I’ve worked for the City for years now, moving between agencies and divisions. Across all of them, one thing has stayed the same: I leave when my shift ends. Not early, not late — just on time.
In my current agency (which I won’t name), there are way more full‑time staff than temps. Yet somehow, I still feel like one of the very few people who actually walks out the door the moment the workday is over. And for context, I’m in a non‑managerial role under DC37, so there’s no expectation of staying late to “set an example” or anything like that.
I’m fortunate enough to be financially comfortable, so I don’t need to take on overtime. My boss is… intense, to put it nicely. She’s told me she can’t force me to do OT — and I fully believe she would if she could — but honestly, that part doesn’t bother me.
My real question for fellow civil servants is this:
Is anyone else out there choosing not to do overtime
Do you leave at your scheduled end time and call it a day, or do you feel pressured to stay late even when it’s not required?