a person who views her position as her JOB but as an integral part of her life. I highly doubt it has ever crossed her mind to report Teddy. Could Teddy possibly sell her this particular store as a franchise? If there’s no way to give her an opportunity to become an owner? Maybe Teddy can talk to his accountant about other non-taxable benefits that are cool with the IRS, such as contributions to her retirement account?

Cynthia M.
Houston, TX

Teddy can dig deeper on the reason why Stephanie comes in early, as perhaps there’s more going on in her personal life than what’s on the surface. If there is nothing deeper to address, Teddy can remind Stephanie that as a manager, she needs to lead by example, which includes following company policies. Teddy can go through the policy with her and let her know it’s time to hit the reset button. He can suggest the following and see what combination ultimately makes sense, with her input, plus these may stimulate some ideas from Stephanie:

1) Adjust her start time so she can be in before others to independently and efficiently prepare the store for opening the way she likes, with the understanding that she leaves early to avoid overtime. 2) Develop store checklists and assign team members to opening and closing tasks to ensure the store meets her standards. Essentially, delegating and holding others responsible for some of the tasks she’s doing to reduce her hours. 3) Discuss promoting another team member to assistant manager, one Stephanie trusts so she can step away. 4) Give Stephanie a pool of overtime hours, but together come up with ways to reduce expenses in other areas or increase sales through add-ons, promos, events, etc. Teddy may need to hold her more accountable for KPIs that they evaluate regularly for her to keep the pool of hours. Stephanie is clearly an ideal employee and likes to be at work. Personally, I would let her work some reasonable overtime, as other rewards still cost money. She seems to be running the store like she’s the owner, and that work ethic and attitude can be difficult to find.

Deborah V.
Columbus, OH

Explain how the effort is appreciated, but that following the law ensures compliance and is non-negotiable. Explain how this is critical to protect staff as well as the company. Reiterate that clocking in/out is also non-negotiable. I’m not sure about “rewarding” her for putting in “more” time than scheduled. That sounds risky. But rewarding her for dedication and compliance by increasing PTO accrual, product credits or bonuses might be a good option. I would also point out that as a leader, it’s critical that she sets an example by following the rules.

Paul L.
Mount Dora, FL


Dear Stephanie, I’m writing to express sincere appreciation for your exceptional work as a manager. Your dedication, strong work ethic and leadership qualities consistently shine through, making you of one our most valued assets. The positive impact you have on our operations and team is truly remarkable, and does not go unnoticed. However, it has come to my attention that you are often working off the clock. While I understand this comes from a place of commitment and passion for your role, it puts both you and the company in violation of state labor laws. We must ensure all team members are compensated for every hour worked, and your well-being and compliance with legal requirements are paramount. We can explore ways to leverage your talent and dedication in a manner that aligns with legal requirements and also benefits you. Perhaps discussing opportunities for ownership in one of our locations could be a mutually beneficial path forward, offering you greater autonomy and reward for your contributions. I truly value your commitment and talent. Best regards, Paul.

Anna W.
Ankeny, IA 


At first thought, I’m like “Oh this is so nice, she obviously loves this job! What a breath of fresh air, but … I would like sit her down for a very heartfelt one-on-one. I would just explain why she can’t work off the clock and why you value her as an employee too much to have her working with no pay!
Maybe if she likes coming in early have her take a longer lunch. I would just have a good open conversation.