I used to work in a job that had me travelling by air across the country for about half the year each year. Corporate rule was that you had to book the lowest price flight. Now, that’s not an unreasonable rule on its own, unless you say there are no exceptions. Lowest. Price. Flight. Period.
It’s especially silly when the worker’s employment agreement mandates they’re paid for every hour they’re in transit (at the airport or on the plane). Every. Hour. Period.
You see where this is going. Here were my flight options:
- $600 cheap non-direct flight:
3 hour connecting flight to hub airport
+ 1½ hour layover in that airport
+ 5 hour flight back to correct city - $620 direct flight:
2 hour direct flight
I asked our money management department if there were any exceptions. “No exceptions.” So, to save $20, I was required to book the non-direct flight at 9½ hours including layover, rather than the 2 hour direct flight. While getting paid $25.00/hr…
- $600 cheap flight:
+9½ hours x $25 = $237.50
…Oops, and overtime pay after 8 hours!…
+1½ hrs x $12.50 OT premium = $18.75
=$600.00 + $237.50 + $18.75 = $856.25 - $620 direct flight:
+2 hrs x $25 = $50.00
=$620.00 + $50.00 = $670.00
So, congratulations corporate penny-pinchers who saved a whopping negative $186 of firm money to save $20! Malicious compliance was delicious compliance.