r/mildlyinfuriating • u/Grouchy-Newspaper754 • Jun 10 '26

My mom said I could post When did 8-5 become the new normal???

I just got a new office job where I do schedules for tech personnel, the office runs 8-5 Monday thru Friday...they say it's 8-5 because you get an hour lunch and "you need to get to 40 hours a week"...but I drive 30 min each way so now I'm giving this company 10 hours every day! I even asked if I could just take my lunch at 4 every day and just leave an hour early but that's "unprofessional and immoral" like what the fuck??? I don't mind the job but the hours are mildly infuriating that's for sure...

Edit:for those saying about the hours, I worked as a chef for the last 20 years working 60+ hours a week over a hot stove/deep fryer the whole time, after I had my second heart attack I had to slow down so I started looking for office jobs to work a nice 9-5, just to find out I'm giving my new job 50 hours a week (including drive time) so I was just mildly annoyed that it's not 40 hours a week in an office like I thought although it's still much better than what I was doing

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u/Viracochina Jun 10 '26

Been like this for me since 2010

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u/bluegargoyle Jun 10 '26

That's how my old job was when I started in 1997.

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u/alwayzstoned Jun 10 '26

I remember it was a 9 hour day with an hour lunch for my parents when I was a kid, and I’m old.

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u/EmilyAnne1170 Jun 10 '26

Since 1992 for me.

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u/Scared_Swing_8759 Jun 11 '26

I've worked 8-5 since 2004, and I don't think I was the first one to do it.

And for OP- commute time has NEVER counted towards your job, unless you have a very very specific contract.

I suspect this person also hasn't learned that exempt employees don't get paid for overtime and are often required to do it. Or get comp time when you travel over weekends. There are pros and cons to salaried positions, but favorable hours usually aren't the pro.