Everyone has their limits. No matter your job, it’s very likely that at some point in your life, you were so frustrated that you thought about quitting and putting your boss in their rightful place. You might have even fantasized about getting your revenge in the most dramatic fashion possible. Well, some people have actually turned those power fantasies into reality.
Today, we’re featuring some employees’ stories from a couple of threads on AskReddit about how they left their jobs and got back at their superiors or other authority figures in their lives. If you’re looking for a bit of inspiration for revenge quitting or you’re just in the mood for some drama, scroll down to check their stories out.
#1
My ex boss, who tried to get me fired for taking paternity leave, was a c**t and not well liked. The problem was, I always used to respect him and had a great relationship with him for many years til that episode
Anyway, he left the company before I did and moved around jobs. A large company in our space contacted me because he had gone for a VP position there, and his references he were all SVP and CRO roles (his buddies, but high up).
Anyway, the company contacted me as their "unofficial" background check and asked me to give an unofficial character reference, and I very objectively destroyed him - and he didn't get the position.
That was my f**k you to him, only he never knew why.
Image credits: mr_fantastical
#2
Quitting when they’re already understaffed.
Image credits: anon
#3
Not much but I worked at a golf club and one of the members asked if I could make them some popcorn.
It was the end of my shift but microwave popcorn doesn't take long to make so I was fine with doing it before I left.
I looked at him and nodded to let him know I would make it.
But as I started to walk away he called out to me saying, "you answer yes when talking to me". Granted, I probably should've given a verbal answer but the way he said that to me made me instantly mad. I turned my head, this time without looking at him, and gave him the most deadpan "yes".
I then proceeded to walk through the doors to the kitchen.
Then I walked past the popcorn
I walked past the microwave
Proceeded to clock out and went straight home.
Image credits: MajinBuub420
Reporting on a study from Software Finder, The HR Digest states that around 11% of tech and IT workers plan to make a “dramatic exit this year,” also known as revenge quitting. 16% of employees who are likely to engage in a power war through revenge quitting work in marketing and advertising, while 40% of the entire workforce plans to leave by revenge quitting.
The HR Digest notes that 93% of workers are unhappy with their current role. 48% are upset about low wages or a lack of raises. Meanwhile, 34% feel undervalued or undermined.
Moreover, 33% see a lack of career growth opportunities, 27% of workers blame poor management for them quitting, 24% are upset over poor work-life balance, and 22% are angry about limited time off.
#4
I quit my 2nd job because my boss cut my hours down to 15-20 a week. I was full time 40 hours a week before hand. I didn't get a notice about my hours being cut so I walked in the day of finding out and quit. Said to my Manger "since you didn't notify me of my hours being cut earlier I quit." Didn't give a 2 week notice since they didn't give me a notice. I got bills to pay and definitely can't make it by with a 20 hour work week.
Image credits: Tanner21703
#5
I worked at Wendy's as a teen for about 2 years. One day I tried calling in sick, due to constantly throwing up. I had a huge fever as well. My manager told me to come in anyways and they would let me go after an hour or two. I was pissed, but went in. Everyone notices I'm super sick.
After 2 hours of grilling burgers and running to the bathroom every 10 minutes, my manager decides to let a coworker leave. Then another. It's been over 5 hours and I'm feeling delirious and wobbling on my feet. The final straw was my manager walking up behind me and saying that I was working too slow and to not go to the bathroom anymore.
I screamed at her that she knew I was extremely sick and that she was disgusting for having me here. I stomped out the door as she yelled at me to wait. I didn't.
Image credits: Material_Routine_245
#6
I used to be a teacher, i used to teach something that wasn't teached s lot back then. (mobile design, specialized in ui/ux) it was popular and after 3 years i've build up to yearly 50students. Which was huge and gave me a lot of hours. Suddenly they gave my position to another teacher, she had seniority and her course died down (she was useless, had no idea what the mobile landscape was,had no real world experience, never launched an app,...)
Because It was new, there was no course material and everything i used (course papers, digital assets, mobile engines,...) i made it all myself. Took me 3 years and it was a lot. My replacement asumed it was all ready to use and did not prepare anything.
The last day of summer break i went to clean my class, take everything that was mine, including course material. She had to start from scratch 24hours before classes started, without any knowledge or experience on the subject.
The principal came begging for the material on day 4, told him he could buy it, he refused, i went to a different school took everything and most students came soon after.
Image credits: Amelsander
The reality is that nobody is coming to save you. You are responsible for maintaining your boundaries at work. Of course, you can fight for a healthier workplace environment, better communication, more supportive management, growth opportunities, etc. But at the end of the day, if the situation is toxic, your boss harasses you, you’re burnt out, and the work is unbearably exhausting, you need to decide to take steps to change the situation.
