“Loads” Of Overtime

When I’m hired at a therapy clinic, it all seems pretty standard at first, until we move to a new site.

The new place doesn’t have an in-house washer or dryer. Fair enough. But instead of hiring a laundry service, our director decides to save money by making us do it.

Director: “You’ll just take the dirty linen home, wash it, and bring it back. Everyone will take turns.”

The linen includes towels, pillowcases, and anything used for icing, heating, and exercises.

Most of my coworkers just quietly accept it as part of the job.

Me: “Wait… we’re not getting paid for this?”

Director: “Well, no, it’s just one of those things you all help with.”

Not for me. That is very clearly a work task.

The day my “turn” comes, I take the linen home, dump it into my washer… and clock in on my phone before starting. Then I go about washing, drying, folding, and stacking every last item. Only after everything is done do I clock out.

A week later, my manager sends me a text.

Manager: “Hey, can you explain the extra time you logged this weekend?”

Me: “Yeah, that was me washing, drying, and folding the clinic’s linen. On the clock.”

There’s a long pause before she replies with a simple: 

Manager: “Oh.”

Not long after that, a contractor is hired to pick up and deliver fresh linen weekly. 

Turns out, once the laundry started costing them actual wages, it suddenly became worth outsourcing.