Getting to work on time is supposed to be simple. But what happens when a train blocks your path, the clock doesn’t forgive even a second, and the system treats you like a slacker for being less than half a minute late?
That was the reality for one Redditor whose rural commute turned into a workplace battle.
When their employer handed them a disciplinary point for a 22-second delay, they didn’t argue, they complied, but in the most inconvenient way possible for the company.
For years, they called in “absent” every single day while still showing up for every shift. It was a stunt that both punished management and entertained the internet.
Was it a stroke of genius or petty revenge stretched too far? Let’s break down this unusual showdown.
Turning Seconds into Years
For most people, being 22 seconds late would earn at worst a light warning. For this worker, it became a career mark.
The irony was painful: their manager knew the train had blocked them, tried to excuse it, but the attendance office wouldn’t budge. The message was clear, rules came first, common sense came second.
Instead of quietly stewing, the Redditor decided to flip the system on its head. Since the rules said you could call in absent as long as you arrived, they did exactly that. Every. Single. Day.
The office phones rang daily with their name on the line, clogging the system and forcing staff to deal with paperwork that never amounted to anything. Management couldn’t punish them, because technically they weren’t breaking the rules.
A Worker’s Perspective
Anyone who’s ever been stuck in traffic, at a train crossing, or behind an accident knows the frustration of being late for reasons completely out of your control.
That helplessness turns to anger when the system treats you like you did it on purpose. For this Redditor, the 22-second penalty wasn’t just about the time, it was about respect.
By the end of the week, the same HR staffer who punished them for being late was begging them to speed up again. Petty? Maybe. But it proved the same point: rigid rules often break trust faster than they fix behavior.
Expert Opinion
Workplace experts have long warned about the dangers of strict attendance policies.
A 2024 study by the Society for Human Resource Management found that nearly 70% of employees feel demoralized when punished for minor infractions.
Instead of motivating workers, these policies often push them into resentment or rebellion.
Psychologist Adam Grant explains it well: “Punitive policies often create rebellion rather than compliance. Flexibility fosters loyalty.”
In other words, if you treat employees like children who can’t be trusted, they’ll act out. But if you show trust and understanding, they’ll usually repay it with dedication.
If one worker could tie the attendance office in knots for years without breaking a rule, maybe the rule was the problem all along.
These are the responses from Reddit users:
Others argued it was a waste of energy, pointing out that the stress of keeping the routine for years might not be worth it.
A few even wondered if the company secretly admired the creativity, even while fuming over the phone calls.
Whether you side with the worker or the employer, it’s clear the internet loves a good underdog tale, especially when it comes with a clever twist of compliance.
![[Reddit User] − I used to have a point system like that at work. One minute late, up to half a shift was a half point.](https://dailyhighlight.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/wp-editor-1758856183234-53.webp "Boss Punished Him for Being 22 Seconds Late - The Petty Payback Was Legendary")
When Seconds Define Trust
What started as a 22-second delay became years of subtle rebellion, turning workplace rules into a daily farce. It’s a reminder that companies risk losing loyalty when they value rigid systems over real people.
The worker’s response may not be for everyone, but it proves a point: respect and flexibility matter more than stopwatches. Sometimes the smartest way to fight a bad rule is to follow it so closely that it breaks itself.