That might involve talking to your manager or HR to try to rectify the situation or negotiate a severance package. If things are worse, you may need to talk to your union rep or even your lawyer. Meanwhile, if you’re chronically unhappy, you can and should apply to other companies. That’s easier said than done if you have serious financial responsibilities. But a better job with awesome colleagues, annual raises, and a good culture is very unlikely to drop in your lap if you’re passive.
#7
The week before I was due to go on holiday, my boss completely dropped the ball on a project. He said "Oh, it's OK, we'll just cancel WitShortage's holiday."
I reached for a post it note, wrote a number on it, and handed it to him.
He said "What's this?"
"It's my wife's mobile number. You'll need to call her and tell her why she's not getting to go to France next week.".
Image credits: WitShortage
#8
My appendix ruptured a few weeks after my company had been bought out. The managers had all been replaced by goons from the new company. The day I get home from the hospital I get a call from my new boss saying I'll receive a conference call in a few minutes to discuss some non important topic. I was annoyed. So during the conference call, I held the phone over the toilet and flushed. Over and over and over. A good 20 minutes worth. I had already secured another position and gave zero f***s at that point.
Image credits: TigerTownTerror
#9
I was realy sick one day, I never took a sick day in 2 years (I was a chef). My head chef was the biggest A-hole I have ever met in my life and screamed trought the phone I come to work. So I did. After 30 min i had to vommit. First I wanted to run for the toilet but then I was like f**k this MotherF and just puked right in front of him on the floor. When I was done I said: I go home now and sleep. See you in a few days. I did not get fired to my surprise because he never took sh*t from anybody. I guess he was surprised I stood up for myself for once XD.
Image credits: Mc_Mom_95
Have you ever quit your job in a dramatic way, dear Pandas? What did you do? Have you ever scolded your boss on your way out?
We’d love to hear about what happened. You can tell us all about your worst work experiences in the comments. And if you have any advice for people who are just now entering the job market, feel free to share it, too.
#10
Quitting on the spot, over text,
day I was supposed to go in, while they’re under staffed
I was scheduled for the weekend when I wasn’t supposed to be. I was off since there was 4 deaths in my family, all immediate family.
I told her I wasn’t gonna make it in since it was out of my availability and I had a funeral that Sunday. She said “what days are you coming back?” I didn’t respond since I was making funeral arrangements, she just replied with “see you Monday then.”
And I said,
“Actually you will not.
-list of why I quit-
She then tried to argue with me and I simply did not say anything, returned my uniform day after
Then I quit! Lol.
Image credits: gymdoes
#11
I was on a contract that ended on Sept 30. They offered an extension 2 months earlier and I said no. Sept 30 would be my last day.
From the day I turned down the extension I was person non grata in the office.... I was removed from group emails, never invited to the weekly lunch out, ignored on breaks, went to the office and the department was empty...they had gone on a 2 day 'Team Building" exercise and didn't even tell me. I spent 2 days reading and playing online games.
On my last day I went around saying bye to other departments. My boss came raging after me saying we are having a team meeting and I HAVE to be there. I asked someone to take a peak and they had a gift and cake for my last day.
So after 2 months of being treated like c**p, they wanted to ease their minds by giving me a cake.
I snuck to my desk, got my jacket, went out the front door and drove away. Apparently they were PISSED and were paging me over and over and sending people all over the office to look for me.
BTW...the department I worked in was HR.
Image credits: anon
#12
I got f****d over by my boss. I am in charge of temp/emergency staffing (subs if you like) He resigns due to family illness. Approaches me 2 years later for temp work. Dont employ him.
Now I'm in the process of building a case against company with the union for historical inaccuracies with my pay. Going well there will be significant back pay.
Image credits: sometimesnowing
#13
I took this advanced computers class in high school. The teacher pulled me out into the hallway on day 1 and told me he knew for a fact that I wasn't smart enough to pass the class and that I shouldn't waste my time.
Not only did I pass with the highest grade in the class. But also, we stored all our work on encrypted floppy discs. I figured out a way around his encryption and sold my work to half of the other people in class and made a few thousand bucks on the side.
A few years later I started dating his daughter and he pulled me off to the side again and told me he didn't think I was good enough for her and he was going to do everything in his power to break us up. I had the perfect moment to throw it in his face that I ran that scam in his class that I "wasn't smart enough for". He was sooo pissed. Sadly, his daughter was a good girl who listened to her father and she dumped me... but I got that one glorious moment. It was awesome.
Image credits: KingGuy420
#14
One of our vendors accused me of stealing, owner was telling me to "fess up" and agreeing with the vendor that it must have been me who tried to steal. Vendor later admitted it wasn't me. (Note: the owner would send me to different vendors routinely with $10,000-$50,000 ($20,000-$100,000 in today's cash) in cash to buy equipment but then threw me under the bus on suspicion of trying to steal a $200 monitor).
