An employee’s decision to walk out of a job interview after being asked how they would handle unpaid overtime has gone viral online, with social media users divided over whether the candidate made the right call or should have heard the interviewer out.
The incident first surfaced on Reddit, where the employee shared the experience in detail. The post was later reposted on X by the account @ConsoomerLs, quickly gaining traction and prompting thousands of users to weigh in with their opinions.
According to the employee, they had been genuinely excited about the opportunity. The role appeared promising, the salary was competitive, and the company had earned positive reviews online. However, the interview took an unexpected turn almost immediately
after it began.
After exchanging greetings and taking their seats, the hiring manager reportedly asked the very first question: “How do you handle working unpaid overtime?”
The employee initially assumed the interviewer was joking and laughed in response. But when it became clear the question was serious, they sought clarification by asking whether overtime was mandatory and if employees were compensated for the extra hours.
According to the post, the hiring manager responded by saying that employees were expected to remain at work for as long as necessary to complete their tasks. The manager allegedly added that everyone in the company was “passionate about the work” and that the organisation did not keep track of additional hours worked.
Feeling that the role was not aligned with their expectations, the employee decided to end the interview on the spot. They thanked the interviewer for their time, stated that the position was not the right fit, and walked out.
In the Reddit post, the employee later admitted to questioning the decision, writing: “I walked out of an interview after one question. Was I wrong?”
The employee wondered whether they should have stayed to learn more about the position before making a decision or whether leaving immediately had been the right call.
As the story spread online, social media users flooded the comments section with their views, with many supporting the employee’s decision while others suggested a different approach.
“If they are hourly they have to be paid overtime or they’re breaking labor laws…” said one user.
“You should have answered better (lied), seen the interview through, gone home, slept on it and then you could decide whether you will take the job if they call back,” said another.
“If the position is an hourly one, it’s a violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act for them to even suggest it. Best thing is to walk immediately as you did. Let them abuse someone else,” said a third.
“Wow… that’s their first question… that’s even a question?!? Appalling… I hate when companies make you feel shitty for putting your wellbing first… Unpaid overtime should not exist,” commented a fourth user.
Another user wrote, “No one would want to. That’s the point of asking. They are filtering for people willing to do things they don’t want to do. The person was right to walk away. The company doesn’t want them and they should not take a job and make trouble later.”
One more user added, “The word for unpaid work is “slavery”. If someone does work, he gets paid, period. I’d have gotten up and left, too.”
