I'm starting my master's degree in January and will be taking a class on Thursday evenings from 6-9. That means I will need to leave work at about 5:30 to get to class by 6. The master's program is not available online, so I have to attend in person for all my classes.
I am looking for a new job. But at my current job, the unofficial policy - that I did not find out until after I enrolled for classes and paid fees - is that you can't leave early unless you have to pick up a child from daycare or school. I don't have children, so I end up staying at work until 7 or 8 every night. I get to work at 7, so these are very long days.
The company has always touted its "flexibility" and "flex time", so I assumed it would be there for me when I needed it - especially because they are the ones who wanted me to do this degree - turns out, "flexibility" is only for people with kids.
I do have nieces, so I was thinking about telling my boss that on Thursday evenings, I babysit my nieces. I would say that every Thursday, my brother and sister-in-law have a date night, and no one else is available to watch their kids.
Many people have been allowed to leave early (earlier than 5:30) without retribution to babysit their nieces/nephews or grandchildren (i.e. not their direct children), so I am sure the excuse would work. No one would question it. But it is dishonest, and that bothers me.
But like the now-deleted answer pointed out: it bothers me a lot less than working 12 hour days without the "flex time" benefits my coworkers enjoy. Most of them are gone by 3:30, and I'm there until 7.
Do you think this is an acceptable situation to lie to my employer until I can find a new position? I hope to find one before January, which would make all this a moot point, but it may take longer.