I was the final straw. When we got back, I figured out my pay and showed him. "This is how much you owe me, I'll be back next Friday to get it. I quit".
I was supposed to deliver 100 computers the next day an install then the next week.
He called me the next day begging me to come back, contradicted himself several times. I stood my ground and did not come back.
4 months later he was arrested by the FBI for check fraud (we were paid by cashier's check).
Image credits: draggar
#15
I walked out of the Deli in the middle of a shift on Saturday right before the Super-bowl on Sunday. Its genuinely one of the busiest days of the year, especially the deli. Everyone wants wings and cheese and cracker platters etc.
Our old manager was transferred to a different store and the new woman was a nightmare, everyone was quitting, even people who had been there for years and years. I started to feel my blood sugar getting low so I asked for my break (at a reasonable time) and she said no and then my other co-workers just started berating me about how it wasn’t my turn yet blah blah. I took my apron off, went to the back, grabbed a snack and then walked out the front door, never to be seen again. This was like 10 years ago but f**k that place.
Image credits: anon
#16
I was s*xually a*saulted working for Chipotle and after an investigation, nothing was done since there was no camera feed.
A week later, I interviewed at another restaurant and quit Chipotle a half hour before my shift was supposed to start. F**k that company.
Image credits: anon
#17
I started working for a company, I brought over a decade of experience. The company consisted of the boss, another employee who had been there years, and myself. Myself and the employee worked a service schedule, the boss messed around and did odd jobs.
One day after a few months of starting the job the boss calls me in and says, "I need you to fill out this paperwork I meant to have you fill out when I hired you" and he gives me a stack of papers. I look through it and it's your standard tax stuff, he wasn't trying to force me to be a 1099 or anything. But there was a non compete contract, I filled out everything but that and gave it back. I warned him and told him I had no plan on signing it. His response was "well if you don't sign it, you won't advance, you'll never be paid more, I have trade secrets to protect and I can't train you to do anything more" which was a farce because I'd done the job long enough, longer than he'd been doing it, I was literally teaching him trade secrets.
So the next week, the other employee calls in sick, he warned me through text. That meant I was going to be doing all the service alone the next few days and honestly, I could have handled it no problem. But I knew the boss would struggle, he just wasn't fast at anything he did. I typed up my FU, I'm not coming to work ever again, effective immediately email and sent it over.
It was glorious, I ended up starting my own business competing with his immediately. Might have poached some customers.
Image credits: anon
#18
When I was young and dumb, I was dept manager for a supermarket. The store manager was a total jerk but we got along fine. When I quit, I listed him as a reference but had a lot of trouble getting another job. Finally, someone from a place I’d interviewed at called to me to say manager was telling employers what a b***h I was, terrible at my job etc.
So, I called the area manager with details of workplace s*xual hara*sment I’d witnessed at the supermarket. I’d been in the manager’s office talking about the upcoming Christmas period. From his office you could see into the admin office. He called the store, asked the admin mgr which s*xual position made her moan, she hung up, bright red with embarrassment. He did it all the time, apparently. So I relayed this incident to the area manager.
I found out store manager got demoted. His wife ended up leaving him, his life fell apart, he was sent to another store (in a bad area), and all his dreams of becoming state manager was crushed.
Image credits: RangerWinter9719
#19
Got a job thanks to my grandfather. He had worked there for 25 years and one of the managers never liked my grandfather for some reason. I was young and trying to turn over a new leaf. This manager used to try being rude and starting arguments with me daily as he couldn't against my grandad. One day I snapped and he tried to start again in front of the whole staff. When I got face to face with him and could see the fear in his eyes and he was shaking. I barely made a step forward and he fell backwards in front of the whole room. He was never able to live it down and left not long after. Swore from then on I'm not taking s**t from anyone with a power trip, and never have. I know when to keep my head down and when to open my mouth....but some outright deserve it.
Image credits: damocles1988
#20
I did a biblical studies degree at a Bible College here in the UK, training to be a minister. We lived residentially on site, with our own separate bedrooms, but with shared common living space.
At one point, the wife of one of the higher-up faculty was hired to be a 'asthetic planner' for the site. She essentially had a non-job of decorating, aquiring better furniture etc., to spruce up our aging facilities. Initially we thought this would be great, as where we lived would get a facelift. But suddenly, things started changing without the residential students being consulted in any way, often without warning, and frequently for the much worse.
One such change was the common room sofa's being replaced. Originally, they were aging, worn but very comfortable, and instead we got faux-leather futons that were clearly bought super cheap and were so uncomfortable. The old furniture was thrown out, and the new f**k-off futons brought in whilst most of us were in lecture. We instantly hated it, but we did love the new very nice leather sofas that had been bought for the area where the staff usually sits.
We were pretty livid, so one evening a couple of days later, we just swapped them. The next day we got a grilling, and (let's call her Sue, because that's her name) got very red in the face as she shouted at us. Then she had the groundskeeping staff move them back.
So we did it again the next evening, and this kept on going for about two weeks before she realised she wouldn't get her way. Maybe not the biggest f**k you on this thread, but damn it felt glorious at the time.
Image credits: MyGoodApollo
#21
My boss posts the schedule for the next week on Friday night, meaning you only have the weekend to see when you work next and it’s a physical copy so you have to go in and look rather than check online.
She scheduled me for a day that I *never* work for no apparent reason other than so she has to work less. I had a job interview during that time that I scheduled on the previous Thursday (not enough time in her opinion to request it off- I’d need to give her at least a 3 week notice as she supposedly has the schedule set 3 weeks out). I told her my situation and she basically said “tough titties you’re scheduled and should’ve requested it off.” I have no idea how I’d do that given no job would want to schedule an interview 3 weeks in advance, they’d want the position filled in that timeframe. And as I said before, I have never worked the day she scheduled me, in my 6 years working here. So I just didn’t show up for work and she had to go in and do my job for me because they were understaffed. I got a written warning and I ain’t even mad about it.
Image credits: EgoSenatus
#22
Had an interschool sporting event in high school. One of my friends was in the rival school, but neither of us were taking part so he came to hang out at my school the one day.
My grade head got wind of it and called us to his office and told my friend he had to leave immediately 'because he was spying".
We were both good friends with our principles son and knew the principle well, so went to ask him if it was fine for my friend to be there. He said of course, we weren't causing trouble.
So we went about our business, and naturally my grade head found out. Called us back to his office and started making a scene saying "how dare we go behind his back".
I looked him dead in the face and said "the last time I checked you weren't the principle and he has more say than you".
My grade head flipped, but otherwise didn't have an argument. He shouted for like 5 minutes, telling me I wasn't getting my gr12 blazer or going to our farewell dance. I wasn't planning on doing either of those things, so his threats fell flat.
He eventually relented and told us to get out of his sight and do whatever the hell we pleased.
Image credits: anon
#23
I was given a s****y performance appraisal, I left for the day and never returned.
Image credits: anon
#24
Quitting just before inventory in a big box retail store.
Image credits: Luke5119
#25
I was night shift manager at a convenience store. My boss obviously knew that, as she was the general manager. And yet she would repeatedly call me at home during the day--when, I told her often, I was sleeping. I finally had enough, so I left a note for her: "If you call me during {hours} again, I will quit.
So...guess what. She called me, I said "Better find someone for tonight cu I'm not coming in. I quit.".
Image credits: ChrisNEPhilly
#26
They refused to treat me decently and failed to uphold our contract. I just had it and quit right up to the busiest season on the company calendar. Now my manager has do to her own work...
Image credits: ShadowWolfee_34
#27
I had an owner bring all the employees into an office. Maybe 6 of us total. Tell us we all need to work harder. He was a big gambler, and his lifestyle wasn't being met. I had been working tirelessly for the last week switching his computers systems because of his shady business tactics. I immediately handed him all the keys and walked out. He was family.
Image credits: brianna_sometimes
#28
Applied for work uni. The employer pays for my uni degree I give them 2 years after I get the degree of my time as payment back.
Missed first enrollment, yet to get approval from HR. I need to wait for the next enrollment chase manager. He again says it's with HR. I miss another enrollment. Go to HR ask what do I need to do to get promoted in dominating the work, seen as a system expert etc. They say apply for uni, I responded I did twelve months ago it's with you and I have missed two enrollments....
Turned out manager never handed in paperwork, so they offered me a new role same pay but I would be doing my current role plus another persons role. Not even a little bump orrrr get a payout and finish then and their. They gave me three days to think but I took the cash and left, walked into a job that day.
Manager ended up getting the sack, recent LinkedIn stalk showed he was a COO,don't get how he was an idiot. So I guess he won? 😆.
Image credits: Robaphent
#29
In 1985 I was working consruction on a large project funded in part by the Gov of BC..Bill Bennet the current premier at the time was giving a speech while we lined up behind him.btw we all had brand new hard hats and coveralls with the company name on it..he then walked down the line shaking hands and just before he got to me I spun around and showed him my back..he didn't miss a beat and moved down the line..good thing I belonged to a strong union as one of the company's owners donated a lot of money to his campaign.
Image credits: kcrew123
#30
My ex boss gave many bad words at my team even though everyone was working, so i went to his laptop opened my email sent my resignation mail to his email stating that i am leaving this job because of toxic work environment and printed it on his printer and threw it on his face! And told him now talk to my lawyers! Well he paid my salary and let me leave without any notice period! And after me the whole office just started quitting until only the cleaner lady and he were left in the company!
Image credits: KIRA6969696969
